Donovan inks new deal, Everton loan possible

December 17, 2009


Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan signed a four-year contract extension Wednesday with the Major League Soccer club, paving the way for a loan to Everton of the English Premiership.

Donovan, this year’s Most Valuable Player of the US league, is set to stay with the Galaxy through 2013 after scoring a team-high 12 goals this season and together with England’s David Beckham leading the team to the MLS Cup finals.

The Galaxy announced their captain would be allowed to pursue overseas loan deals provided he returns for the start of the 2010 MLS season on March 27. Donovan said he would not have signed a deal without that provision.

“I am excited to be able to pledge my future to the Galaxy by signing this new contract,” Donovan said. “This is a great day for me both personally and professionally.”

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said that while no loan deal has been completed, one likely would be done with Everton from January to mid-March. Everton already features a top US talent, goalkeeper Tim Howard.

That would allow Donovan to get a first-hand look for at least 10 weeks at the talent he and his US teammates will face June 12 in their World Cup opener against England, while at the same time giving English talent a better look at the American playmaker whom Beckham knows well.

Beckham is on a loan deal to AC Milan that does not require his return until after the World Cup.

Donovan, 27, is not available for transfer, Arena said.

“He is our captain, our leader and the league’s MVP and we believe that Landon signing this new contract is a key aspect to bringing the Galaxy further success both on and off the field,” Arena said.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

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Donovan, LA agree to deal; Everton move likely

December 17, 2009


American midfielder Landon Donovan agreed to a new four-year contract with Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday. The deal also moves Donovan close to a loan deal with Everton.

Donovan, 27, put signature to the contract with Los Angeles that locks him up through the end of the 2013 MLS season. In addition, the contract allows Donovan to pursue short-term loan moves to other clubs, provided he returns to America for the start of the season.

Everton and Los Angeles have been in talks recently about landing the American captain on loan through March, at which point he would return home for the MLS campaign.

Donovan has had unsuccessful spells at Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in recent years, but has been a talisman for Los Angeles. They were beaten finalists in the MLS championship by Real Salt Lake last month.

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Injured Beckham vows to play MLS Cup final

November 21, 2009


England midfielder David Beckham has a bone bruise in his right ankle, but he still expects to play for his US club Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer championship match Sunday.

Beckham said Friday he will use a pain-killing injection as needed in the ankle to be ready for Sunday’s match against Real Salt Lake on the artificial pitch at Seattle’s Qwest Field.

“You’ve got to be kind of careful with it not to get any kicks on it. So it’s definitely been frustrating, but I’m sure it will be fine for Sunday. Definitely be fine for Sunday,” Beckham said.

“It’s just one of those things that you just have to get through. After five or 10 minutes of the game I’m sure I’ll forget about it.”

Beckham, who has won multiple English Premiership titles with Manchester United and a Spanish League title with Real Madrid, will be playing for the MLS championship for the first time with the Galaxy.

Beckham, speaking to reporters after the team trained on Friday, also said he thinks he has another few years of playing left in him and reiterated his plans to return to Los Angeles after next year’s World Cup, in which he hopes to play for England.

“I’d like to say I’ve got a good two or three, maybe four years left in me,” Beckham said. “Have to wait and see and take it week by week, month by month and year by year, especially being 34 years old. … But I feel good and I feel really fit. I’m playing a lot of soccer and I’m enjoying it.”

He is due to go back to AC Milan on loan after the MLS season, and has said he hopes playing in Europe will boost his chances of making England’s 2010 World Cup squad.

“I’ll obviously, hopefully be involved in the World Cup and then I’ll return for the rest of the season,” Beckham said.

SEATTLE, Washington (AFP)

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Beckham’s return to AC Milan confirmed

November 3, 2009


David Beckham will tread a familiar path once the MLS season is over, joining AC Milan on loan again for a five-month loan spell from January.

Milan have just announced the deal on their website (just in Italian for now), meaning any lingering hopes Premier League clubs had of changing the England midfielder’s mind have finally been dashed.

