[Reocourgigiot]

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8128463.stm


David Beckham's LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan has launched a stinging attack on the England star, accusing him of a lack of commitment. Beckham, 33, spent a spell on loan at AC Milan last season, and Donovan believes he has let Galaxy down.
Donovan said: "All that we care about is that he committed to us. As time has gone on, that has not been the case on the field or off the field."
Beckham's spokesman told the BBC he had no comment to make in response.
Speaking in a new book called 'The Beckham Experiment', USA captain Donovan - who himself has just come back from a five-month loan spell with Bayern Munich - added: "Does the fact that he earns that much more money come into it? Yeah.
"If someone's 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 and train hard, show up and play hard.
"Maybe he's not a leader, maybe he's not a captain. Fair enough. But at a minimum, you should bust your ass every day and that hasn't happened.
"I don't think that's too much for us to expect. Especially when he's brought all this on us."
Beckham, who joined Galaxy in 2007, suffered a miserable first season as the team missed out on the MLS play-offs and manager Ruud Gullit quit before the end of the campaign.
Donovan believes the Dutchman's exit had a negative impact on Beckham.
"When David first came, I believed he was committed to what he was doing," said Donovan. "He cared. He wanted to do well. He wanted the team and the league to do well.
"Somewhere along the way - and in my mind it coincides with Ruud going - he just flipped a switch and said, 'Uh-huh, I'm not doing it anymore'."
Meanwhile, the president of the United States Soccer Federation has warned Beckham to expect a hostile reception when he returns to Galaxy.
Sunil Gulati told Bloomberg the 'timeshare' deal that saw him spend five months at Milan will have upset some MLS fans.
"That is inevitable, but in the end he is a good player and a soccer icon, and I think he'll help his team," said Gulati.
"But are there going to be some people that are upset? Sure."
Beckham is due to return to action against the New York Red Bulls on 16 July.

[VawSwaspamups]

beckham went to milan to maintain his fitness for englands internationals.......and galaxy earned from it and agreed to it

[BalaGire]

Yeah what he said, he needed to be playing football in the off season in America to be fit and ready for England selection, and to be fair it has worked. He's never been unavailable for selection for LA Galaxy.

[VawSwaspamups]

and hes played well for england.....which is more important

[BalaGire]

Attitude has never been a problem for David, neither has effort. The problem is, and this is what led to his departure from us, is the fact that it's not just beckham you have, it's a whole media circus surrounding him, brand Beckham if you will. Sir Fergie ddin't like it at all, and it was building for a couple of years. And when a player gets too big for his boots, and bigger than the club, he has to go. Happened with Beckham, happened with Van Nistelrooy, to an extent it happened with Ronaldo. They probably won't be the last examples.

[Reocourgigiot]

Any comments from Galaxy fans or americans?

[Reocourgigiot]

Both David and Victoria Beckham are overrated. While David is an overpaid soccer star Victoria is a pointless collection of body parts.

[Fdmnrnba]

Both David and Victoria Beckham are overrated. While David is an overpaid soccer star Victoria is a pointless collection of body parts.

I'm neither a galaxy fan or an american, but you cant deny that whatever the "hoo haa" surrounding him, Beckham is a brilliant player, and is committed to playing for his country. I dont think he is paid that much more for his soccer than other top players, but his looks and wife obviously get him heaps more endorsements than most, hence more $$$


Its not his fault the media put him where he is...(well, it could be Posh's coz she's an attention whore, but I dont think its him to blame)

[Reocourgigiot]

At least I triggered of some comments.

[VawSwaspamups]

Both David and Victoria Beckham are overrated. While David is an overpaid soccer star Victoria is a pointless collection of body parts.

name for me a better crosser of the ball....a better taker of free-kicks outside the box.....someone whos more accurate with a long ball.....beckham on the pitch was and still is class

football is there to entertain,its part of the entertainment business....so by that thinking if a top movie star can earn the millions why cant a footballer.....if brad pitts earning because he puts arses on seats in cinema's beckhams earning because he fills stadiums....if singapore played the dog and duck pub team and beckham was guesting in it,they will fill the biggest stadium you have

as for posh....i'm not keen on her but most of what she made was with the spice girls.....the girl group that conquered pretty much every country on this planet....so she doesn't even come into the equation


oh.....and to my knowledge posh only had breast implants......so not much of a collection there

[FloareTraurne]

Donovan is an idiot for going off on one publically about a team mate. Very unproffesional and not exactly helping team spirit. His manager should fine him for this outburst. Beckham wants to improve his chances of playing for England and anyway, only an idiot would rather play for some shitty little club over a top Italian side.

