Beckham not the answer for U.S. soccer

David Beckham was in Sunday's Super Bowl — as the punch line for one of the ads, suggesting that advertisers believe the soccer player is a viable and recognizable commodity to American viewers. This may seem a portentous event, one that is evidence of the great possibilities for American soccer the former England captain brings to the table. Especially after the embarrassment of this past summer's World Cup challenge, Beckham provides hope for the sport in this country — hope that Major League Soccer will not only sell more tickets and jerseys, but also become increasingly popular among the American public.

Only a few weeks ago, Beckham made public his decision to come to southern California from Madrid to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Despite the surely insane advice offered by his pal Tom Cruise, Beck's decision was the right one. His once-illustrious career was in tatters on the Real Madrid bench and a return to England was out of the question. After all, where would you rather live, London or sunny L.A.? More to the point, who would you rather go clubbing with, Prince Harry or Nick Lachey?

Beckham, though formerly a great player, is an international star and an icon on the level of Michael Jordan circa 1998. He will fulfill much of the promise he represents. He will be a boon to soccer in this country. But a look at more recent events in American soccer reveals his true, more limited, worth.

On Jan. 20, the U.S. Men's National Team won its first game under interim head coach Bob Bradley '80, 3-1, over Denmark. Bradley, who was also a coach at Princeton, was named to the position after other options were exhausted. Though Bradley is a cool customer and possesses a proven track record, his label as an interim coach speaks volumes. Sunil Gulati, the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, does not envision Bradley leading the national team to the promised land that is, at this point, a World Cup Semifinal appearance. Bruce Arena, who was replaced by Bradley, came close to achieving such heights. The current feeling is that the U.S. national team is on the cusp of being a serious contender and that only a foreign coach can take it there.

Jurgen Klinsmann, the energetic German who coached his home nation to third place at this past summer's competition, was the obvious choice after Arena's departure. Klinsmann, who is a resident of southern California and is married to an American, seemed to be the final piece to the puzzle after he stepped down as the German coach. He was the one who would lead Americans to beat the dominant Europeans and South Americans at their own game. The rumor mill worked overtime in the fall, and Klinsmann's hiring seemed to be a sure bet.

But a deal never materialized. The details were not released, and the two sides parted amicably, but blame must be assigned. The fact is we had an exciting European coach in our backyard, and we let him get away. Gulati should have been groveling at the German's feet. He should have given him whatever he wanted. He should have done anything and everything he could, short of naming Klinsmann dictator of U.S. soccer. But he did not.

What exactly does all this have to do with Beckham's decision to come to America? Everything and nothing. The timing of his arrival is such that the national team's situation will not be scrutinized as it should be because of his presence. He will, for some time at least, overshadow the problems within the U.S. Soccer Federation.

On the other hand, Beckham means very little. He will be good for American soccer, but as a country we will not be taken seriously by outsiders, and Americans will not wholeheartedly embrace soccer, until the national team performs consistently against the best competition. Beckham, then, is little more than a placebo to the ills facing the sport in this country. His move to L.A. should be a cause of some worry for soccer diehards — after all, he is as much a celebrity as an athlete and will undoubtedly participate in the regular freak show that is Hollywood. Cruise will show up to Galaxy home games, and other celebs will probably be seen at the games as well. There will be substantive changes as a result of his arrival, of course, as interest among the general public will pick up. But Beckham can have no effect on the only true barometer of American soccer's growth and success, the national team's performance.

The understated Bradley is a positive presence at this point. He will get a shot to prove his worth, starting with a stern test tonight as the national team faces rival Mexico. But Bradley was not in a Super Bowl advertisement like Beckham was. Klinsmann, though, would not have been out of place next to Beckham. The blond southern California transplant would have been in his element and could have, in the future, raised the profile of American soccer to heights Beckham could never achieve. Klinsmann, unlike Beckham, could have been the cure to American soccer's ills.