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

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Tags: ac milan, California, CARSON, chivas usa, danny moloshok, David Beckham, England, Europe, game 1, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, midfielder, Milan, mls cup, mls season, november 1, plane photo, playoff series, premier league, premier league clubs, reuters, s david, South Africa, target, USA, western conference semifinal, World Cup

The long arm of Delap

January 27, 2009

Something strange is happening in English football. Stoke City, one of the less fashionable teams in the Premier League, have started a trend that has swept down through most levels of the game.

Rory Delap is the man responsible, with his long throws directly involved in seven of Stoke’s first 13 goals of this season, scored between August 16 and November 1.

The tactic has certainly been copied at Sunday League level – I can vouch for that as a goalkeeper in the West Fulham League — yet for some reason top-level clubs haven’t followed suit.

I can’t imagine Arsene Wenger employing such tactics, for it wouldn’t fit well with his beautiful football ethos, but last year Chelsea’s Luiz Felipe Scolari openly declared his love for the Stoke man’s talent.

So why are other teams hesitant to try it out?

Perhaps it’s simply that they don’t have players who can propel the ball the way Delap does. Delap was, after all, regularly throwing javelins 40 metres as a teenager.

At the very least he should have a job in coaching the art of the long throw once his playing days are over. If that doesn’t appeal to him, then he should do a tour of Sunday league grounds to see the havoc he has wreaked nationwide. Might bring a tear to his eye.

PHOTO: Stoke City’s Rory Delap takes a throw-in against Chelsea during their Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, Jan. 17, 2009. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

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