- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY) (14 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 030740787X
- ISBN-13: 978-0307407870
- Product Dimensions: 16.2 x 2.8 x 24.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 93,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Beckham Experiment
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Review
David Beckham has been fiercely criticised by his LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan, who has called into question the former England captain's commitment to the American club... Donovan's comments - part of a new book 'The Beckham Experiment' by Grant Wahl published in Sports Illustrated - come as Beckham received a warning from the president of the United States Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulati, to expect a hostile reception from fans when he returns to Galaxy. --The Guardian, 2 July, 2009
And it was all going so well.... the SUPERSTAR wife, millions in the bank, the England captaincy - but did DAVID BECKHAM really think he could conquer America? Grant Wahl followed him across the US - and witnessed the RIVALRY, the deep resentment and the clash of egos as his dream FELL TO PIECES
--Daily Mail; Live magazine, August 2009
And it was all going so well.... the SUPERSTAR wife, millions in the bank, the England captaincy - but did DAVID BECKHAM really think he could conquer America? Grant Wahl followed him across the US - and witnessed the RIVALRY, the deep resentment and the clash of egos as his dream FELL TO PIECES
--Daily Mail; Live magazine, August 2009
Review
"Donovan is no fan - and has unleashed his simmering resentment in The Beckham Experiment, a book compiled by author Grant Wahl, excerpts of which are revealed in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated magazine."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I very much enjoyed reading this book, it gives a great insight into the MLS and how Beckham's arrival affected it. It does not focus too much on Beckham's celebrity, mentioning it and how it affected his relationship with the media and his teammates but it very much focused on the football side of Beckham. The most interesting parts however were not about Beckham but how many of the "lesser" players struggle to get by, earning minimal wages and often forced to take a second job to pursue their passion. An informative and entertaining read that I highly recommend to all football fans.
Format:Hardcover
I have to confess that I don't read many sports books - and those I do read tend to be biographies of cricket/rugby players, with a sprinkling of football books thrown in. Those books don't tend to be anything special. But "The Beckham Experiment" has to be hands down the best sports book I've read. Not only is it about Beckham the football player, but it is also about Beckham the brand - a combination of sports and business. This had the potential to be off putting for a sports fan, but the author has done a fantastic job of combining these two elements of the Beckham Experiment, writing a readily accessible and enjoyable read of Beckham's ill fated dabble in the MLS.
Beckham's move to the US was always going to be either a spectacular success or a spectacular failure, and quite clearly by mid 2009 it is the latter. I can't claim to be a devoted follower of football, but I was certainly aware of Beckham's move to the Galaxy. But until I read this book, I had no real knowledge of the MLS - Wahl has done a good job of introducing the workings of the MLS without impacting on the pace of the story. There is also consideration given to the politics and business decisions that can be involved in the running of a football club. The involvement of big business (AEG) in Beckham's shift to the Galaxy is not surprising - but the degree of manipulation and control over the management of the team is quite astonishing. Right from the start, it is readily apparent that signing with the Galaxy also represented a skillful business move by Beckham and his advisers.
Wahl has delved deep into the personalities in the team in the course of preparing this book, and has done a warts and all expose. There is some fingerpointing here - but Wahl is reasonable in his criticism, and puts a good case forward as to why just about everyone needs to take some responsibility for the fiasco that resulted during the LA Galaxy's campaign in the 2007 and particularly the 2008 season. One of the most surprising relevations from the book is Ruud Gullit's performance as a coach. I was astonished that he appears to have little idea what he was doing, and was unable to adjust to the US scene. I felt some sympathy for the players - I guess I fell victim to the general perception that as professional sportsmen in a first world country, they would be well paid, which as it transpires is not the case for the majority of the players. This is one of the highlights of the book - the perspectives of some of the lesser lights in the team on Beckham, and the impact he had on the team.
This book has everything going for it - a superstar football player, a team falling apart, outspoken former associates of the team, all skillfully put together in a totally enjoyable - and easy (I read this in the course of a weekend) - read. Easily the best sports book I've ever read, and probably one of the best books of the year for me. Recommended to anyone interested in football, learning about the MLS, and the global phenomenon that is David Beckham.
Beckham's move to the US was always going to be either a spectacular success or a spectacular failure, and quite clearly by mid 2009 it is the latter. I can't claim to be a devoted follower of football, but I was certainly aware of Beckham's move to the Galaxy. But until I read this book, I had no real knowledge of the MLS - Wahl has done a good job of introducing the workings of the MLS without impacting on the pace of the story. There is also consideration given to the politics and business decisions that can be involved in the running of a football club. The involvement of big business (AEG) in Beckham's shift to the Galaxy is not surprising - but the degree of manipulation and control over the management of the team is quite astonishing. Right from the start, it is readily apparent that signing with the Galaxy also represented a skillful business move by Beckham and his advisers.
Wahl has delved deep into the personalities in the team in the course of preparing this book, and has done a warts and all expose. There is some fingerpointing here - but Wahl is reasonable in his criticism, and puts a good case forward as to why just about everyone needs to take some responsibility for the fiasco that resulted during the LA Galaxy's campaign in the 2007 and particularly the 2008 season. One of the most surprising relevations from the book is Ruud Gullit's performance as a coach. I was astonished that he appears to have little idea what he was doing, and was unable to adjust to the US scene. I felt some sympathy for the players - I guess I fell victim to the general perception that as professional sportsmen in a first world country, they would be well paid, which as it transpires is not the case for the majority of the players. This is one of the highlights of the book - the perspectives of some of the lesser lights in the team on Beckham, and the impact he had on the team.
