Wednesday Kicks: Beckham Tottenham move Spurs Galaxy alliance

I'm home feeling like hell warmed over (what is this weird grunge thing going around anyway?) but before I crawl into bed I wanted to note that:

*In a teleconference call AEG head cheese Tim Leiwieke apparently gave only to wire services, David Beckham's Tottenham training stint foreshadows a closer relationship between the two clubs.

Frankly, I'll believe it when I see it (remember the alleged partnership with Brazilian club Sao Paulo, if memory serves, that died with late GM Doug Hamilton?).

Nevertheless, I'm betting these guys would be happy to see their lads at the HDC. Better yet, Spurs can keep Becks and we'll take Gareth Bale.

BTW, here's an MLS schedule update from the Galaxy ahead of Thursday's belated announcement of the entire league schedule via the club's facebook page:

EXCLUSIVE INFO! The full 2011 schedule comes out tomorrow, but here's a bit of exclusive info for our social media followers... the Galaxy will play on Saturday, May 7 vs New York at 8pm and on Monday, July 4 vs Seattle at 7:30pm, both nationally televised on ESPN2! Get a jump on the rest of the Galaxy fans and pick up a 3 Game Pack today, starting at only $69.

I'm assuming those are home games.

San Pedran Croats happy: Czech Republic's Zdenek Pospech, left, is challenged by Croatia's Niko Kranjcar during their international friendly soccer match in Pula, Croatia, Wednesday. Croatia won 4-2 (AP Photo).

More details from the San Pedro-based Croatian Soccer Report here.

In other televised international friendlies of note today, Brazil is kicking off the second half against France right now on ESPN2 (it's scoreless), while Mexico faces Bosnia-Herzegovina at 4:30 p.m. on KFTR. Click on the Live TV Soccer link for all the games available online.

*Incidentally, D.C. United will play a noon Feb. 25 game against Chivas USA at the HDC, which could be a chance to see former U.S. international Charlie Davies in action in the South Bay, depending on how his MLS trial goes. A reminder that United will also play a 3:30 p.m. Feb. 19 game against PDL team the Ventura County Fusion at Oxnard College.and has added a game against UCSB 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at Harder Stadium. D.C. are training at Oxnard College for 10 days beginning Feb. 16.

*Fox Soccer Channel's much-hyped expanded coverage of Super Bowl Sunday Chelsea-Liverpool game was its most-watched EPL telecast ever.

The game attracted 418,000 average viewers and 285,000 households, both network-records.

From the FSC press release:

The game posted a .74 household coverage-area rating, second-best mark ever for the channel and just shy of the network record set 7/26/09 for the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final between USA-Mexico (.77). The network's previous audience mark (403,000) came on Super Bowl Sunday last year (Chelsea vs. Arsenal), and prior household mark (267,000) was recorded during the '09 Gold Cup Final.

G'night.

Updated

Chivas USA announced this afternoon they had signed the veteran likes of New Zealanders Simon Elliott and Andrew Boyens, both of whom had been on trial with the club.

"These signings give us depth and experience in the middle of the field," said Coach Robin Fraser. "I have known Simon for a long time; he'll be able to help us both on and off the field, and we saw in the World Cup last summer what he's capable of. Andrew is a solid central defender with international experience who will be a good addition to our backline."

Midfielder Elliott, 36, has played about 200 MLS games since 1999 when he was a teammate of Fraser with the Galaxy.

Defender Boyens, 27, has played with Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls.