Soccer on TV: Donovan Debut & More
The Galaxy's Landon Donovan could make his Bayern Munich Bundesliga debut against Hamburger SV today in a game that will be televised live at 11:30 a.m. on GOLTV.
In other televised games this weekend it's:
*Brad Friedel's surging Aston Villa taking on Wigan at 7 a.m. Saturday on Fox Soccer Channel followed at 9:30 a.m. by Everton's visit to Manchester United.
*The pick of the Mexican games Saturday sees Chivas face Monterrey at 3 p.m. on KVEA, while at 5 p.m. Club America visits Morelia on KAZA.
*On Sunday, Chelsea and Liverpool clash at 8 a.m. on FSC, while at 11:30 a.m. David Beckham (if he recovers from a slight muscle strain) and AC Milan play at Lazio on the same channel.
*Finally, Argentina's Boca Juniors and River Plate play at 4 p.m. Sunday on FSC in what is usually one of the biggest games of the year in that nation.
Enjoy your weekend.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
This just in from the BBC:
AC Milan will not have to race to sign David Beckham before the close of the January transfer window if they want to keep him for the rest of the season.
Milan have registered the former England skipper until 30 June, his spokesman Simon Oliveira has confirmed.
Yet a written agreement is still in place with all parties that Beckham will return to LA Galaxy on 9 March.
Tim Leiweke must really be angry now!
Beckham and AC Milan know that they have AEG's and MLS's number, especially since Beckham has an opt-out clause after 2009, and are out-maneuvering them to full advantage.
I would love to know if MLS and AEG can file a breach-of-contract suit against Beckham. Would they have the guts to do so or would they just take the transfer fee and slink off into the sunset?
Leiweke is such an arrogant, bloviating blowhard but it's become obvious that his arrogance is inversely proportional to his competence. He allowed Beckham to out-maneuver him. He is the one who is primariily responsible for turning the Galaxy into trash. His intimidating methods and excessive pressure have destroyed morale; why else would Beckham and Donovan want to leave?
As I've said, any sane businessman would have "downsized" Leiweke ages ago. The Galaxy fiasco, along with the Kings fiasco and the Red Bull Stadium fiasco, make Leiweke expendable.
Anschutz would do much better if he hired a graduate from the USC, UCLA or Pepperdine schools of business to replace Leiweke. Given Mr. A's penchant for "frugality," that might not be a bad idea.
Hell, my paternal grandmother from the old country could do a better job than Leiweke right now -- and she's been dead for more than 20 years!
Apparently, registering Beckham w/the club to which he is loaned is SOP, according to USA Today's Beau Dure:
When a player is loaned, his transfer certificate goes with him, and he is registered in the receiving team's country. So Beckham has a contract with the Galaxy, but Italy holds his transfer certificate.
So why would Garber say the following?
MLS open to discussing Beckham future with AC Milan
OTTAWA — Major League Soccer isn't prepared to wave goodbye to David Beckham just yet, but would be willing to discuss the future of the former English captain with Italian club AC Milan, commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday.
"It depends on what it is they're looking to do," said Garber, who along with MLS president Mark Abbott was in town as part of the city's bid for an expansion franchise.
"We think David has been an important part of our league and a great ambassador and I hope that he stays in Major League Soccer for an extended period of time," Garber added. "If it's something that makes sense for him and the Galaxy we'll certainly be supportive of that, but it's way too premature to comment."
Why not just say, as Leiweke and Arena did, "Beckham has a contract with us and we expect him back March 8"?
AC Milan doesn't need the cheap publicity by generating a controversy for its own sake.
It's strange that the commissioner of this nation's top soccer league doesn't seem to know the rules concerning tranfers.
None of this negates my comments about the necessity for AEG to fire Leiweke nor about the Galaxy and MLS being badly outmaneuvered. But there's a lot about this that doesn't pass the smell test.