David Beckham shines, when you surround him with talent

David Beckham’s performance in the MLS All-Star game on Thursday night showed just how much more influential he can be when he is surrounded by 10 top-flight players instead of only one or two, as is the case with the Galaxy.

True, Beckham had a point to prove. With a mid-level English Premier League opponent in the form of West Ham United, Beckham was intent on showing his countrymen that his move to MLS had been a sound soccer decision, not merely a lucrative financial one.

So he played the full 90 minutes – surely something agreed to in advance with All-Star Coach Steve Nicol – and he combined well with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, as well as delivering his usual quota of pinpoint crosses and not-quite-so-pinpoint free kicks and corners.

Now it is back to work for Beckham, what with an England friendly match next month, followed by the start of England’s World Cup qualifying campaign and the Galaxy’s run-in to the MLS playoffs.

Meanwhile, a Beckham profile in The Times earlier this week about his one-year anniversary with the Galaxy has brought the letter-writers and e-mailers out in force. Here is a sampling of their opinions:

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“If the late, great Charles Dickens had been assigned to write the ‘David Beckham Coming to the U.S.’ story he’d have aptly named it ‘Unrealistic Expectations.’

“For this, I think the U.S. media has to take a large share of the blame.

“I’m convinced that the vast majority of those who were attracted to the story, but basically ignorant of the game, expected Beckham to be the Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron or Mark McGuire of the sport, coming over here and scoring 100 goals a season, totally unaware that he is basically a set-up guy, or facilitator as the NBA likes to call them.

“He is not now, nor has he ever been, a striker or Golden Boot type of player. Anyone really familiar with the sport … would have known that aside from set-play kicks, Beckham was not going to be a scoring machine.

“I don’t recall anyone in the media … warning local fans to not expect an avalanche of goals from the foot of Beckham. When he did not provide those numbers, many – including those in the media who should have known better but were as ignorant as the rest of the populace – felt his coming here was a bust.

“The point is that for the real fan of the game seeing the footwork and ball-handling virtuosity … has the same appeal, if not more, than seeing the game being turned into something like pachinko or indoor soccer.

“I think the media could have done a better job in preparing the U.S. public for what to realistically expect from Beckham. They still might have been disappointed at his lack of goal scoring but could have better appreciated his overall game and its value to his team.”

Bob Jackson

Simi Valley

REPLY – I can’t disagree with you but would add that soccer-knowledgeable fans who turn up at games are familiar with the role Beckham plays. It is the fans who come out merely to see a celebrity who are more likely to be disappointed that he doesn’t score a hat-full of goals. Hopefully in years to come U.S. stadiums will be filled with soccer fans and there will not be room for celebrity-watchers.

——

“A good, balanced article.

“Beckham is shrewd. He employs all his skills to the optimum. Although still a good and effective player on the pitch, he knows his peak is over (just), but there is no one else who comes even close to him in employing all the other skills, talents and ideas he has.

“Media star, ambassador, advertiser, teacher, et al. No hang-ups. No conceit. No nastiness. No problem.

“Annoying, isn’t it?”

John Bloomfield

REPLY – Not annoying, merely frustrating because Beckham could have far more influence on the development on the sport in this county if he were willing to point out all that is wrong with soccer in the U.S. instead of always speaking through, as it were, rose-colored dentures.

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“As an American, I didn’t watch Euro 2008 because I was suddenly sparked by the Galaxy and Beckham. I watched because my favorite team is Manchester United. I follow the English Premier League and wanted to see the top European stars.

“All of this was caused not by ESPN but by Fox Sports’ long-time work [including the founding of] the Fox Soccer Channel. That’s how you grow the game in this country, with the English game.

“By trying for the casual fan, they [MLS and the Galaxy] get casual coverage. If Beckham were serious about being an ambassador rather than a courtside Lakers’ fan, then he’d do interviews with Fox and he’d take tough questions.

“AEG acts like if you don’t agree with their strategy then you’re an idiot. Well, no, I’m not, but MLS never ceases to amaze me when it comes to making the wrong move.”

Lawrence C. Ross Jr.

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“Nobody (except media idiots) said Beckham would overnight change the game. But we notice people discussing MLS all the time now, whereas we never did before.

“And neutral is not the word for an academic talking-head. What real life experience does he have?”

Margaret Manning

Eastsound, Wash.

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“As long as he is fit and playing, I reckon he’s worth every cent the Galaxy pays him. It would help, though, if the Galaxy had a better team around him.”

Robin Buss

New York

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“Good stuff on Beckham. Truthful, insightful, and a good read. I wish more writers gave soccer a fair shake. You did not sugarcoat soccer or Beckham, you just wrote the truth. What a novel concept.”

Andy Grudich

Laura, Ohio

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“I’ve always enjoyed your work, refreshing candor in a world of self-important puff pieces. They hype around Beckham reminds me of when I interviewed the general manager of the San Diego Jaws back in the Pele-olithic era of the NASL.

“He was absolutely certain that the youngsters then attending pro soccer matches would grow up to buy tickets en masse, swamping the NFL. That was, what, 1977 or so? Any day now … ”

John DeBello

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“I think of the ‘Becks effect’ like the ‘Jordan effect.’ He makes everyone around him look better and subsequently higher in demand – his team, soccer in general, even soccer journalism!

“My 8-year-old is now bending his free kicks and plays only in long sleeves [like Beckham].”

Jimmy Green

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“Although the hype is dwindling, the aura is beginning to grow… . Whether you think he is the best or the worst really doesn’t matter. The fact that we are talking about it is why he is here.

“He is here to fill seats and get the word out for people to actually begin to realize that professional soccer exists in the U.S. and is here to stay.”

Paul Westervelt

 grahame.jones@latimes.com