The sponsors want it. The fans are waiting for it. But David Beckham’s hotly anticipated debut for Los Angeles Galaxy against Chelsea on Saturday remains in doubt.
Although Beckham’s swollen left ankle has responded well to treatment since he arrived in Los Angeles last week, Galaxy officials accept the longer-term picture is much more significant for their high-profile signing.
”We want to get him on the field as quickly as we can but we don’t want to put him in any danger of re-injuring it,” Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop said.
”There is always a possibility he won’t play because of his injury but we’re never going to force him to play. If he’s ready to play, he’ll play. We’re just waiting to see how he responds.
Yallop, speaking to reporters after the Galaxy were thumped 3-0 by Mexican club Tigres UANL in a friendly on Tuesday, added that the ankle had responded to treatment in the last few days.
”He’s had a lot of treatment and his ankle is a little bit better. We’re hoping he will be okay to play on Saturday but we have to make sure we do the right thing by him.”
England midfielder Beckham, one of the biggest names in the game, twisted his ankle while playing for his country against Estonia in a Euro 2008 qualifying match last month.
Major honour
He then aggravated it in his final appearance for Real Madrid 11 days later when his former team clinched the Spanish league title, Beckham’s first and only major honour with the club.
The long flight from London to Los Angeles did not help the swelling but Beckham has been a regular visitor to the Galaxy treatment room since reporting for training on Monday.
”There’s still a bit of work to do,” Beckham said after being introduced as a Galaxy player.
”I’ll be getting that work done by massaging and treatment and hopefully a bit of running, and we’ll take it from there. It should be all right for the game against Chelsea.”
Beckham, signed by the Galaxy from Spanish giants Real Madrid on a five-year deal worth $32,5-million, has enjoyed a varied first week with his new club.
After attending his first training session on Monday, he watched his new teammates lose to the Tigres the following day before joining several Chelsea players at a private party in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, the former England captain is scheduled to fly to Denver to attend the MLS All-Star game against Scottish club Celtic before returning to the Home Depot Centre on Friday for his final training session of the week.
Galaxy, with or without Beckham in his number 23 shirt, then take on FA Cup holders Chelsea in Carson, California, on Saturday afternoon. – Reuters