Galaxy's Off-Season Abroad

Two off-seasons ago the Los Angeles Galaxy added one of the biggest names in soccer to their roster, David Beckham. The 33 year old English international has played with two of the most highly decorated and wealthy European soccer clubs in the world in Manchester United for 12 seasons and Real Madrid for 4 seasons. As he has aged, Beckham has begun the downward slope of his career, which in turn has brought him to a smaller less competitive market in the United States. On January 11th, 2008 Beckham signed the largest contract in MLS history with the Los Angeles Galaxy for 250 million dollars.

In his transfer to the US Beckham brought with him fame, an accent, and a gorgeous wife, but to the Galaxy he sat out most of his first season. Beckham was not only brought to improve the quality of talent on the team, but he was bought to bring national attention to the Major League Soccer and help the Galaxy win a Championship. To be honest other than making too much money off of endorsements, Bechham has lived up to his good looks and that’s it. In his first full season playing with the Galaxy he helped lead them to a last place finish in the MLS Western Conference. In 25 games he had 5 goals and led the team with 10 assists.

With the post-season coming to a close the Galaxy has signed Beckham away to Italian Seria A club AC Milan on a four month loan. Everyone is saying that it is going to keep him in shape and ready for next season, which is understandable, but how is that going to help him get better playing the American style of soccer? He is going to play with higher talent and competition, which will benefit his personal game, but may hurt his chemistry when he returns to his American pay check. He will again struggle to mesh in with the Galaxy’s roster and may end up in last place for a second season. I think he should be trying to help make his team better and adapting to the way they play or at least help them rise to his level.

Beckham is not the only one that is off to Europe this off-season. Landon Donovan has been training with the Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich for a little over a week. Now Donovan will go out on loan till at least the middle of March possibly even finishing off the German season with Jurgen Klinsmann’s side. Klinsmann is familiar with Donovan from his past experience as a technical advisor for the Galaxy and as the current manager of the Munich side is please to add him to the roste

For Donovan I feel like his trip abroad can only help him develop into a stronger player. The German game will be much more challenging for the 26 year old American. The time in Germany will help benefit his country in international play as well as the Galaxy. It will still hurt his chemistry if or when he returns to Los Angeles, but he has much more experience in the American MLS style of soccer compared to Beckham so the adjustment will be easier. Either way you look at it the two Galaxy stars are working on their game abroad.