[Reocourgigiot]

name for me a better crosser of the ball....a better taker of free-kicks outside the box.....someone whos more accurate with a long ball.....beckham on the pitch was and still is class

football is there to entertain,its part of the entertainment business....so by that thinking if a top movie star can earn the millions why cant a footballer.....if brad pitts earning because he puts arses on seats in cinema's beckhams earning because he fills stadiums....if singapore played the dog and duck pub team and beckham was guesting in it,they will fill the biggest stadium you have

as for posh....i'm not keen on her but most of what she made was with the spice girls.....the girl group that conquered pretty much every country on this planet....so she doesn't even come into the equation


oh.....and to my knowledge posh only had breast implants......so not much of a collection there

If Beckham was really that good he would have secured his place for England. He is somewhat fading into the doldrums with age catching up on him.

[FloareTraurne]

Beckham hits back at Donovan slur
David Beckham has hit back at LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan for suggesting he has shown a lack of commitment.
Beckham has returned to the Galaxy after a five-month loan at AC Milan with Donovan's comments on his mind.
"It is unprofessional in my eyes," said Beckham, who plans to speak Donovan about the matter.
"In 17 years, I have played with the biggest teams in the world and the biggest players and not once been criticised for my professionalism."
United States captain Donovan made his comments in a book called 'The Beckham Experiment'.
He said Beckham's level of dedication to the Major League Soccer club had waned since his arrival in July 2007, despite the 34-year-old former England skipper being paid "more than double anybody in the league".


I don't apologise for what I said - I just apologise for the way I did it
Landon Donovan
But Beckham said: "In every football player's eyes throughout the world it would be unprofessional to speak out about a team-mate, especially in the press and not to your face.
"But I'm going to turn it on a positive spin because that's what this needs."
Beckham will come face-to-face with Donovan when he returns to training with the Galaxy on Monday and is set to return to action for the side against New York Red Bulls on 16 July.
The England midfielder could get a hostile reception from some fans but insists the problems between himself and Donovan will not seep on to the pitch to the detriment of the side.
"I'm personally very professional when I am on the field," said Beckham, who has endured a tough time with a Galaxy side that failed to reach the play-offs at the end of his first season and parted company with manager Ruud Gullitt.
"I don't care what people say about me off the field, once I'm on the field I'm professional and if there is a chance for him to score, I will be giving him the ball.
"Me and Landon will talk, but that will be a private conversation."



sportingpunter
Donovan, who spent a spell on loan at Bayern Munich while Beckham was with AC Milan, played in LA Galaxy's 1-0 victory over Chivas USA on Saturday.
He has refused to apologise for his comments, although he regrets the way they have come out.
"I don't apologise for what I said," Donovan told the LA Galaxy website. "I just apologise for the way I did it.
"I should have told him to his face. I've long told David since he's been gone and I've been gone that I want to sit down and talk with him about everything.
"It's fresh in everyone's minds now, and it appears like everything has gone on in a short period of time, but this has been a long time coming.
"The timing of it makes it a little awkward and seemingly uncomfortable, but we'll be fine. We'll get through it."
He added: "We all like David. I like David as a person and I think he's a very good player.
"The frustrating part was at some point something happened and he seemingly turned off at the end of the year.
"Nobody knows what it was, and my fault is I should have asked him and approached him and I didn't.
"Instead I vented to a reporter and I regret it."

Story from BBC SPORT:

Didn't realise Donovan had a loan spell elsewhere as well, what a hypocrite!

[Reocourgigiot]

Donovan is very unproffessional. As team mates he ought to know where to toe the line. Beckham has conflicts of interest and his mind is not focussed on Galaxy.