- Title: USA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: David Beckham returns to the LA Galaxy
- Date: 25th February 2011
- Summary: BECKHAM WALKING ON FIELD DURING SCRIMMAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) LANDON DONOVAN, TEAMMATE, SAYING: "Who am I to say he shouldn't be somewhere playing. I mean the last two years I've been in Europe playing. I understand why he would want to do that and why he would want to play there. For us, and I've said that since day one whenever he came, all we care about when he's here, he wants to be here and he wants to play. And today he showed he wants to be here and he wants to help this team. And you can tell the guys are excited to have him back. He's excited to be back. Would we have liked to have him since January 24th? Sure." LANDON DONOVAN AND DAVID BECKHAM WALKING ON SIDELINE
- Embargoed: 12th March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa, Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVACDXXAUXYZ39JGKO6BQX219HYG
- Story Text: David Beckham returned to the Los Angeles Galaxy after missing the team's preseason to spend the past six weeks training with the Tottenham Hotspurs of the English Premier League.
Beckham downplayed reports that he had been trying to work out a loan agreement with the Tottenham side and said he stayed in England to get a head start and prepare for the upcoming Major League Soccer season. He also said he needed the extra time to get in shape because of his age and last season's injury.
"I think at this stage in my career, especially after the injury that I had, I realized that it was more important for me to train than to sit on a beach," said Beckham.
While he's not at the beach he said he was happy to be back with the Galaxy and happy to see the California sun.
This is expected to be his last year with the Los Angeles Galaxy. David Beckham is in his final year of his contract which expires in November. He entered the league with much fanfare but has failed to bring a championship to Los Angeles. The midfielder was only able to play seven games for the Galaxy last season due to the injuries and overseas commitments. It is the reason he felt the training in England was so important.
"It's just important for my fitness and for my level that I continued there and come back fitter than I obviously was, you know, last season." Beckham added, "My main objective was to get fit for the Galaxy and for the MLS season. That was my main objective. My main objective wasn't to play for a premiership team. I was thankful to Spurs and to Harry for the way they looked after me. You know, I think it was frustrating for Harry because he's already said that he would of liked to of signed me for the time."
Beckham didn't deny the fact that he was disappointed that he wasn't able to get in a match with the Hotspurs.
"If obviously there was an option to play then I was, you know, going to take it," said Beckham. He stressed that playing wasn't his motive to be with the Hotspurs but to train for the MLS season. The opportunity to play with the Premier League team, in mid-season, gave him training he couldn't have gotten with the Galaxy.
Beckham said, "I didn't obviously play as much football as I would of liked to last season, so you know, especially coming back from the injury, I think it was even more important this preseason for myself to go somewhere to keep fit. You know, obviously any premiership team, especially a premiership team in the top four, you know the quality and the intensity in their training was going to be good for me."
He again downplayed rumors of the desire to stay on a loan to Tottenham saying if the loan had gone through it still wouldn't of changed his date of return to Galaxy.
"Even if I had been on loan, even if I had played the games. This is the time I was always coming back. You know, that was agreed. You know nothing was going to change that," said Beckham.
Beckham's teammates did not voice any objections to his stint in England. London Donovan has been critical of Beckham in the past but said he doesn't judge his teammate for missing the MLS preseason.
"Who am I to say he shouldn't be somewhere playing. I mean the last two years I've been in Europe playing. I understand why he would want to do that and why he would want to play there," said Donovan. He's just happy that the former England national team captain is back.
The Los Angeles Galaxy had the best record in the MLS last year but was eliminated in the league semifinals to FC Dallas. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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