Billy Witz takes a look at the Becks phenomena a year after arrival.
I'd have to agree that the reception in New York probably won't be as wild as before.
But I'd have to add that at least some of that is due to New York Red Bull. At this time last year, the team had the most exciting young player in the U.S., Jozy Altidore, on their roster. They also had Juan Pablo Angel as the exciting DP that was burning up the league with goals.
This year, the team is struggling with injuries and struggling in the league. Even when the team has pulled out results, their big names have often been on the sidelines, or traded away in the case of Jozy.
I don't know if the rumors about the team bringing in Thierry Henry are substantial, but I do know it's too much to expect Beckham to whip up excitement about MLS all by himself.
4 comments:
There's no way Henry leaves before one last gasp chance at the Champion's League with Barca.
I think he'll be next summer's big DP signing. Just about the right time for RB Park's supposed opening.
I don't see henry coming any time soon. he still has a few years left in him to play top level football and he needs to prove himself after a not so great year at barcelona.
Also due to personal problems I don't think he would come. He just went through a nasty nasty divorce and his ex-wife seems to be withholding his daughter, Tea - 2 yrs old, from seeing him. He has even said that some of the reasons why he didn't play well in barcelona was due to his personal problems. He said he's only seen his daughter 5 times in 8 months and would rushed to england after games whenever he could during the season.
Before the divorce he seemed to be a very devoted father. I think he will realize that if he moved to NY he would only see his daughter during the off season. If his ex-wife won't even fly to spain to let him see his daughter I doubt she would go to the USA. At least in barcelona he can take a quick flight to england, he can't do that in NY.
Beckham came here with the blessing of his family and that's just not the case with henry. Until his personal problems are solved and his top flight playing career is waning will he maybe come to the USA.
the only one rumoring Henry to RBNY is Ives Galarcep. I haven't heard it from anyone else and he has at least admitted he's basing that on pure hunch not hard info.
Henry even said he was planning on playing through his contract at Barca. Also, the league doesn't like to pay transfer fees and I can't imagine them picking up the tab for Henry in '09 who would surely be at least $10 million for the transfer alone.
@anonymous: travel wouldn't be that huge of a consideration. A flight from Madrid to London is about 7.5 hours (largely because direct flights are hard to come by otherwise it'd be about 6 hours). From NY it's about 8.5-9. (if he played for DC he'd actually be closer since they have direct flights.)
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