Canales Daily: At Last, Galaxy Enjoy Playoff Return

By Andrea Canales

The scenario was probably just how David Beckham first imagined it when he thought of the move to Major League Soccer - an adoring, sold-out crowd on their feet, giving him adulation for a job well done as the Los Angeles Galaxy clinched the top seed in the Western Conference and returned to the playoff habit that was once routine for the club.

Before Seattle came along with their eye-popping attendance totals, it was the LA Galaxy setting standards in that regard, year after year as the diverse Southern California fanbase united around soccer and their local team.

Latino stars like Jorge Campos, Luis Hernandez and Mauricio Cienfuegos helped spark interest among Hispanics, but more than that, the Galaxy kept winning regularly. They made the championship final of Major League Soccer five times, winning twice, but also winning during the regular season to the point where they were the only team in the league to make the playoffs ten years running.

That all came to a crashing halt in 2006. That was the year before Beckham arrived on the scene, so to blame him for the club's poor form ignores that they had become a fractured entity prior to his arrival. The death of the team's general manager, the hiring of a new coach and a shuffle of players that had little connection to the community and the club resulted in a fragile state for the organization that had long prided itself on consistent quality.

Beckham's move, though, was a wrecking ball of attention that would have exacted a price from even the most tranquil, stable setup, which the Galaxy most definitely were not at the time.

It's telling, for example, that San Jose Earthquake coach Frank Yallop, who coached the Galaxy when Beckham joined the team, was far more relaxed after the San Jose loss than he was during most of his Galaxy tenure. The Earthquakes have committed to Yallop and are allowing him time to develop the club. Yallop does not have the constant pressure and scrutiny that marked his time trying to steer the Galaxy ship with the Beckham circus becoming a giant anchor on the club.

Yet it's likely that Yallop was a bit wistful when looked across the field at a healthy Beckham last night, spraying effective passes around the field and helping the Galaxy fight through an uneven first-half performance. Yallop never had the luxury of an in-form Beckham, because the English midfielder badly damaged his ankle helping Real Madrid win the championship in 2007.

Then again, there's something that just seems right about Yallop in San Jose blue - leading the club that he guided for so long. His roots in that community are deep and true, much like goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who even during his time with the Galaxy spoke of his hope to play with San Jose one day.

On Saturday night, Cannon and Beckham clashed after Beckham was whistled for a foul on the field. The former teammates yelled vehemently at each other as the referee stepped in, trying to defuse the situation.

"He came running out thirty yards from the goal to tell the referee to give me a yellow card," said a slightly exasperated Beckham. "That was unnecessary, so I told him."

As coach, current Galaxy coach Bruce Arena may have traditional connections to the East Coast and his many years with DC United, but during his eight-year national team stint, he grew comfortable with the pace of California life, becoming a golfing afficionado whenever he brought the USA squad to train in the area.

Certain roster moves hint at an interest to bring in players who valued the SoCal lifestyle in particular. Arena secured the services of Jovan Kirovski and Todd Dunivant, both LA players in 2005, the last season the Galaxy claimed the championship. Other arrivals had strong childhood ties to the area, such as Eddie Lewis. Some forged relationships with the Los Angeles fans on their own initiative, especially defender Gregg Berhalter, who made it a regular habit to acknowledge the fervent Angel City Brigade supporters behind the north goal after every home match.

The club is also developing promising prospects that fans can watch improve with pride, cheering their improvement. Omar Gonzalez, A.J. De La Garza, Sean Franklin and Tristan Bowen have never pulled on the jerseys of another professional team. Now that the revolving door of transfers has slowed down, they may remain in the colors for years to come.

Beckham in particular was pleased about the contribution of the talented youngsters during the season.

"We've done it with a lot of hard work from young players - we've got a lot of experienced ones in there, but we've got a lot of young players as well," the midfielder pointed out. "It's like being a proud father, you're proud of the young ones, how they've come along."

Though Beckham was shut out of the team awards the Galaxy handed out (Landon Donovan, MVP and Golden Boot, Donovan Ricketts, Defender of the Year, Todd Dunivant, Humanitarian of the Year), the standing ovation gesture by the Galaxy fans for Beckham was a significant tribute.

"It's always nice to have the support of your fans," reflected Beckham. "Ninety-five percent of the fans have been great to me since I moved to Los Angeles, and it's nice to have that back."

For now, at least, it's one big Galaxy family again - not only on the team, but also in the stands, where the die-hard supporters are not cursing at the teeny-bopper Beckham shriekers, where the chants of "L! A!" from one end of the stadium are gleefully answered by the other with "Galaxy!"

It's overdue, but perhaps the satisfaction of a job well done is all the sweeter because of the turbulence of previous seasons.

"It was important that we did well this year," said Beckham, who is by now a specialist in proving people wrong as much as he is with freekicks. "We've got a good group of guys who are not getting carried away and also they want to learn. It's a season to be proud of so far."

Yes, the Galaxy can look back at a successful turn-around in 2009 with their return to the playoffs.

Then again, if there's anything that Beckham has learned about Los Angeles, it's that nothing succeeds like excess. Galaxy fans are already looking forward to more and the team wants to meet those expectations.

"We can't afford to stop here," Beckham noted. "We want to win things."

Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America

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