David Beckham's signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy two years ago was trumpeted as perhaps the single greatest moment in Major League Soccer history. Now, on the eve of his return to MLS after a controversial six-month loan to AC Milan — a loan that seemed to signal he wanted out permanently — some wonder if Beckham is good for MLS any longer.
Beckham's presence did wonders for MLS in terms of exposure, jersey sales and ticket sales. On the field, though, his arrival triggered an unimaginable and bizarre series of events in 2007 and 2008 that led to the two worst years in franchise history.
The specific details of those chaotic years are chronicled wonderfully by Grant Wahl in his new book "The Beckham Experiment" which was released Tuesday just in time for Beckham's first MLS game of 2009 on Thursday night at the New York Red Bulls.
With exclusive access to many of the key figures associated with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Wahl sheds light on the inner workings of a franchise that became more and more dysfunctional the more Beckham's entourage seemed to meddle.
Beckham arrived in the United States in 2007, saying all the right things and genuinely seeming interested in becoming an ambassador for MLS. Throughout an injury-plagued 2007 followed by a rocky 2008, the "The Beckham Experiment" details the superstar's frustrations with MLS and his surprising reluctance to be a proactive captain.
For supporters of Major League Soccer who perhaps watched gleefully as the Galaxy sputtered the past two years, "The Beckham Experiment" is a fantastic read shedding light on why the self-proclaimed SuperClub failed so miserably.
In the end, Landon Donovan, who seemed to have a contentious relationship with Beckham from the beginning, doesn't believe the Englishman was always a good teammate.
"He's not," said Donovan in the book. "He's not shown that. I can't think of another guy where I'd say he wasn't a good teammate, he didn't give everything through all this, he didn't still care. But with (Beckham), I'm not so sure. I'd say no, he wasn't committed. And there's nobody else I could think of that I would say that about."
Wahl's book discusses all things Galaxy-related, including subtle trades that impacted Real Salt Lake and the futures of Chris Klein and Kyle Beckerman.
Former Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas is a key figure throughout "The Beckham Experiment," a saga that ultimately led to his firing toward the end of the 2008 season. Back in 2007, before Beckham ever arrived and a full season before Galaxy management hired baggage-riddled Ruud Gullit as head coach against the wishes of Lalas, the Galaxy GM passed on a trade with Colorado for Kyle Beckerman.
Former coach Frank Yallop wanted to ship Peter Vagenas and a draft pick to the Rapids in exchange for Beckerman, and though the deal seemed like a no-brainer, Lalas decided not to trade his close friend.
"I know I'm biased; I have a soft spot for Pete," Lalas said. "Having said that, trading Pete is not something we need to do from a cultural perspective. It's important to have people in the locker room who understand where the Galaxy came from."
Later that summer, Beckerman was traded to Real Salt Lake for Mehdi Ballouchy.
Before that deal ever went down, and precisely three weeks before Beckham's big arrival on July 13, 2007, Lalas pulled the trigger on a different trade. Sensing the need for more leadership and experience in the locker room, Lalas shipped Robbie Findley and Nate Sturgis to Real Salt Lake in exchange for Klein, a move that Lalas discusses with Wahl as risky.
All told, Wahl spent nearly 18 months with the Galaxy chronicling all things Beckham. His book offers a glimpse into the wild ride that everyone is about to experience again beginning Thursday night.
e-mail: jedward@desnews.com