Milan sound thrilled:

“We are very happy to David Beckham in the red and black shirt again after the splendid experience of last season,” Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told www.acmilan.com.

“We are sure that this period in Europe will help the player to take part in the next World Cup and then to continue his career at Los Angeles Galaxy, whom we thank for their help.”

Beckham’s main target is obviously the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as the Milan chief hints. Wonder if he’ll be on the plane…

PHOTO: Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham walks on the field during Game 1 of their MLS Cup western conference semifinal soccer playoff series against Chivas USA in Carson, California, November 1, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Source

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Pachuca seeking to regain momentum

August 18, 2009


Pachuca didn’t have much trouble getting into the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. Now it has to recover that momentum.

The winner of the confederation’s last two Champions Cup titles begins its Group Stage push for CONCACAF’s newest club championship on Wednesday at Arabe Unido in Panama, but looking to overcome Saturday’s 3-0 loss at San Luis in which it finished with nine men.

A 3-0 first-leg win over Guatemala’s Jalapa provided more than enough to get Pachuca into Group A, but its 7-1 away victory sent it through with inertia. It had been unbeaten in the Mexican league until Saturday’s setback.

While Pachuca will be travelling to Panama, the group’s other seeded team, the Houston Dynamo opens its schedule on Wednesday at home against Matapan of El Salvador.

Arabe Unido needed an away goal to get into the Group Stage after it drew 2-2 on aggregate with Olimpia. And a victory and draw so far in the Panamanian league season has it among the leaders with Tauro, Alizanza and fellow Champions League qualifier San Francisco.

Metapan will arrive in Houston several new players from a flurry of off-season transfers, including flamboyant goalkeeper Misael Alfaro from domestic rival Nejapa FC along, Paraguayan striker Osvaldo Mendoza and domestic-born midfielder Emerson Umana, both from CD FAS.

Coach Edwin Portillo and his side are coming off a Salvadoran season opening 3-0 defeat to FAS on Saturday, while Houston coach Dominic Kinnear’s squad is entering the final third of the MLS season, sharing the best record with Columbus and having lost only one of its last three.

The Dynamo drew 0-0 at Real Salt Lake Saturday in a match with saw eight cautions and one red card, while Canadian goalkeeper Pat Onstad earned his league-leading ninth shutout of the year.

Onstad has been encouraging his team to focus on defense after Houston surrendered five goals in its last two victories, 4-3 over D.C. United and 3-2 over Chicago.

“If you look at the way this team is playing defensively, we are not going to be very successful come playoff time, and come CONCACAF Champions League,” Onstad said. “So it is important for us to improve in that area and rediscover the secret to our success earlier this season.”

By Peter Mallett

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Beckham ready to snub Premiership for Milan return

August 13, 2009


David Beckham has all but ruled out a return to the English Premier League after insisting AC Milan are very much his first choice when he leaves LA Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer season.

Beckham, who won his 113th cap for England during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw against Holland in Amsterdam, has been told by his national coach Fabio Capello that he must move back to Europe if he wants to be considered for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Capello’s comments led to speculation that Beckham could return to the Premier League for the first time since leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid in 2003, with Tottenham, Portsmouth and even Chelsea reported to be interested.

But the midfielder, who paid out of his own pocket to subsidise a loan move to Milan last season, was unimpressed when asked if he could play in England again.

“No. I mean I’m never going to stand here and say it will never happen but obviously I enjoyed my time at Milan and they have expressed that they want me to go back,” Beckham said after England’s draw. “You know AC Milan is one of the best clubs in the world.”

The one thing Beckham is well aware of is that Capello has insisted he must be in Europe by Christmas if he wants to go to South Africa.

“I read that a couple of days ago but it’s old news,” Beckham said. “I’ve always known that, everyone has known that and it’s been a fact for a long time now.

“It’s important I’m playing in a European league leading up to the World Cup.

“I’ll concentrate on the rest of the MLS season with the Galaxy and then after that’s finished in a few months I’ll make plans.

