Beckham likely out six weeks

You knew David Beckham was finished as soon as the challenge happened.

Beckham will be sidelined for up to six weeks with a sprained ligament in his right knee suffered during the LA Galaxy's SuperLiga final loss to Pachuca on Wednesday night. It is an injury that will force Beckham to miss England's upcoming European Championship qualifiers as well as most of the remainder of the MLS season.

The injury means fans in Salt Lake City, Kansas City and Columbus will likely miss out on seeing the Golden Boy work his magic. It also ends whatever faint hopes Los Angeles may have had about making a run at the MLS playoffs.

What is your take on the Beckham situation? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Paul Lorinczi]

He is probably second guessing himself right now.

"Why did I come here and join this Pub Team?" And now this!"

[Carlos N Velez]

He got injured playing for his club. It could just as easily have happened playing for Real Madrid or anyone else for that matter. Let's give this guy a break and give him credit for what he's trying to do! Hopefully, the Galaxy ownership will make massive changes both in players and coaches and Lallis to surround Beckham with the quality he and Galaxy fans deserve.

[Mig22]

At the risk of sounding like a fan-boy, he's such a competitor! The silver lining of this is he will be able to fully rest that dang ankle.

LA can regroup for next season with a new coach and GM. And DB is still young enough to be an impact player next season.

[Brad of SoccerFansintheUSA]

You could see in his face last night that he was questioning his decision. I really don't think that he was just in pain. I think his dedication and frustration got to him and he realized that he should have stayed in Europe. It's probably good that he sprained his knee. Now they won't put him out there until he breaks his ankle and has to get a pegleg for a plant foot.

[Ives]

Guys, I think you're reading way too much into his facial expressions. I think the only thing he was questioning wsa his decision to go in for that ball. He let the competitor in him take over when the more prudent move would have been to step in front of the ball instead of going all-in on that challenge.

[Brad of SoccerFansintheUSA]

I don't think I'm reading too much into that expression. He might be missing his last chance to play for England b/c of a Superliga game. He knows England needs him to make Euro 08 and he probably feels like he let them down. He's been working his a$$ off here in the States and I think he was sitting, thinking 'What have I done?". Just me. We can agree to disagree.

[Mig22]

I think it was simply his normal level of dismay when he can't go. The pressure on this guy is unreal, the expectations so high. Pachuca scored the goal and you could see him force himself into that 50-50 ball.

Good stuff, even if the result was awful for him.

[jmart]

I was thinking the same thing as Brad of SoccerFansintheUSA.
Beckham was definitely wondering "what am I doing here?". But then he saw the Galaxy take the fight to Pachuca for the second half and the tie the game up. He still looked pSSd off at the end of the game, but not the way he was on the sideline after he messed up his knee. Maybe he started thinking "Awesome!!! Now I can rest my ankle!!!"

[Curtis Spiteri]

Beckham is a top level athlete and competitor, and with that comes the possibility of injury. That's what happened, plain and simple. Becks is a professional and knows the risk.

That said however, AEG and MLS are to BLAME for the additional risk put on the league's biggest player due to the imbalanced schedule they agreed to work out. The leaqgue and AEG will learn from this massive mistake and hopefully don't act like the idiots they are today. MLS/AEG are making many of the right moves to grow the sport and in return, increase the value of their investments. They need to stick with the managed, steady growth plan for long term success and not whore the league and players out like they've done this year with this player.

[Jeff]

All I know is that if he's not there to put butts in seats it will get harder to pay his salary.

[Trex]

I'm just glad I was in Giant's Stadium for that magical 5-4 night. Now that he's done for the season it makes that game even more special cause no one else will get to see him.

[Chicago Millonario]

MLS, AEG, and Becks all face blame for what happened; the ridiculous schedule, Becks playing stupid friendlies thus making him unusable for league games, and all the hype generated. But can you really blame any of them? It may have been bad business, but I think they had the right intentions, and really, hasn't soccer in the US the past few weeks been more exciting than, well, ever?

With a full off season to recoup, not to mention properly putting together a marketing plan and strengthening the squad, expect the Galaxy to be in better shape next season.

[cee]

MLS and the Galaxy have been exposed as the complete amateur hour that they are. It is disgraceful that they completely laid waste to the league's highest profile and most accomplished player by scheduling him to play so many games in such a short amount of time. If they were serious about the "long term investment" that is Becks, they are surely kicking themselves right now. And the exposure the league is getting right now is the worst possible - everyone is tuning in to see Becks and has to watch the disgraceful play of the gawd-awful Galaxy... I mean, this team completely SUCKS. I predict a severe anti-Galaxy, anti-MLS backlash...

