During his time at Manchester United, Beckham won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. In 2003, he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid and many critics deemed him a loser after four barren seasons. Yet he emerged from his Spanish stint in 2007 with a major trophy – La Liga championship title, before leaving for Major League Soccer.

Recently, his international career picked up… for no apparent reason. All thanks to England coach Fabio Capello, Beckham has been steadily accumulating England caps, without any eye-catching performances. He was fielded as a late substitute in each of England’s World Cup qualifiers this year, playing a total of 28 minutes for his four caps.

The total tally for Golden Balls is 107 England caps and he will equal Bobby Moore’s all-time appearances by featuring against Germany next month. That would leave David Beckham 17 caps shy of Peter Shilton’s long-standing record of playing 125 times for his country between 1970 and 1999.

Shilton is clearly unhappy with the manner in which Beckham has closed in on his record. He said: “I didn’t think it was justifiable at all to bring him on with two minutes to go against Belarus. I couldn’t believe it. You had Shaun Wright-Phillips on the pitch as well and I couldn’t see what reason there could be.”

Certainly, any self-respecting footballer will prefer to earn his cap by making significant contributions to the team rather than to receive hand-outs from the coach. But to be fair, a goalkeeper enjoys longevity and can last the entire match because there is less physical demand on the body.

An outfield player will have to burst his lungs running up and down the pitch, fighting for possession, creating chances as well as enduring malicious tackles. In this respect, I will cut Beckham some slack and accept his role as a substitute, while breaking records along the way.

I am fine with cameo appearances so long as the team’s fortune is not compromised by the 33-year old midfielder whose pace is long gone and can only deliver spectacular free-kicks once in a blue moon. If Beckham can put in even more commitment and hard work than his peers, I keep faith with Capello’s decision that Beckham’s England days are far from over.

Coming back to Beckham’s club career, I am surprised that there is still light at the end of the tunnel. His insipid performances with La Galaxy over two seasons is a disgrace. For the amount of money he wringed from the club while it suffers from a double whammy of falling gate receipts and poor economic conditions in America, I believe not many fans will shed tears over the sacking of David Beckham.

Actually, if Beckham can’t survive in the Major League Soccer, the answer is obvious on his usefulness to clubs harboring title ambitions. Yet, AC Milan surprised all and sundry with their unsettling, if not scandalous, decision. The Italian club has confirmed that David Beckham will join them on a short-term loan deal during the MLS close season.

Golden Balls now has a chance to feature in both Serie A and UEFA Cup matches for an illustrious club and hopefully justify to his detractors, his continued presence in the England team. The LA Times seems to be none too sad about this development when it reported last week that “the Beckham circus could fold its tents and the club could go back to being what it once was competitive in MLS”.

This statement is fair except for the term “competitive” which is at odds with the entire setup at LA Galaxy. In the past four years, Galaxy have accumulated 41 wins, 55 defeats and 27 draws in the regular season. Only Real Salt Lake, a new MLS franchise, has fared worse.

Currently, LA Galaxy lie second from bottom of the Western Standings, with no chance of reaching the playoffs. This is a repeat scenario of Beckham’s first season in California. Galaxy’s record of eight wins, 13 defeats and eight draws represents a failed experiment in creating a “sexy championship team” with David Beckham on the roster.

David Beckham’s contributions to LA Galaxy stands at a paltry five goals and 11 assists. These are hardly the sort of statistics that will interest AC Milan, a seven-time European champion. Yet, the Rossoneri were clearly rubbing their hands in glee, probably in anticipation of more fans and merchandise sales.

Despite Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti’s declaration that the Rossonneri would like to make the proposed move permanent, the Galaxy captain insisted that he will be back in California for the start of the 2009 MLS season. He said: “I will be back. My commitment is to the Galaxy and that has not changed.”

“It’s a two-month spell, maybe a little longer. Milan have got a great team, so I’m not expecting to go straight in the starting line-up. I will have to earn the right to get into that team. I’m in Serie A form. It’s about getting my fitness up.

