It was a promotional event for adidas, community outreach initiative MLS W.O.R.K.S. and FieldTurf to announce “Footprint Fields,” a program to develop new fields in urban areas.
While the one in El Segundo was not part of the program, five fields similar to that one either are or soon will be built, including one in Inglewood.
I got a short exclusive interview with Zidane that I’ll post in the next day or so.
I’m heading to the Galaxy-Chivas USA game so I don’t have time to transcribe what the unusually candid and chatty Beckham told the crew of reporters on hand either, but here’s the shorthand version:
*Landon Donovan was “unprofessional” for criticizing him in the forthcoming book “The Beckham Experiment and he intends to have a chat with him about that.
*He doesn’t plan to read the book.
*He did not insist upon being made captain upon coming to the Galaxy, as the book contended.
*He did not have any say in the hiring of Ruud Gullitt, as Galaxy coach, although apparently “suggestions” were made to AEG about potential candidates. (Hmmm).
*He does not regret coming to MLS and iintends to see out his full five-year contract with the league, although he hopes to temporarily head back to AC Milan after this season to improve his chances of making the England 2010 World Cup team.
(Updated: Here’s more from today’s event.)
I’ll have more from the interview later, too.