“I’m 95 or 99 percent sure they will happen. So, like I said, it’s important I concentrate on the season with the Galaxy and once that’s over there will be a decision made by myself and the club I’m going to.”

Beckham’s loyalty to England has gone down less well in the States where he was booed by Galaxy fans on his return to the MLS.

But his recent performances on the field have helped the team to second in the table and a possible play-off place.

“Things are going well,” Beckham added. “That’s why I want to concentrate on Galaxy now and finish the season on a high.”

Things are also going well with England after they came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in the Amsterdam Arena.

Two terrible mistakes from Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry, who both gave the ball away in key areas, allowed Holland to score twice in the first half through Dirk Kuyt and Rafael van der Vaart.

But a second-half revival from Capello’s side saw substitute Jermain Defoe score twice and fellow replacements Carlton Cole and James Milner impress, proving England’s strength in depth.

Beckham, who hopes to play against Croatia next month in a match at Wembley that could see England qualify for the World Cup Finals, said: “We’ve got a whole squad of exciting young players, not just 11. We?ve got a whole host of players who can come on and make a difference.

“Jermain in training was on fire, scoring goals for fun, and we know if he got a chance he would score.

“With Carlton coming on they both looked a threat and James Milner on the left creating goals. It’s what you want to see and what England fans want to see – young players coming on and making a difference.

“The competition in the squad is growing and hopefully once we qualify that will continue because you want competition, it’s what makes great teams.”

AMSTERDAM (AFP)

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Beckham gets rocky reception in return to LA

July 20, 2009


David Beckham received a rocky reception from disgruntled Galaxy fans in his return to Los Angeles as his Major League Soccer club played to a 2-2 draw with his recent Italian club AC Milan.

The English star, who missed the first half of the MLS season while on loan to AC Milan, was booed during introductions and again on his first several touches of the ball.

Leaving the pitch at halftime he approached a section of stands where anti-Beckham banners were displayed and appeared to shout something.

A fan jumped down and was restrained by security personnel and escorted off the pitch.

“One of the guys was saying things that wasn’t very nice. It was stepping over the line,” Beckham said. “I said, ‘You need to calm down and come shake my hand,’ and he jumped over.”

But Beckham insisted the fan reaction didn’t bother him.

“It doesn’t affect me,” he said. “You can’t be liked by everyone.”

AC Milan manager Leonardo indicated he thought the fans were unfair, and if some Galaxy supporters don’t want Beckham, he said he’d be glad to have him back at AC Milan.

“Sometimes the supporters don’t understand the situation,” Leonardo said.

“We would be happy if he came back because he did really well. He’s incredible,” he added. “The precision he has is something very, very special. He never missed the ball.

“He controlled the ball. The way the Galaxy plays is very, very important. They see that every ball begins with him.”

Indeed amid the jeers, Beckham played a role in both Galaxy goals.

After Thiago Silva gave Milan a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute, the Galaxy equalized in the 30th through Alan Gordon, set up by Landon Donovan after a cross from Beckham.

Milan went ahead again in the 61st, when Filippo Inzaghi timed a run perfectly into the area to score.

The Galaxy responded again, earning a corner kick in the 65th minute.

Beckham, who stayed in the match amid a string of Galaxy halftime substitutions, walked deliberately over to take the corner kick, near the fan section that had given him the most grief.

His sent a precise kick into the area and Bryan Jordan headed it in to knot the score at 2-2, after which Beckham turned and faced his critics.

Beckham left the game in the 75th minute, waving to a group of supportive fans en route to the bench.

“The cheers in the end drowned out the boos, which was nice,” Beckham said.

After spending an impressive second half of last season with AC Milan, Beckham returned to the Galaxy in Thursday’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls, his first match since the end of the Serie A campaign.

Not only was Beckham’s delayed return to the MLS seen by many as a slap in the face to US football, but a squabble with Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan further sullied his return.

Donovan sparked the dispute with disparaging remarks published in a new book “The Beckham Experiment.” But he was full of praise for Beckham on Sunday.

