Kick Off: Beckham wants to play two more years in MLS

Two more years. That’s how long LA Galaxy star David Beckham wants to keep playing. And he professes his desire to spend those two seasons in Major League Soccer.

The news comes just a little more than 48 hours before Beckham takes the field with the MLS All-Stars against Manchester United at Red Bull Arena. MLSsoccer.com is your source for all the best coverage today, including the first practice session for the All-Stars, the team press conference and Manchester United’s first media availability in New York.

Some of the latest All-Star news involves: Landon Donovan being forced to back out of the match, Man. United hosting a clinic in Harlem and the New York Red Bulls playing bartender at The HUB on National Tequila Day: “It’s brilliant, man. I feel like Tom Cruise in Cocktail,” said RBNY forward Luke Rodgers.

Rodgers’ teammate, MLS leading scorer Thierry Henry, who scored a late equalizer to salvage a 2-2 draw for RBNY against visiting FC Dallas this weekend, reveals that he was invited to last season’s All-Star Game but declined. He explains his reasoning in this article.

To get you ready for the All-Star Game, here’s an in-depth feature about the manager of the MLS squad, Hans Backe, who likes to “organize a team from the foundation.” That bodes well for MLS on Wednesday.

As part of the festivities, the Soccer Courts in Harrison, N.J., will feature a legends game tonight with the likes of US legends Tony Meola, Tab Ramos, Alexi Lalas, Clint Mathis and John Harkes playing some of the best local high school products.

Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall and his All-Star teammates hopped on a charter flight from Los Angeles together with Beckham and the other Chivas USA selections late Sunday. Still steaming from the 3-0 blanking at the hands of Chivas USA, Hall says: “If I could have, I would have traded the All-Star selection for a win.”

Make no doubt about it. Chivas USA are thinking playoffs this year. After their most recent win over the Dynamo — all three goals coming on a Justin Braun hat trick — here’s what manager Robin Fraser had to say: “It means we're within striking range. As we make improvements, we want to make sure we're not sacrificing potential postseason play.”

Real Salt Lake manager Jason Kreis promises he won’t be a “hypocrite” on the play that saw Álvaro Saborío go down in the box to earn a penalty kick for RSL and a red card for San Jose Earthquakes defender Bobby Burling. “I was very clear in my admonishment of Charlie Davies on that play. So if it’s my player, I think it’s my responsibility to speak to him and say I don’t like that.”

The Seattle Sounders were idle this weekend as they prepare for Tuesday’s match in Panama which represents the start of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League. Here are Sigi Schmid’s plans for the match, which follows a 7-0 loss at the hands of Manchester United.

The Chicago Fire arguably played the best match against Manchester United of the three MLS clubs that faced the English Premier League champions, losing 3-1 on Saturday but leading for 65 minutes. Fans would be surprised to know that one player who was singled out for praise by Sir Alex Ferguson was recent arrival Cristian Nazarit.

If you missed the audacious goal by Philadelphia Union midfielder Michael Farfan against Real Madrid, watch it here now. In his reactions after the match, teammate Amobi Okugo vowed to boycott ESPN if the goal wasn’t in the Top 10. (VIDEO)

An equally good goal was the strike by Mike Magee against Manchester City yesterday. It was a match which provided a major discussion topic after Mario Balotelli chose to showboat instead of burying a scoring opportunity against LA. Even Magee reacted: “If that was a 6-0 game and he does that, probably someone would have whacked him. Me, personally, I don't care what the guy does.” (VIDEO)

Next up in the World Football Challenge is a match between Italian side Juventus and Mexican giants Club América at Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets. But Mets fans will surely not appreciate the fact that Alex Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini opted to receive VIP treatment from the Philadelphia Phillies. (VIDEO)

Bob Bradley, someone’s out to get your USMNT job. Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says he has a “crazy idea” to be the coach of the USA in three to four years.

An Eddie Gaven goal against the Portland Timbers lifted the Columbus Crew atop the Eastern Conference even on points with the Philadelphia Union. Manager Robert Warzycha took the opportunity to take a dig at the skeptics: “Am I surprised? I'm not. … We said we're going to keep a core of guys here and if they produce, we're going to be very good. Today, they produced."

New England Revolution manager Steve Nicol says he’s not surprised by the fight his team has showed in two road games from which they collected four points: “One thing they always had is total commitment.”

The Revs’ 2-2 tie in Colorado is getting a lot of attention in Colorado for Kosuke Kimura’s goal which one columnist claims has eclipsed the record field goal boot by NFL kicker and Broncos legend Jason Elam. How excited did Kimura make this one columnist? “The buzz from this shot is more powerful than sake.” (VIDEO)

Toronto FC’s 4-2 loss at Sporting Kansas City over the weekend is prompting Canadian media to push for the abandonment of the 4-3-3 system, a staple of Dutch soccer adopted by manager Aron Winter.

Among the highlights from Americans playing abroad, there were two goals scored by ex-Chicago Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe and Joe Corona, who found the back of the net in his Mexican Priméra División debut for Tijuana.

An American teenager you’ve probably never heard of has joined the ranks of yanks abroad after signing on with Liverpool FC in England. They immediately loaned him out to a Belgian side.

While one of England’s giants target US players, one American team is in the news about a potential acquisition of former Manchester United and Newcastle United star Alan Smith. And it’s not an MLS club.

If you know someone who’s Uruguayan, wish them congratulations today. They confirmed their fourth-place finish at last year’s World Cup by winning the Copa América with a 3-0 victory over Paraguay in yesterday’s final. Here’s a photo gallery of the celebrations on and off the field. (PHOTO)

Lastly, in case you didn’t already know, new soccer balls get names these days. At the 2012 London Olympics, the game ball will be called “The Albert.” Find out why here.

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