Football
Associated Press 17y

Wenger says Beckham alone cannot lift soccer in U.S.

LONDON -- David Beckham alone won't transform soccer in the
United States. It will take an influx of other European stars to
make a real impact.

That's the view of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, one of the
most successful coaches in the English Premier League.

Beckham agreed to the biggest deal in soccer history Thursday
and will join the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer after
his current contract with Spanish club Real Madrid ends in June.

"Football will only take off (in America) if Beckham's not the
only one," Wenger said Friday. "You need a few. Is that the
opening road for more to come? If you want a real influx of big
stars that's what will be needed if you want to create a big lift
for American football. One player will not be enough."

The next could be Dutch star Edgar Davids, who has lost his
place in the starting Tottenham lineup in England and is holding
talks with FC Dallas.

Beckham's estimated $250 million five-year deal could prompt
other 30-something European-based stars to consider moving to the
MLS now that the salary cap rule has been relaxed.

According to Wenger, that's the only way the MLS can stand a
chance of matching the big European soccer leagues and attract
young Americans away from baseball, basketball and football.

The Arsenal manager, who has made his reputation nurturing young
talent rather than making big money signings, said that Beckham had
dropped down a level in soccer terms.

"On the other hand it can give a big boost to American football
because they now have a basis," he said. "They had no elite and
to have great players like David Beckham in the professional league
can give a big boost."

Big-name players such as Ronaldo, Pavel Nedved and Alessandro
del Piero might be tempted to go to the U.S. Although Zinedine
Zidane has retired, a big-money deal in the United States could
persuade him to make a comeback, especially after his finale at the
World Cup ended with a headbutt and a red card.

Beckham's move to the Galaxy bucks a trend of top American
players coming to Europe. The latest is Clint Dempsey, whose
transfer from the New England Revolution makes him the 13th
American in the top flight of English soccer.

"It looked until now like the players were coming from the
States to Europe to play," Wenger said. "The major thing was that
the top level football is played in Europe. The secondary thing was
they could not pay the wages we can pay here in Europe. And
suddenly, in this individual case, it looks like it's going the
other way.

"It needs to be followed by other examples, incite other people
in the United States to do the same with other teams. They have
salary caps until now, but the salary cap exploded in this case."

Dallas coach Steve Morrow said his club has been in talks with
Davids for two weeks.

"We were excited to hear about his availability, so we spoke to
his agents and have been told he is available," said Morrow, a
former Arsenal midfielder who played 39 times for Northern Ireland.

Davids, who wears protective glasses on the field because he has
glaucoma, has won domestic and European club titles with Ajax
Amsterdam, Juventus and Barcelona. He is nicknamed the "Pit Bull"
because of his aggressive style.

If Davids moves to Dallas, he is unlikely to receive anything
close to the huge deal negotiated by Beckham, who makes much of his
money from commercial sponsorships and image rights.

Married to "Posh Spice" Victoria of the former Spice Girls,
Beckham has become a brand name as well as a soccer star. With many
lucrative endorsements, he has become one of the most marketable
sportsmen in history.

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