Beckham's academy does England's bidding
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 23, 2010
[REGARDS ON THE WORLD] Remember the Canadian youth team, the U-12s from Calgary's Foothills Soccer Club, whose dream of a trip to the David Beckham Academy was
shattered when a registration site representing David Beckham's camp took their money and they went
ahead with plans to fly to California only to learn later that the camp had been shut down? They'll be surprised to learn that Beckham and his academy are back in business, doing England's bidding for
the 2018 World Cup.
Beckham will fly out after Friday's MLS game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls and head to Trinidad & Tobago, where his "academy" will hold a clinic over the weekend in conjunction with the close of the Under-17 Women's World Cup.
Well, it isn't actually a complete surprise that the academy -- which also closed down its camp operations in Greenwich, England, at the end of 2009 -- is back in operation.
At
the time of the Foothills fiasco, AEG spokesman Michael Roth said in a memo the Daily Breeze obtained, "Planning is currently under way with David and senior coaches to develop a program and coaching model that will move beyond the
limits of one location and ultimately impact more children in more cities across the United States and worldwide."
MONTERREY BASH REVISITED. We may
never what actually went on at the postgame bash at the Mexico national team's Monterrey hotel following its game against Colombia on Sept. 8 that resulted in the suspensions of two players and fines for 11 others, but we do know one thing. It was
a heck of a lot smarter to rent out a ballroom at the hotel, party there and pay the consequences than go out for a night on the town.
The Wall Street Journal reported the drug war between the Gulf Cartel and Zetas in
Monterrey, known as the "Sultan of the North," is so bad that taxi drivers don't venture out after 10 p.m. when an informal curfew is imposed by Zetistas roaming the streets. Fearing for the safety of
his family, the mayor of Monterrey has moved them to Dallas.
'NICE OCTOBERFEST DAY.' The end of September means it's Octoberfest in Munich, where the
big match of the European weekend takes place. Defending champion Bayern Munich hosts Mainz, the surprise of the Bundesliga season with five wins in five games. Mainz, whose unbeaten streak is 10
games dating back to last season, has never before held the Bundesliga lead.
"They will take us seriously," Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel, at 36 the
youngest coach in the Bundesliga, says of Bayern. "It will be an interesting game, a nice Octoberfest day," adds star Lewis Holtby. "People can look forward to
it. I wish it was tomorrow already."
ON THE AIR. It's a big weekend for followers of Americans abroad. Here are four games to watch ...
-- Fulham-Everton. Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson and the unbeaten Cottagers host
Tim Howard's Everton, winless in five games. (Foxsoccertv.com, Saturday, 10 am ET; Fox Soccer Plus, delay, Saturday, 4 pm ET).
-- Lyon-St. Etienne. Carlos Bocanegra leads surprise St. Etienne (tied for first with Toulouse after five games) against regional rival and
perennial title contender Lyon (in a three-way tie for 16th). (Foxsoccertv.com, Saturday, 3 pm ET)
-- Bolton Wanderers-Manchester United. For Stuart Holden, a fixture in midfield, and his Bolton teammates, a win over neighboring United will make their season. (Fox Soccer Plus and Foxsoccertv.com, Sunday, 7
am ET)
-- Wolves-Aston Villa. Marcus Hahnemann and Brad Friedel should be in
the nets as Wolves hosts Villa in the visitors' first EPL game under new manager Gerard Houllier. (Fox Soccer Plus and Foxsoccertv.com, Sunday, 9 am ET)
