I know it's going to seem very girly or something, but in many cases when I'm reporting, I've learned to trust my instincts. For example, if a player holds his hand up, palm out, while walking away in the opposite direction when I'm calling his name, it's a bit of a clue that he doesn't want to talk, and isn't going to, either.
I know, I'm sharp like that.
I'm sharing some of my incredible intuition here because I was one of the few reporters to correctly predict early on that David Beckham would come to Major League Soccer, and I've been sent several emails asking me what I think (as if I'm the new lucky charm prophet) about Zinedine Zidane joining the Chicago Fire, as the latest rumor goes.
Well, first off, AEG owns the Fire, and if anyone has proven their willingness to make something happen with the Designated Player Rule, it's AEG.
On the other hand, though, part of my logic for thinking the Beckham trade to the Galaxy was going to happen was simple observation. When Real Madrid toured Los Angeles, Beckham was all smiles, jogging out in the sunshine, waving at the crowd, talking to reporters, doing publicity for his academy, going out to a club. He clearly liked LA, and so, apparently, does his wife. They have friends here.
Zidane didn't seem as taken by the U.S. at all. Now, it could be he's such a natural introvert that it's hard to tell. He might have been gleeful way deep inside. If so, he hid it well, never smiling, refusing all interview requests, except for a few words to one French journalist, and generally ignoring everyone around him.
Yes, I'll readily agree that Zidane is magic on the field, that the last World Cup clearly showed his skill is still incredible, and that he might consider a comeback to the U.S. a good way to erase the final image that others have of him. At the very least, I don't think anyone will insult him in Italian.
I have trouble imagining that he's excited about coming to MLS, though. Sorry, Fire fans.
Then again, it's not like anyone saw the headbutt coming, either.
3 comments:
Yes, Becks will be a marketing and publicity machine compared to Zidane. However, MLS does not only gain on-field services if they do manage to sign Zidane. Sure, he probably won't speak a word to the media. However, just the fact that the best player from the World Cup 9 months ago was coaxed out of retirement to play in MLS (and not any other league), will give MLS immeasurable prestige in the eyes of non-MLS soccer fans in the US and abroad.
Of course. My point isn't that he needs to do publicity to help MLS, I'd be happy if he just came to play. My point was, I think he's really done with the game. That's my current guess.
I am probably in the minority on this, but I am not so sure signing Zidane is necessarily great for the MLS. The beauty of signing Beckham is that he is still young and can give several good years to the Galaxy. It shows other talented players, still in their prime, that they should give MLS a consideration.
As for Zidane, I don't know what his current level of play is. If he can still play some, than it might be a very good signing. He is certainly a marquee name. However, I would be concerned that MLS would be going down the doomed road of the NASL. I would hope that people learned their lessons from the downfall of the Cosmos, but still, "Once In a Lifetime" is a good cautionary tale.
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