“I came to the Galaxy to actually win trophies so I want to do that. I’m also very committed to my role as the MLS ambassador as well. It’s been slightly disappointing because we haven’t made the playoffs again.”

Does AC Milan really need the 33-year-old England midfielder for footballing purposes? The squad is already overflowing with exceptional talents which include FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka, along with fellow Brazilian internationals Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato.

Experience is rich with veterans Clarence Seedorf and former sharpshooter, Andriy Shevchenko returning to his favorite hunting ground after a miserable time at Chelsea. And not to forget, an array of Italian World Cup winners: Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Gianlucca Zambrotta, Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.

In such a competitive club, it is difficult to imagine Beckham breaking into the first XI on a regular basis. Former Gunners, Mathieu Flamini, has only played four matches (3 domestic and I European), so it is a wonder if Beckham can even make it onto the bench, especially when he is already old, has never tasted Italian soccer and defense never been his forte.

Traditionally, big name players who were over the hill struggled to carve a name for themselves when they arrived at AC Milan. Ronaldo was overweight and out-of-form when he arrived at the San Siro from Real Madrid in Jan. 2007. The Brazilian scored a few goals but never regained his lethal form.

His ruptured ligaments ruled him out for nine months and AC Milan privately confirmed that Ronaldo would never play for them again even if he made a full recovery. Ex-Italy forward Roberto Baggio was among other top players who failed to hit their earlier heights after signing for Milan.

Financially though, it could be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both club and player. Initial reports reveal that AC Milan will only take Beckham on a ‘free’ loan, meaning that the Italians would not fork out money to LA Galaxy and would just pay part or none of his wages.

Milan are cash tight at the moment following the purchase of Ronaldinho from Barcelona, so they will be glad to take Beckham for pennies on the dollar. Beckham, as one of the world’s most famous sportsmen, is a marketing machine which singlehandedly propelled Real Madrid to the richest club in the world with lucrative sales of replica shirts and other revenue generating opportunities.

Consider the mania which greeted the club the day after Ronaldinho joined in July. Milan fans snapped up over a quarter of all the season tickets sold up to that point and hits on the website were 10 times the average.

As for David Beckham, the fashion-conscious superstar is already well-known in Italy and models underwear for famous Italian designer Giorgio Armani. Billboards of his half-naked body already span the country, so his effect on Milan fans will be nothing short of spectacular.

However, one has to be careful of Beckham’s waning appeal amid the current economic crisis. Last season, Beckham drew a crowd of 66,237 to Giants Stadium in New Jersey to watch him play the New York Red Bulls but this season the attendance was 46,754.

FC Dallas had a crowd of 22,331 when David Beckham came to Pizza Hut Park in May, up from 14,600 when Galaxy played there without him last June. But the attendances fell to 8,960 and 8,541 for each of Dallas’s next two home games, signs that Beckham’s impact is only ephemeral.

Galaxy’s owners, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has not committed to the deal but coach Arena has already highlighted his displeasure: “I don’t see where that benefits MLS or the Galaxy. Given the position the Galaxy is in, it would seem very odd to me if we were loaning out our top players at the start of the season. ”

Despite a sticky start, AC Milan are getting into the groove and looking like Serie A title contenders. The Beckham circus could unfortunately disrupt the balance and upset a few key players. Maldini was reportedly happy with the signing though.

On his team’s good run of form, Ancelotti attributed it to his defense, saying: “Favalli, Bonera, Maldini, as well as all the others, have improved individually as well as in a team sense. But the credit also goes to the strikers, who are able to move well on the pitch without ever leaving too much space behind.”

Ancelotti said of Beckham: “I wouldn’t just loan him, I’d buy him. He’s still a valid player who can be useful to us, and we can be useful to him. He will not be a tourist.”

