First among equals

[Tilla]

The pressure is on Beckham to win matches

By Denise Winterman
BBC News Magazine


David Beckham touches down in the US today to start at new club LA Galaxy. But can someone who is a class apart in talent, pay and fame ever really be part of the team?
When it comes to winning matches, the US soccer season is not going too well for LA Galaxy. As it prepares to unveil its latest signing on Friday it is languishing second from bottom in Major League Soccer's Western Standings.

It's a position the club has found itself in with disappointing regularity in recent years. However, its fortunes might just be about to change as its new signing is David Beckham.

The Beckhams introduce themselves

He's being hailed as the team's saviour and on a contract reportedly worth £128m, nothing short of a miracle is expected of him. On the pitch however he will be one player out of 11 and, as any football coach will tell you, it's the team that wins games not individuals - even if they are Beckham.
But is it possible to build a successful team from one global superstar and a squad of relative unknowns, who play in a league compared by some to England's League One, in a country where football is way down the sporting agenda?

The contrasts are stark. Beckham is reported to be on 500 times the salary of some of his team mates, has captained his country in the World Cup and counts Tom Cruise as a close, personal friend.
His arrival has already had an "adverse effect" on the side, admits LA Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas.

Extreme
But while it is an extreme example, this is a situation ordinary workers find themselves in on a daily basis and more often than not it all works out, says workplace psychologist Gary Fitzgibbon.

"It is possible to successfully parachute in someone who is way above everyone else in terms of performance and ability. If handled properly that person can become a motivator for others, a role model.


Beckham US test

"The real challenge for Beckham - possibly one of the toughest he has faced in his career - is to prove this move is about more than just money and celebrity status. The first people he needs to prove this to is the players."

It's how Beckham's arrival is handled by the club and by the player himself that's the key to success.

"The management should have already let Beckham meet his team mates, before the big media unveiling. This is so they can start to feel an affinity with him as a colleague, rather than a superstar who is remote and inaccessible.

"What Beckham needs to get across is that he doesn't just want to run around being admired by them, he wants to learn what their strengths and weaknesses are so they can play well together."

A posh package
It's a huge challenge but that's exactly what Beckham responds to, says sports psychologist Martin Perry.

"He has always risen to challenges throughout his career. He came back after the Argentina incident in the 1998 World Cup and recently fought his way back into the England squad. I don't think just cruising along as brand Beckham makes him happy.

"To be successful he doesn't have to become everyone's best friend, but he needs to get across his love and enthusiasm for the game. If he can bring players up to his level in terms of those qualities, then he could reach a point where the other stuff is quickly forgotten."

The media hype has already started

But one thing his team mates will find tough to forget is the money he will earn. The MLS has a salary cap of about £1.1m a year per team, which limits the number of top players any one side can sign. Beckham's wages are excluded because he is the club's designated player, the single exception to the cap that each team is allowed. Any sensible manager might make the financial benefits filter down in other ways to his team mates.

"It's crucial the financial benefits cascade down from Beckham to all the team, if it's just one-way traffic then it will benefit no one - on and off the pitch," says Mr Perry. "There should be financial incentives such bonuses for winning matches. It will motivate everyone."

The former England captain seems to be aware of what is needed to make his move a success on the pitch. In a recent interview he said: "I'm not a player who will run past 10 players and score three or four goals. My game is about working hard and being a team player."

'Adverse effect'
But it's never just about David when it comes to the Beckhams. It's a "two for the price of one offer" with Posh as part of the package. One former England player says it's hard to become part of any team if you are a global brand like the Beckhams.

"With his own promotional commitments and those for the club, there's a good chance the other players won't see much of him at the training ground," says former England player Chris Waddle. "That's the place where a team is built, the place where you build relationships with other players.




Beckham hype gives Galaxy trouble


"It could be very frustrating for the rest of the them. They will probably be known as David Beckham's team and not LA Galaxy, which isn't good for team morale. They will be caught up in a media circus which they have had little experience of and probably won't enjoy."

He may have a point, the media frenzy is already in full flow.

The club's general manager Lalas says it is an environment, and situation, that none of our players have ever gone through before.
"It has had an adverse effect on us, but we need to get used to the situation," he adds.

Welcome to life with the Beckhams Mr Lalas.