[clip via the AV Club]
David Beckham's greatest asset isn't kick-bending, or even superstar magnetism, but leadership, writes Andrea Canales. In Beckham's first sustained action for the LA Galaxy since his injury, he took over the captain's role from Langdon Donovan--at Donovan's insistence.
"I'm not stupid," Donovan said. "[Beckham has] been a captain for England, one of the better teams in the world. For me, it's not as important to wear the armband. I'm going to play the same way and act the same way towards guys whether I have that or not. I think it made him immediately part of the team in a real sense, not just on the field. I think guys looked at him differently, and he could say things to guys differently. I told him that if he was ready for it, I thought it was appropriate that he wear it and that I thought it would help us right now....Even more impressive than Beckham's ability is Donovan's humility. It takes a real man to step aside for the sake of the team.
"He's a leader on the field and brings a lot out of everybody, including myself," Donovan said. "When he's out there, he's so competitive. 'Edson, your ball, win it! Abel, your ball, win it!' He likes to compete, he likes to win. If that's him at who-knows-what-percent of his real self, I can't wait until he's fully fit and his ankle is fully healthy."
1 comment:
Not to give Donavan too much credit for his skill as a player, but he had a tendancy to wilt against foreign talent.
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