David Beckham signs with LA Galaxy

[Fuzz]

Interesting.

Contract worth a reported $250 million! Yikes!

[Rambis]

1. Link

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-13561369,00.html

[xchrom]

2. i think i'm going to FAINT!

[billyskank]

3. What the fuck?

Football is considered in the US a kid's game. What the fuck is he thinking? He must think he is in the twilight of his career.

[BarenakedLady]

4. Evidentally...

"The 31-year-old midfielder has been forced into a bit-part role this season and is desperate not to spend much of the remaining years of his playing career on the sidelines."

I didn't even know there were American soccer (football) teams.

:shrug:

[Bassic]

6. And he'd be right, IMO.

However, his popularity might help the progression of the sport in North America, so it's all good.

[billyskank]

10. Probably

but it isn't usually necessary for players to move from a continent where their profession is the number 1 sport to a continent where it isn't even number four.

I think he's crazy.

[Bassic]

14. I tend to agree that he is crazy,

But I still hope his involvement will help soccer grown around here.

[northzax]

17. crazy? what part of $250 million do you not understand?

I'd say he'd be crazy not to take it. wouldn't you rather be in LA than say, Saudi Arabia, where Luis Figo just signed?

250 is fuck you money.

[billyskank]

21. What would you do?

Imagine you were already so wealthy that you could buy anything you want. Then somebody comes along and offers you a massive sum to come and play in a league which is a tiny little backwater compared to what you're used to. Is it a no-brainer? I don't think so. Money isn't everything, especially when you're so rich to begin with. And your dichotomy is false: there are plenty of places I'd rather be than either LA or Saudi Arabia. They aren't his only choices, surely.

[northzax]

25. better to go be an ambassador

in the city of angels, hang with movie stars and help your wife's career, than sit on the pine in la liga, or go to a second rate team somewhere in Europe. He can't play at the international level consistently anymore, you want to go back to England and play against ManU, your old club? nah. go to LA and be a king. Where would you play, in the nice spring sun of southern California, or January in Manchester?

[billyskank]

28. Whatever

[northzax]

32. seriously, which would you take?

5 million euros to sit on the bench in Madrid, that's all he is doing, or 50 million to play in LA? you'd sit on the bench, right?

[Sugarcoated]

49. Posh has a career??

:shrug:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. It didn't work with Pelé. It didn't work with Beckenbauer.

Do you think it's goint to work with this overglittered git?

[Bassic]

16. I have no idea if it'll work, but there is a chance,

and that's what I'm hoping for.

[sir_captain]

42. That's not entirely accurate

Cosmos games were packed and were a huge draw when Pele, particularly, and Beckenbauer were there. The league folded because they were paying too much money to the players, and all the good players were on one team. If MLS can manage to sign a few stars and remain financially solvent, this could be excellent for soccer in this country.

[LynneSin]

7. His wife wants to move to California. Plus English taxes absolutely suck

especially for the uber-wealthy.

[billyskank]

9. He doesn't live in England

He lives in Spain. And anyway the top rate of UK tax is 40% - spare some pity for the poor super rich. :eyes:

[LynneSin]

And why do you think he's in Spain

They are both born in England.

They are simply getting around English Tax laws

[SPKrazy]

18. He played for Spain nt

[Bassic]

20. Madrid to be precise. nt

[SPKrazy]

24. thanks

too lazy to look up and didn't remember

:blush:

[northzax]

23. he's in Spain because Manchester United sold him to Real Madrid

for 25 million Euro in 2002. welcome to the wonderful world of sport. and their primary legal residence remains in the UK (the so-called beckingham palace) with the EU, tax differences aren't as relevant.

[Brewman_Jax]

5. Is he crazy?

he still has quite a few good seasons left in him at age 31. He's hardly in his twilight years. :shrug:

[LynneSin]

8. And he'd give the bulk of that salary back to the government

I learned this when I read one of the Led Zeppelin bios although many mega English bands had the same exact problem. You start making uber-bucks the tax rate is hideous to the point that most of the money is going back to the government. So many of the English bands would would live outside of England for most of the year in order to not be forced to pay such outrageous taxes. I believe it's still the same thing today.

[billyskank]

11. Bullshit

Margaret Thatcher reduced the top rate of tax to 40 percent. Check your facts.

[LynneSin]

13. Well I know times have changed but there are still benefits for

them to have residence outside of England

[Brewman_Jax]

19. But unlike here

they actually get their tax-paid services instead of paying for the corporate state.

Sorry, I'm not gonna cry for the uber-rich suffer paying taxes.

[Little Wing]

26. Stop basing your information on 40 year old Zep records

[SPKrazy]

12. Bend It Like Beckham!

gooooooaaaaaaaalllll!


yeah David

LA Galaxy is now the team to watch

[YDogg]

22. Tell Me What You Want, What You Really, Really Want!

[Zomby Woof]

27. Excellent

I live about 5 miles or so from where they play. :thumbsup:

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

36. not fair!

:(

[Zomby Woof]

45. You can visit Nini and me anytime!

:hug: :hi: Damn glad to see you!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

38. I'll see them when they play the NY Red Bulls

[Zomby Woof]

46. Excellent

A bi-coastal match!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

48. It'll be great fun methinks

:thumbsup:

[Jimbo S]

29. It will get me to attend a MLS match

I'll have to look up Chicago's schedule.

[kwassa]

30. Who is the LA Galaxy?

Is it like the Ford Galaxy?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

31. Good news for US Football!

Now other players will come here - plus Fulham is going to have 3 players from the US next season!

[northzax]

33. four- probably

they are the front runners for Gooch.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

35. Now that would be awesome - and such a smart move

Their fanbase should grow. I know I'll watch em

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

34. what the fuck?

nt

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

37. $250,000,000

semolians or bones or clams.

Plus front page attention from all the American media. It means good things for American football indeed.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

39. wow

it does, it's just... unexpected! cool.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

40. Yeah - after the months of rumors and speculation I never would have

thought he'd do it - and for those kinds of dollars? Unbelievable.

[northzax]

41. and his marketing/image rights

which are a lot of the pile, from what I can tell. in Madrid he had to split it with the team, here he keeps it all. there is no way the Galaxy are actually paying him that much money in cash- $50 million a year as salary? not a chance.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

43. I believe that AEG have a hand in it

if the football podcasts I listren to are correct.

I remember hearing that Beckham's face polled asround the world as more recognizable than the McDonald arches.

[huskerlaw]

44. He just wants to live near his good buddies

TomKat!

No, seriously. I think he just wants to go Hollywood. Or his wife does.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

47. plus get $250,000,00

:)