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LA Galaxy fans condemn Beckham for Spurs bid
‘Selfish’ Beckham under fire as Redknapp reveals it was Becks himself who suggested spell with Spurs
As the football world waits to see if David Beckham will join the north London club Spurs on a loan deal, supporters of LA Galaxy have been venting their fury at what they see as a further example of the midfielder's fickle behaviour.
"Selfish" and "lacking commitment" are typical of the many messages posted on Galaxy fans' forums after it was revealed that Beckham has approached Tottenham with a view to linking up with them until March. One furious fan demanded that if Beckham was loaned out again, the California club should reduce its ticket prices to what they were before Beckham arrived in Los Angeles.
Beckham, who turns 36 in May, joined LA Galaxy in 2007 amid a blaze of publicity. But he's failed to set American soccer alight in his four seasons, making just 55 appearances and being publicly criticised for his attitude by Galaxy captain Landon Donovan.
Donovan questioned the former Manchester United and England player's commitment to the team in 2009 when Beckham spent the off-season on loan to AC Milan. Though he later toned down his comments, Galaxy players won't be impressed if Beckham goes gallivanting off to the Premier League instead of preparing for the new Major League Soccer Season that starts on March 15.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who has spent much of Christmas talking up Beckham's possible arrival, has revealed that it was the player himself who made the initial approach, contacting his son, Jamie Redknapp.
"Jamie rang me, said he'd spoken to David Beckham and asked if we would be interested because he'd love to come and play at Tottenham," Redknapp senior explained. "He just said, 'I'd like to come back and play and I'd fancy playing for Tottenham, because I like the way they play'. I said, 'Yeah, I would be interested'. It's a no-brainer. How could you lose?"
Redknapp indicated that were Beckham to sign for the club he would be used as a substitute, coming on to reinforce a Spurs midfield that includes Aaron Lennon and Rafael Van der Vaart ."He'd come on, keep the ball for you. He knows how to win football matches and keep the ball in the right areas when you're under pressure."
Asked if Beckham would struggle to last the pace of the Premier League, Redknapp laughed off the suggestion with his customary directness. "David had no pace when he was 17, 18, so he hasn't lost it. But he's still got his brain, that fantastic ability to put the ball where he wants. I think he would be good around the place."
Meanwhile, another job opportunity has appeared on the horizon for Beckham after Sebastian Coe mooted the possibility of him coaching the British football team in next year's London Olympics.
Coe, chairman of the London 2012 organising committee, made the tantalising suggestion when discussing the spectre of a British XI competing in the 2012 Games. "It is an under-23 event," he said, "but you are allowed to play three over-age players and that could be Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard, towards the end of their career, or David Beckham – or even Beckham as a coach, though I've gone way beyond my brief saying that." ·
