Okay Spice Boy…
I’ve really done my best to keep quiet here and leave my comments to simple tweets letting the media do must of the story telling. After all, it appears you, your ‘people’ and those in charge at AC Milan seemed to negotiate your end of the deal to stay in Italy via that medium. However, now that you’ve finally come on US TV and told your story to us (remember us, the LA fans?) I just have to vent a bit.
First, how out of touch are you? Seriously, did you think LA fans, who have put up with your coming and going and half-assing it around the pitch for 90 minutes when you showed up, would just accept your decision to focus on earning a place in the England squad rather than helping LA earn a spot in the playoffs? After all, I know you get paid well because ticket and shirt sales are helped by your involvement, but at the end of the day, isn’t your primary job to help LA win? Maybe I’m wrong.
How can you blame Alexi Lalas for fans wanting to give you a difficult time when you return? You’ve been telling any reporter within earshot how much you enjoy playing in Italy. How great it is to play with such a great squad and at such a high level. Isn’t that also saying that MLS isn’t worthy of your involvement except that it’s earning you a few bucks?
One thing I’ve noticed about comments you’ve made. They really sound scripted. The more I hear you the more you sound like a politician. You were very careful with your words, but you never really answered questions. Honestly, I’m not believing a word you say these day. What’s really fun is to watch your body language during the interview. Something tells me you wouldn’t have done the interview on ESPN if you had the choice. Either that you they weren’t the softball pitches you are used to from the US media. You were squirming the entire time. I have to give Ms. Storm props for asking questions fans in LA have wanted to hear you answer….and for some of those questions, we are still waiting for an answer.
So, you are going to be committed to LA, yet whenever England come calling, even for meaningless friendlies, you wanna head down the 405 to LAX and jump on the next flight to Heathrow. How is that a commitment to your team mates?
I dunno. I guess all of this doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. After all, I don’t think anyone is going to argue that your entire purpose for signing with LA was to make money. That $250 million over 5 years figure leaked to the media by someone at 19 Entertainment or AEG or something was supposed to create buzz. It did. You were supposed to have your photo splashed over everything Madison Avenue could find to put it on. But then a funny thing happened. It started even before you arrived….injured. Your first match for LA, injured. Your first (part of a) season, ended early due to injury. However, you still found the time to win your spot back on the England squad. Oh yeah, and didn’t your wife’s comeback tour with the Spice Girls crash and burn as well?
Last season you coasted your way though while racking up a few more caps for England. Heck, you weren’t even the best player for LA last season. The writing was on the wall. You don’t want to be in LA. But no, you are denying that…well, unconvincingly. And the loyal fans in LA chose, at that time, to ignore the signs.
Leiweke, you and AEG are just as guilty in this mess. I realize you need to make some money to keep things going. But come on now. LA fans have now had to put up with Campos, Hermosillo, Hernandez, Bo, Hertzog and now Beckham. Not one of them has managed to produce anything. Tell me this, what big star was on the team when we won any of our silverware? Ruiz? He was hardly a signing made to sell tickets…but we won with him. Okay, Campos was before AEG owned the team. But still, the track record with these signings isn’t great. Here’s an idea, why not win a few games? Why not sell the team rather than a washed up star? This way, the team will always be there. The washed up star, well, he’ll be off trying to break Bobby Moore’s record or something….anything other than helping the team.
Anyway, I’m done. It was only a couple of years ago I’d be itching for the season to start. Now, I can’t be bothered. Thanks guys. Again, I have no problem with making money and keeping the operation going. However, it’s still a sport. There should still be pride on the team. Pride in the colors (which have changed) and in what they stand for. Pride in the city you represent and the fans who turn out and fork over the money to see you play. Maybe there is from those who will be around all season. However, the “buzz” you want–yeah, I know there’s no such thing as bad publicity–is ignoring all that.
So, as my team in England is pretty much out of the running for the playoffs, I’ll need to find something else to entertain myself until August. Yeah, no MLS PPV package or regular trips to matches like you got from me since 1996. Way to drive off the fans.
One last thing. I have to give it to Hannah Storm for asking good questions unlike almost all the rest of the media who can only pitch softballs.
And I guess I should include the cream puff questions from that NBC muppet.
Sorry about that rant…I feel better now.
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