But he remained ambivalent about Beckham’s role in the team. “If Beckham wanted to train with us, it wouldn’t be a problem for me.” No mention of Beckham featuring for the team.

It will be interesting to see if Ancelotti can find a slot for Beckham and bring out of the best in him. The intense competition with Ronaldinho and Kaka will spur Beckham to outperform himself, which will ultimately work to the benefit of England… that is, if it works out at all.

Golden Balls, as he is affectionately known, is a marketing phenomenon, even today. After leaving glamorous clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, becoming more injury prone with age at LA Galaxy, losing his England captaincy and a regular England spot; it is a surprise that his charisma is not blunted. New Zealand, a rugby nation, became the latest “victim” to be caught in Beckham-mania, after Australia.

On Tuesday, David Beckham and the Galaxy stopped by Australia and attracted 80,000 spectators to a match against Sydney FC. The England midfielder played all 90 minutes at the Olympic stadium, scoring a trademark goal from a free kick, an uplifting moment in an otherwise forgettable 5-3 loss by the Galaxy.

David Beckham and his entourage continued on their whirlwind excursion by touching down in New Zealand on Friday ahead of the hotly anticipated exhibition match between LA Galaxy and Wellington Phoenix. The star player was given a powhiri, gave a press conference and headed straight for a training session.

This was no ordinary practice session, not after several unofficial records were broken. Golden Balls managed to pull in the crowds to fill half the stadium – more than 15,000 fans gathered in the 35,000-seat Westpac Stadium.

Most were school children who screamed, cheered and performed Mexican waves every time Beckham waved or smiled at them. The climax was when the midfielder spoke briefly and appeared on the stadium’s video screen. All in all, a special day to remember for the impressionable kids as they get up close with their idol.

Saturday’s exhibition match will be held at the same stadium which is also the home ground of the All Blacks rugby team and only a stone’s throw from the New Zealand Rugby Union national headquarters. During buildups to major matches, the All Blacks might draw a few thousand fans in training sessions, but to attract 15,000 to a soccer practice, in a country which soccer is hardly played, was unprecedented.

Rugby officials must have stood bewildered as their sport, with a rich heritage and popularity, is eclipsed by one man. They certainly got a taste of Beckham’s spectacular drawing power which made him one of Britain’s most iconic athletes and also an elite global advertising brand.

A sell-out crowd is expected, a feat mustered only by the All Blacks and an annual rugby sevens tournament. David Beckham is aware his first visit to New Zealand is encroaching on rugby’s territory and giving soccer a profile in the country it hasn’t previously enjoyed.

“Notoriously, (New Zealand) is big on rugby but I hope that we can change that, just for one day and hopefully going forward because I’ve seen the potential football or soccer has in America,” Beckham said at a media conference.

If anybody can talk about increasing the awareness of football in this region based on a singular effort, I have to say Beckham is the man. Though I have little regard for his limited skills on the field, he has done a lot of good for the sport by showing up and doing some PR work. Kids want to emulate him which will encourage the sport to be played at the grassroot level, allowing its influence to promulgate and take root in the far reaches of countries where football has never gained a foothold.

A contract between the Phoenix and Galaxy stipulates he will play at least 55 minutes on Saturday but Beckham is hopeful of lasting the entire match, especially when he personally brought on a new chapter in New Zealand’s soccer history. The expected attendance will be the highest ever for a soccer match in the country, eclipsing the 1982 record of 32,000 for a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Auckland.

The entire circus (Beckham and his Galaxy teammates) is scheduled to leave New Zealand for the United States on Sunday. With his star power intact, Beckham can definitely look forward to more lucrative sponsorship deals coming up in the new season.

The directors at Galaxy should be pleased too. They are laughing all the way to the bank after the success of this tour, presumably they have sped up production of T-shirts in anticipation of frenzied sales.

From Galaxy’s past league performances, it is clear that much has to be done to achieve success, assembling a one-legged genius and a sexy coach will not turn the tide overnight. But meantime, it is business.

Actually, the writing was on the wall for Yallop as he failed to lead Galaxy to the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas told reporters his club were looking for a ‘sexy’ coach.

He said: “We would certainly look to use this opportunity to bring in somebody who is going to have an impact on the Galaxy but also on the league and the sport in many of the same ways that David Beckham did.”

Lalas and Gullit made for ideal bedfellows as the term ‘sexy,’ in a reference to football, was in fact coined by Gullit while commentating for the BBC during the 1996 European Championship.

I am tempted to ask what kind of impact Lalas is looking for. David Beckham played a season total of eight matches (includes 5 league games), scored one goal and have three total assists. Certainly not an achievement worth writing home about. The rest of his time was spent in the treatment room and rubbing shoulders with the who’s who in Hollywood.

But if the purpose is to raise the profile of the club, they have met their objective. By signing the highest profile player (Beckham) and coach (Gullit), every football fan who is not sleeping knows of the presence of LA Galaxy while the rest of the MLS teams remain virtual unknowns.

Ruud Gullit maintained that he will continue to be a television football analyst for Sky Sports on Champions League matches – a role he has held since since 2006. I think that is very wise of him.

As a player, Gullit is no stranger to success. He joined his compatriots Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten at AC Milan in 1987 and won the European Cup in 1989 and 1990. Crowned European Footballer of the Year in 1987, the flamboyant Dutchman symbolized the principles of ‘total football’ as the complete player with all-round skills in several positions.

He moved on to Sampdoria and Chelsea as age caught up with him. Chelsea proved to be his last stop as a player and he was appointed player-manager when Glenn Hoddle left Chelsea to become England’s manager.

As a coach, he won the FA Cup for Chelsea in 1997, the club’s first major trophy in 26 years. The Blues also finished at a credible sixth place in the Premiership.

The following season, with Chelsea gunning for the Premiership in second place and reaching the quarter-finals in two cup competitions, he was sacked, allegedly for disagreements with the board over compensation.

Ruud Gullit was named manager of Newcastle United in 1998, and had a promising start, proceeding to the FA Cup final in his first year. Unfortunately, the tide turned against him after a poor run of results and public spates with the untouchable legend Alan Shearer.

He went to Feyenoord in the season of 2004/2005, quitting without winning any trophies. The club finished a disappointing 4th behind Ajax, PSV and AZ.

If track record is anything to go by, and in a less competitive MLS, Ruud Gullit is actually in a good position to bring some honors to LA Galaxy. He has a wealth of international experience as a player, having competed at the highest level, and seen the best and worst of the Dutch, Italian and English leagues.

As a manager, he has won Cup competitions but he is inadequate in imparting a killer instinct to all the teams he has managed while they are in the final push for league titles.

He could have enjoyed greater success at international level if the team has not imploded whenever they are placed as favorites. Gullit has a large part to play in the internal state of affairs, and he essentially ended his own international career in 1993 with a long-standing dispute with Holland manager Dick Advocaat.

This brings out the issue of his man-management when he is put in charge of a club. He is not one to back down when there is a clash of egos. It is not surprising that his relationship with Alan Shearer becomes untenable as the latter is also known for his strong views in the dressing room.

It is not clear how Gullit will deal with a super prima-donna, Beckham, and his wife, but judging by how Ferguson aimed a boot at Becks in frustration, the conflict can be equally explosive.

Still, I feel that this appointment is a positive move for LA Galaxy and the MLS. In the same way that the “foreign revolution” changed the face of the Premier League in the ’90s with Gullit, Dennis Bergkamp and Jeurgen Klinnsman arriving at the clubs, the same thing could happen to MLS.

Once other quality foreign players follow suit, the world-wide profile of MLS will be raised. This will increase the interest and viewership of the league which will pull in the advertisers like moth to a candle. Before you know it, the players and the clubs will be rolling in dough.