Her Majesty's Plan to Retake the Possessions of the Empire Initiated...

[Don Corleone]

Looks like the vanguard of the "time to bring America back into the fold" army has arrived. Tomkat? Bragenlina? Fuhgedaboudit..... We've got ourselves a new alpha male and female out in tinseltown. Link

So, just curious, what is the Limey take on this? Happy to bring footy to the States? Eager to dispose of the Beckhams and their shenanigans? Disappointed that a national treasure is being lent out?

And in America, what do the Yanks have to say? Are the Yanks even aware that Posh and Becks have moved in? Do the Yanks even know who Posh and Becks are?

First the Queen blessing out Annie Leibovitz and now this.... It's the gathering stormclouds of a war of conquest, I tell you. And based on the media circus accompanying the arrival, it would appear that the entertainment media industry agrees with me.

All kidding aside, isn't 'Becks' a bit long in the tooth and past his prime? And what possible claim to the limelight does Victoria have, other than giving Calista Flockheart and Kate Hudson a run for the coveted title of the Ms. Pipecleaner?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Well, he was in Spain anyway, so we won't really notice.

As for him being past it, he is old, but he was never that quick anyway. His game was mostly based upon his crossing and free kicks, which still seem to be fine, judging by the last couple of England games he played and the tail end of the last La Liga season.

[seireikhaan]

Hehe. I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOCCER AND I NEVER WILL.

[Tribesman]

She has got a film role coming up , not of course due to her acting ability but a part in Stephen Spielburgs new project about Ravenbruck fits her well .

[Whacker]

Hehe. I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOCCER AND I NEVER WILL.

This is actually quite true, most Americans don't watch soccer. And "football" means something else entirely to us.

[drone]

She has got a film role coming up , not of course due to her acting ability but a part in Stephen Spielburgs new project about Ravenbruck fits her well .

That's just evil.

As someone who enjoys good soccer and even still plays the game at my (somewhat) advanced age, I'm not really sure this will accomplish much for MLS. Lalas can blather on as much as he wants, but the quality of MLS is just not there yet. The league's best bet would have been to jump on the NHL's misfortune, and switch the season to correspond with everybody else's footy season. Playing in the dead of summer does not help the quality.

[71-hour Ahmed]

Meh, the Yanks are welcome to them.

In fact keep them; keep them or we'll re-invade your colony and force them on you!

Beckham has matured a lot as a footballer admittedly since he was young, but I've never considered him to be that brilliant. Good yes but not as special as people sometimes seem to imply.

[GeneralHankerchief]

It's LA, which is an entirely foreign country from my beloved East Coast's point of view, but I predict that attendance will rise sharply, then gradually decline until it's about back to normal by Beckham's third year in the US.

[InsaneApache]

She has got a film role coming up , not of course due to her acting ability but a part in Stephen Spielburgs new project about Ravenbruck fits her well .

You , how very dare you.

[Geoffrey S]

Beckham's decent. Simple chap, and as said he doesn't need speed, his skill is in his passes. Can't stand the wife, just saw her on BBC news. Always posing like some stickfigure in a dress.

[naut]

He's fine, but I can't stand her. She reminds me of a witch.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Beckham has been impressive in the last six months! With his hair, lifestyle and (boyband) rockstar image he begs for ridicule and jokes, but underneath it all, he is actually a damn fine player. He's nowhere near good enough to justify his global football icon status, he's not Kaka, or Messi, never in his career has he been close to the level of the real top players at any given moment, but he is a first class player nonetheless. Great cross, he works hard, plays for the team. And, contrary to public perception, he's not a 'w-word' either.
He has played great seasons for absolute top teams like Man U and Madrid.

And we'd almost forget that he's 32, not 36. He's not finished yet. His time at Madrid was disastrous, but I think Madrid has been the problem, not Beckham. Everybody has improved once they moved away from Madrid, or at Madrid now that the Galactico era is over. Figo played some mean football for Inter, Ronaldo finally lost weight in Italy and slowly returned to old form, Zidane felt liberated at the World Cup and showed he was nowhere near finished yet, Michael Owen was brilliant after he returned to the Premiership (wait, hang on...).

Beckham was written off too, but he showed in the past few months he can still deliver on the pitch. The Galaxy move was always going to prove a commercial succes, but now I feel it could be a football success too.

[edyzmedieval]

The only thing that I like Victoria is that she would fit well in my bed for 10 mins. But that is it. The rest, she can go away... She really is a witch.

Poor Beckham, why didn't he choose another woman? There are soo many beautiful women out there who would love to be Ms. Beckham.

@football topic

Well, he will deliver, but as GeneralHankerchief said, by the time he's in the 3rd year, the attendances will come back to normal.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

The only thing that I like Victoria is that she would fit well in my bed for 10 mins.

Are you saying you'd actually sleep with her!?

[InsaneApache]

He has played great seasons for absolute top teams like Man U and Madrid.

Hey don't forget about Preston North End.

Anyone else following the Peace Cup?



Not long to kick off in the EPL. I can't wait.

opps wrong thread

[Moros]

Beckham used to be a good player, not the man of the incredible dribbels or the one who is unpassable, but the man who keeps a good overview, the man who'll give the pass needed to score or the man that scores his freekicks. I wouldn't say that he's one of the best, or ever was. But he definately knows how to kick against a ball.

Victoria, she's dieing under her image. Can't she and her stylist and whoever more is creating it see that her images isn't doing any good (at all). I must say she ain't that ugly, she used to prettier tough. But the main problem is well her image. I bet she can laugh and be pleasant at times, but the media makes you or breaks you. In her case, breaks.

[edyzmedieval]

Are you saying you'd actually sleep with her!?

Ok, make that 5 mins.
Not actually sleep with her. Think again.

[InsaneApache]

You need help.

[edyzmedieval]

You need help.

Well, thinking better, BKS is right. I'd better stick to Monica Belucci and Adriana Lima.

[English assassin]

Well, thinking better, BKS is right. I'd better stick to Monica Belucci and Adriana Lima.

How the same person can fancy both Monica Belucci and Victoria Beckham I don't know. One is a woman, (oh yes ) the other is a stick. But I digress.

As for Becks, I'll be interested to see how brand Beckham plays out in the states. I agree with every word Louis said about his football, but Becks is about much more than footie, he is about sales of replica strips with Beckham on, and column inches in tabloid newspapers, and the whole wheeler dealer multi media merchandising opportunity that is modern sport.

Personally, I can't see him making much of an impact in that area in the States. Surely its still going to be about basketball and the like?

Still, he'll be a good "ambassador" for the UK, whatever that may mean. Just imagine if we'd sent Roy Keane... (yes I do know he's Irish, but you know what I mean). Speaking of which maybe Becks will get into film, he couldn't be worse than Vinnie Jones...

[KukriKhan]

Well, he's picked the right city-state to do all that in (LA, Cali). Locals here are basically still waiting for him to DO something, besides appear in magazines & TV snippets.

He won't really have to play often, or even particularly well, himself. If he can get himself portrayed as some kinda team leader (formal or informal) that'll establish his base of credentials - then he can go on to do whatever it is he wants.

I guess I'm saying we understand about "Brand Beckham", and are willing to hop on that train, but it needs to come from somewhere; 'Brit former soccer star' will only get him noticed for a few months. 'Galaxy firebrand and play-maker' will ratchet him and the sport up in US consciousness.

[edyzmedieval]

I prefer the footballer David Beckham at Real Madrid.