“He was integral in both goals,” Donovan said. “There’s not another player on a team in this league that can make those plays. It was an exciting game.”

The friendly against AC Milan was Beckham’s first match in Los Angeles since his return, and coincided with a swirl of speculation on his future plans in England.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Chelsea and Tottenham are ready to bring the 34-year-old former England captain home, although Beckham said in midweek he was eyeing an eventual return to Italy. That would apparently suit Leonardo.

“If it’s possible, I think it could be a very good thing for us,” Leonardo said of the chance that Beckham could land back at AC Milan. “He knows everyone. Everyone loves him in our club.”

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

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Beckham makes low-key return to MLS

July 17, 2009


David Beckham’s return to Major League Soccer was a low-key affair, the star midfielder barely factoring into the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls.

Playing in a stadium nearly three-quarters empty, Beckham looked sluggish, making no significant crosses, taking no free-kick opportunities near the goal and not even taking all of the Galaxy’s corner kicks.

It was Beckham’s first MLS match since the finish of the Italian League season on May 31.

The 34-year-old former England captain had been loaned by the Galaxy to AC Milan with the proviso that he return for the entire 2009 MLS season, but he got his stay in Europe extended.

Some fans clearly still felt the lure of his fame, angling for pictures when he did take a corner kick, but many booed when Beckham came out of the match in the 70th minute.

Not only was Beckham’s belated return to the MLS seen as a slap in the face to US football, but a squabble with Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan has further sullied his return.

Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who criticized his teammate in a book published this week, charging Beckham failed to give his all for the Galaxy in the latter stages of their disappointing 2008 campaign.

Beckham and Donovan, who has resumed his role as captain after the armband was stripped from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced prior to Thursday’s kickoff.

Whether Beckham will be able to smooth things over with US fans, however, remains to be seen.

The Galaxy drew a crowd of 66,237 for their 5-4 win at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest football crowd at Giants Stadium for a US league game in 27 years.

Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year’s 2-2 draw and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. While the turnout was low, it was still more than double the Red Bulls’ previous home average this year of 11,385.

The Galaxy said Thursday that their upcoming exhibition against AC Milan at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles is sold out.

Alecko Eskandarian, Donovan and Eddie Lewis scored first-half goals for the Galaxy, who are battling for an MLS playoff berth.

Juan Pablo Angel scored on an 87th-minute penalty, but failed to convert another in the 90th minute for the MLS-worst Red Bulls.

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AFP)

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Beckham dedicated to US impact and World Cup dream

July 16, 2009


David Beckham swears he is back with the Los Angeles Galaxy to help boost football in the United States even though his desire to play for England in the 2010 World Cup might draw him back to Europe.

The 34-year-old midfielder who spent six months on loan to AC Milan this year spoke here on Wednesday ahead of his first match of the season with the Galaxy, which faces Major League Soccer strugglers New York Red Bulls on Thursday.

A whirlwind media blitz to launch his third partial season in a row included Beckham saying he is committed to giving his best for the Galaxy this season and sees no need to apologize to supporters of the MLS club.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’ve been very dedicated to the Galaxy, dedicated to the fans. I’ve always been very positive and very honest with my play here and when I went to Milan I explained to everyone the reason behind me going.

“I always said to the manager and the players that I would be coming back. Maybe one or two didn’t believe me but at the end of the day I’m here, I’m committed to the team and we’ll see what the first game back will be like.

“I don’t feel like I owe an apology, but I don’t know.”

Beckham is expected to buy out his US contract or secure another loan deal for a European club, possibly AC Milan again, once the MLS season ends in November.

But he noted that not even that will assure him a place in England manager Fabio Capello’s squad for the World Cup finals in South Africa.

“The England manager has made it very clear to me I need to be playing at a European level,” Beckham said. “I?ll always regret it if I didn?t do everything to give myself the chance to be involved in that.”

Beckham said he jumped at a chance that any player would have taken when AC Milan came calling.

