David Beckham ends his loan spell with AC Milan with victory

His immediate future includes World Cup qualifying matches with England before his return to Galaxy in mid-July. Management changes for Milan makes the star’s future with that team a little uncertain.

David Beckham’s Italian sojourn came to an end Sunday when he played the final game of his loan spell with AC Milan, a 2-0 victory over Fiorentina in Florence that secured a place in next season’s European Champions League for the club.

What the change in management will mean to Beckham’s future with Milan is uncertain, although he expects to rejoin the team in January after completing the Major League Soccer season with the Galaxy.

During his loan spell, he played in 17 Serie A games for Milan, scoring two goals and assisting on five others, as the club finished in third place behind champion Inter Milan and runner-up Juventus.

Asked about Leonardo, 39, during an interview with The Times, Beckham said: “Obviously, he was a great player. He’s been involved in this club for a few years now [most recently as sporting director] and he knows the players inside out. All I know of him is he’s a good person and a person who knows everything about the game.”

Meanwhile, Beckham’s immediate future is clear-cut.

He has been called up by England Coach Fabio Capello for World Cup qualifiers on the road against Kazakhstan on Saturday and at home against Andorra on June 10.

Victory in both of those would leave England very close to qualifying for South Africa in 2010.

“Kazakhstan away is a tough match,” Beckham said. “I’m sure it’s going to be really warm there. Andorra, I know it sounds cliché, but there are no easy games in football. Again, the goal is to get maximum points from both games, but you never know what can happen.”

The Galaxy knows that all too well. It expected Beckham to be gone for only three months, but now it will not get him back until July 11, with his first MLS game in 2009 coming July 16 on the road against the New York Red Bulls.

“I always said that I would be going back to finish the season with the Galaxy,” Beckham said. “I never expected to stay for six months. When I first made the decision, it was always for three months. But then obviously being given the chance to play until the end of the season was good.

“I’ll get four weeks off [after the England-Andorra game], which obviously I need to get that rest, but I’ll still be working throughout that time to keep fit. Then I’ll be back into the MLS season with the Galaxy. Then in December I’ll have another couple of weeks off and then meet back with, hopefully, Milan.” Keep reading…lots more.

Beckham eager to renew Galaxy career

In MLSnet.com interview, star midfielder discusses club’s fortunes

David Beckham might have been 6,000 miles and nine time zones away in Milan, Italy, but he still closely followed the Los Angeles Galaxy and is intent on helping the club end its three-year MLS playoff drought when he returns next month.

[...] The popular midfielder, who is expected to begin training with the Galaxy on July 11 and play his first game on July 16 in New York against the Red Bulls, said he has been keeping close track of the Galaxy, who have nine draws in 11 games and are on a nine-game unbeaten streak. Beckham said he regularly has been sending text messages to Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena to wish him and the team good luck, and said it’s about time the club starts getting a few victories.

“We’ve been on a run of draws, but last year maybe those would have been losses,” he said. “There’s been times we’ve played some good football, and the guys have worked for each other. It’s not as if players are in there going through the motions … you can see the improvements.

“It’s about that confidence. Once you get that win, then going on to get another win, that’s the biggest thing. I think when you go on a roll of losing games or even drawing it becomes sort of a psychological thing. You get it into your head that you’re going to draw the next game, then the next game until you get that win.

“I’m sure the manager is giving the players confidence. The manager also said there has been a progression of players … their passion for the game, their passion for winning and playing. That’s all you can ask for.”

Beckham said he has liked what he has seen when he has been able to watch the Galaxy’s games. And when he couldn’t watch them because of the time difference, he said he made sure somebody informed him of the result the next day. He also said he isn’t worried about disrupting any chemisty upon his midseason arrival.

It’s never been a problem in the past, he pointed out, and he doesn’t expect it to be now.

“I know it’s been said by other players coming into teams halfway through the season they can upset teams,” Beckham said. “But any team I’ve gone into that’s not happened. I’m hoping it won’t happen because I’m a player that takes the game very seriously. I’m a player that works hard for every team that I’ve played for. I’m very professional on every team I’ve played for. That’s a given.

“I don’t think that’s ever going to be a problem for me.”

And to those Galaxy fans who may have been upset at his departure from the club, he’s hoping they understood his reasoning.

“I’m sure they realize by now the reasons I had to go on this loan spell,” he said. “Everybody else in football realizes that and I’m sure they do, too. They’re football fans, they watch games week in and week out and I’m sure they’ll be supporting me and the team when I go back.

“That’s not something that worries me. There’s also sacrifices that I’ve made to be in Milan and play for AC Milan. Not seeing my family, not seeing my wife … I know there are many people with jobs that do that. It doesn’t get any easier, and it doesn’t matter who you are. But it doesn’t stop me from missing them.”

The interview is REALLY long and I’ve probably posted too much already. ;) So just click here if you want to read more!!

And remember, you can always keep up with the Galaxy too at www.lagalaxy.com.

RUMOR, SPECULATION, THEORY: New Chelsea Manager Carlo Ancelotti Could Sign David Beckham And Kaka

Kaka and David Beckham, who have both played under Carlo Ancelotti this season for AC Milan, could both be on his shopping list this summer at Chelsea.The bookies have been keen to price up a number of Carlo Ancelotti specials including who he will sign and how Chelsea will fare next year.

Beckham And Kaka Could Be Signed This Summer
Carlo Ancelotti can be backed at 6/1 with Ladbrokes to be a Chelsea player at the start of next season whilst Betfred are offering slightly shorter odds that David Beckham signs for Chelsea at any time during Ancelotti’s reign as manager, that bet is 9/2. Keep reading