WASHINGTON - Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop is taking extreme caution with the delicate left ankle of his and the league's newest, most popular player. After training for about 30 minutes on Wednesday on the field at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., it is still doubtful that David Beckham will make his debut in a Major League Soccer match Thursday.
Having played just 13 games, four fewer than Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake but seven fewer than Western Conference leader Houston, Yallop is taking a long-term approach to using his asset as his team tries to garner one of the eight playoff spots.
"We are still trying to play catch up at the moment," said Yallop. "There are still a lot of games left in the league to pick points up."
Despite the extraordinary attention Beckham's arrival has brought to the Galaxy, Yallop believes his arrival has released the tension, not added more. The Galaxy tied Toronto 0-0 on Sunday as Beckham watched from the sidelines wearing a suit and tie.
"I think a lot of players played a little contained, a little bit nervous," said Yallop. "I think since David's arrival, I think a lot of the guys have taken a sigh of relief and 'OK, he's here and we can just get playing again.' The spotlight is on us and we know that but in the end it's about 90 minutes on whatever day it is and you play and you get on with it and we are trying to get three points in every match we play."
Yallop, a former player in England himself, is letting Beckham call the shots on his return.
"The ultimate decision will come down to David," said Yallop on Wednesday. "He is going to train today and we'll see how he is tomorrow. I'm not going to put him out there to re-injure it. We'll put him out there when he is fit and ready to go. He's getting close. We won't force it. He knows his own body and he'll let us know if he is ready to go."
The frustration is not lost on Beckham, who injured his ankle in a European Championship qualifier on June 6 against Estonia. He further aggravated the ligaments later playing for his club, Real Madrid.
"I think it's always frustrating for a sportsman when you can't do what you love doing," said Beckham. "Yeah, it's very frustrating because it's an injury that has had me out for almost eight weeks. It's getting better, it's improving everyday but myself, I would want it to be a bit quicker, but obviously it's a natural thing."
A critical element of him possibly playing some minutes is the grass surface at RFK Stadium. Had he been fit against Toronto, the FieldTurf surface at BMO Field was a significant deterrent to delay his debut until this match with DC United.
"I think it's a huge factor that it's on grass rather than the FieldTurf, the game tomorrow," said Beckham poignantly. "On FieldTurf, playing with my ankle the way it is not right at the moment, it would be dangerous. With grass it's a lot more positive for me to play out there than it will be next week or the other night in Toronto.
"We'll see. Well if it's not right, it's not right. It's one of these injuries where it has to be right for me to play. It has to be comfortable for me to play because I don't want to set myself back another five weeks for 20-minutes on the field. I'm doing everything possible for myself to play."
A sellout crowd of 45,000 fans is expected for the game, the largest ever for a United match not a doubleheader with the U.S. national team or the Washington Freedom and Mia Hamm. Prior to the stadium being reconfigured for baseball in 2005, the 1997 MLS Cup and two doubleheaders with the national team in 2000 and 2001 drew over 50,000 fans. United also drew over 34,000 for their first doubleheader with Hamm and the Freedom in 2001.
The passionate United supporters can only hope that Beckham plays; regardless, it should not lessen what is normally a festive and upbeat atmosphere.
"This is an easy game to get motivated for, for so many reasons; the crowd, national television, you name it," said United midfielder Ben Olsen. "This is going to be a great atmosphere, a great show and we are all very excited."
Beckham hopes to be able to take part in the festivities and give the people what they want, but he won't run the risk of further injuring himself to do so.
"At the end of the day it was an injury everybody knew about when I first arrived," Beckham said of his ankle ailment. "Obviously people bought tickets but there are always going to be people that maybe don't understand. It's a sporting injury. I can't really apologize for being injured because that's a way of life in any sportsman's career.
"I must say it's so frustrating for myself not being out there on the pitch, more frustrating than for people waiting for me to step onto the pitch," he added. "I'm doing everything possible. ... My fitness level is always pretty high. Obviously the weather is different here, it's a bit out more humid. It may take me a couple of more games to get my fitness to a high level but going into the game, it's never going to be a problem I think."
Chris Snear is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major Leauge Soccer or its clubs.