“I was given to chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Beckham said.

“If you ask any player in any league in the world, if they were given the chance to finish the season with one of the biggest clubs in the world, they would have said, ‘Yes.’

“I’m a very honest person. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve always been committed to every contract I’ve ever had, and that hasn’t changed.

“If people want to question my commitment and my professionalism, the fact I’m willing to travel thousands of miles to play for my country says it all.”

The Galaxy have missed the playoffs for the past four seasons but at 5-3 with nine drawn are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff hunt. That, not dealmaking for Milan, is what Beckham says is now on his mind.

“I’m not even thinking about that. I’m back with the Galaxy,” Beckham said. “I have to think about the rest of this season and reaching the goal we want to reach which is the playoffs and hopefully further.

“I’ll worry about whatever else happens once the season’s ended but it’s important that people realize I’m here to play for this team.”

Beckham and Landon Donovan, the Galaxy scoring leader with six goals, have talked and eased tensions that were high after excerpts of a new book quoted Donovan ripping Beckham’s effort.

Beckham said Donovan was unprofessional for not talking to him first.

“He apologized for everything that went on and the position we were in,” Beckham said. “We’re both men. We don’t take it onto the field. That’s when it will disrupt us.”

Donovan said he regrets not talking to Beckham first about his complaints.

“He’s a good man and he cares about this team,” Donovan said. “It was a frustrating time last year but we are completely past it this year and I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be a lot of fun.”

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AFP)

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Donovan issues ultimatum to Galaxy over Beckham

July 3, 2009


LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Landon Donovan has issued the Los Angeles Galaxy an ultimatum – have English superstar David Beckham clean up his act or risk the departure of Donovan, the club’s all-time top active scorer.

“Let’s say he does stay here for three more years. I’m not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is (expletive) miserable,” Donovan said in passages from a forthcoming book put on Sports Illustrated’s website.

US national team captain Donovan blasted Beckham in the book, entitled “The Beckham Experiment”, questioning the former England captain’s work ethic, leadership and ability to be a good teammate on the Major League Soccer squad.

“Maybe he’s not a leader. Maybe he’s not a captain,” author Grant Wahl quotes Donovan as saying in the book, scheduled to be released later this month.

“But at a minimum you should bust your ass every day. That hasn’t happened.”

Donovan, who led the Americans to a runner-up finish on the weekend at the 2009 Confederation Cup, is one of the most decorated players in Galaxy history.

He leads all active Galaxy players in career goals (58), assists (44), shots (226) and game-winning goals (14). He holds club records for multi-goal games (14) and penalty-kick goals (17).

Donovan believes that Beckham, as the highest-paid player in the US league, has a responsibility to his team and especially to his Galaxy teammates to set an example through hard work.

“If someone is paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you are suspended or not.

“Show up, train hard, show up and play hard.

“As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways, on or of the field.”

Beckham is currently on loan from Los Angeles to AC Milan. The 34-year-old Beckham was originally supposed to return for the entire 2009 season but got his stay in Europe extended to halfway through the MLS season.

Beckham is scheduled to return to the Galaxy on July 16, two days after the release of the book.

“I can’t think of another guy where I would say he wasn’t a good teammate,” Donovan said. “He didn’t give everything through all of this. He didn’t still care. But with (Beckham) I would say no, he wasn’t committed.”

Donovan said Beckham’s attitude changed after the team got rid of former coach Ruud Gullit.

Gullit left the team a little over a month after Beckham played his first game in Los Angeles.

“He (Beckham) just flipped a switch and said, ‘Uh-huh, I am not doing it anymore.’

“It coincides with Ruud being let go.”

Donovan said Beckham was sincere when he arrived in North America but became discouraged easily.

“He cared. He wanted to do well. He wanted the team and the league to do well,” Donovan was quoted as saying.

“My sense is David is clearly frustrated that he is unhappy and honestly, that he thinks it is a joke. I don’t see dedication or commitment to this team and that is troubling.”

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