If I were Becks, I would sue to rescind the contract...

[Brett]

I now wonder how many fans here in Columbus will go to the game. Like all of the Beckham Tour stops it is a sell out; I just hope that people still show up. The Crew won't care because they have already sold the tickets but it will be one heck of a hit on the concessions.

[eric]

It was horrible to watch, starting with Donovan's bad pass back which turned the ball into a 50-50 with a whole lotta runway. I bet you LD plays that pass back in his head as much as the missed PK.

BTW, does anyone know where there is a clip of the press conference? Apparently Yallop went nuclear.

Props to Pachuca, they looked happy to win and are giving a chunk of the prize to hurricane relief.

[Jasen]

i feel bad for Beckham bc he doesn't deserve it, but i think MLS, LA and England are getting what they deserve, based on how they handled him.

HOPEFULLY, no one tries to bring him back before he's 100% this time...only then, will this have been a blessing in disguise.

[Johnny]

DISASTER! PEOPLE NEED TO BE FIRED!

[Andolini]

I agree that the whole Beckham situation has been a disaster, but I put it more down to bad luck than anything. Yallop should be held accountable for playing Beckham the full 90 after returning from England, however.

[Jasen]

hell, i'm rooting for Yallop to get fired because i like him! i hope he ends up in San Jose and makes it his personal mission to beat LA year after year, especially as long as The A$$ Clown (Lalas) is running them.

[Jasen]

also, McLaren should take just as much heat as Yallop for playing Beckham the full 90 vs Germany...no one will ever be able to convince me that he didn't do that out of spite towards the whole situation.

[Sean]

I think Beckham clearly cares about what he's doing. Can you picture Lothar Matthaus sitting on the sideline caring THAT much about the game? As for questioning his decision to come to MLS, I have wondered that, too. But, perhaps if he is... this is the time for him to remember how he called it a 'new challenge'. And, it surely is. Hang in there, David. You're a classy footballer. Just careful about those challenges you're throwing yourself into in desperate parts of the game.

[Steve-O]

"Beckham was defiitely wondering, "What am I doing here?"

Nothing like having some mind readers in the fold.

Give me a break. Just because you think that's what he should be thinking doesn't mean that is what he was thinking. Becks was angry at himself for getting hurt and was upset because he was going to miss his England call-up. Any suggestions that he was questioning his decision to sign with MLS are ridiculous.

[David]

as a Galaxy fan, I have to say that this may be the best thing that could have happened to the team and for David. His ankle was not yet completely healed and this will provide an opportunity for him. His status as "Savior" will be set aside and the team can move forward. Yes, it sucks that the Galaxy have so many injuries, but the game last night against Pachuca showed what they can be, add in fully healthy players and I think Lalas and AEG made some outstanding trades, that just took too long to gel, crippling the team and the season. The end of the year schedule is going to be rough with this many players out, and so many games to play. The team can use it to realign and get playing time for younger players building the core for the next few years.

[cee]

I agree that McClaren shares the blame... I wouldn't help watching the England-Germany match, the whole second have ticking away, thinking that McLaren was sticking it to Becks by keeping him in the game... downright silly. I think this whole "play Becks 90 minutes" is a strategy of ever diminishing returns... He is not Micah Richards (i.e. 19 and able to play as many minutes as you give him) - he is over 30 and injured to boot... Stupid. but Yallop will be fired, and so will McClaren (when England fails to make Euro 08).

[Rocco]

His injury last night had NOTHING to do with McClaren's decision to play him the full 90, the fact that he played three games in 5 days, or that his ankle may not have been fully healed. You people need to stop trying to place blame for the sake of placing blame. THE ONLY REASON HE GOT INJURED LAST NIGHT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS PLAYING ALL-OUT TRYING TO WIN A BALL. Accidents happen, and it just so happened that he and the other guy met at the ball at the same time - the other guy had a similar knee injury. It was a freak occurance that rarely ever happens, but it had nothing to do with anyone else's decisions to play him or anything other than pure accident. Even if he was fully healthy, no ankle problems...if he was still being the all-out David Beckham that he is, he STILL would've injured himself on that particular play the way it happened. Everyone needs to take a step back and stop placing blame - there is nothing/no one to blame except an unfortunate happening.