This book has everything going for it - a superstar football player, a team falling apart, outspoken former associates of the team, all skillfully put together in a totally enjoyable - and easy (I read this in the course of a weekend) - read. Easily the best sports book I've ever read, and probably one of the best books of the year for me. Recommended to anyone interested in football, learning about the MLS, and the global phenomenon that is David Beckham.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
34 reviews
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
"You Can't Escape the Field"
14 July 2009
Format:Hardcover
"Three seasons into Beckham's American adventure, the same question remained: Would it ever be about the soccer?" That was the last sentence of the book, and it easily could have been the first.
Amidst great hopes and unrealistic expectations ("Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally." Tim Leiweke, CEO of AEG), the experiment has been a commercial success, and raised the profile of MLS. But as Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary manager of Manchester United, said, "You can't escape the field." It was a theme that the author stressed with regularity, and one that apparently escaped American soccer promoters during their formulation of this grand experiment.
Grant Wahl, in a very detailed, entertaining, and enlightening book, provides the reader with answers why the experiment has not achieved all of its objectives. The portrait was an extremely balanced analysis that was not dumbed down to sell more books for a non-soccer audience. Mr. Wahl writes about the sport of soccer without derision and/or frequent comparisons to its more accepted mainstream counterparts. He understands international soccer (he has covered 5 World Cups) along with the unique way the game is organized professionally in North America. Like a scientist, the author presented the equation, gathered the evidence from many sources, structured an interesting story, and ultimately demonstrated why the experiment did not work yet where it was needed the most: On the field of play.
Although Beckham did not provide exclusive interviews for the book, he is quoted frequently from previous discussions with the author. Despite a painful ankle injury, and promotional realities, Beckham began the experiment in prime time on a July evening at the Home Depot Center. Being the great professional that he is, he soldiered on so that the Galaxy and MLS could maximize a rare window of opportunity in the mainstream American consciousness. But after a few starts and stops, it came to a thundering halt when Beckham suffered another injury and was forced to weeks on the sidelines. The show went on without its protagonist. American fans, many of whom had to pay inflated prices to see the Galaxy and/or buy multiple game packages, began to voice their anger.
This book also chronicled the unsung life of the typical American professional soccer player. Many of whom toil in obscurity, and earn a minute fraction of Beckham's salary. They fly coach, stay in modest hotels, and have a $45 per diem. But in true American fashion and spirit, they dealt with a Hollywood reality show replete with Machiavellian behind the scenes maneuvers, and enough twists and turns to unseat the most balanced of people. Alan Gordon, an oft quoted player who earned $30,870 annually during his first three years with the Galaxy, summed it up best: "I'm just trying to make this team, so I don't give a ****. I don't care who is fighting with who as long as I'm on the team and have a salary."
Despite the increased awareness of American soccer domestically and internationally, along with the global demand of David Beckham, you can't escape the field. Even if you can bend it like Beckham.
Amidst great hopes and unrealistic expectations ("Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally." Tim Leiweke, CEO of AEG), the experiment has been a commercial success, and raised the profile of MLS. But as Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary manager of Manchester United, said, "You can't escape the field." It was a theme that the author stressed with regularity, and one that apparently escaped American soccer promoters during their formulation of this grand experiment.
Grant Wahl, in a very detailed, entertaining, and enlightening book, provides the reader with answers why the experiment has not achieved all of its objectives. The portrait was an extremely balanced analysis that was not dumbed down to sell more books for a non-soccer audience. Mr. Wahl writes about the sport of soccer without derision and/or frequent comparisons to its more accepted mainstream counterparts. He understands international soccer (he has covered 5 World Cups) along with the unique way the game is organized professionally in North America. Like a scientist, the author presented the equation, gathered the evidence from many sources, structured an interesting story, and ultimately demonstrated why the experiment did not work yet where it was needed the most: On the field of play.
Although Beckham did not provide exclusive interviews for the book, he is quoted frequently from previous discussions with the author. Despite a painful ankle injury, and promotional realities, Beckham began the experiment in prime time on a July evening at the Home Depot Center. Being the great professional that he is, he soldiered on so that the Galaxy and MLS could maximize a rare window of opportunity in the mainstream American consciousness. But after a few starts and stops, it came to a thundering halt when Beckham suffered another injury and was forced to weeks on the sidelines. The show went on without its protagonist. American fans, many of whom had to pay inflated prices to see the Galaxy and/or buy multiple game packages, began to voice their anger.
This book also chronicled the unsung life of the typical American professional soccer player. Many of whom toil in obscurity, and earn a minute fraction of Beckham's salary. They fly coach, stay in modest hotels, and have a $45 per diem. But in true American fashion and spirit, they dealt with a Hollywood reality show replete with Machiavellian behind the scenes maneuvers, and enough twists and turns to unseat the most balanced of people. Alan Gordon, an oft quoted player who earned $30,870 annually during his first three years with the Galaxy, summed it up best: "I'm just trying to make this team, so I don't give a ****. I don't care who is fighting with who as long as I'm on the team and have a salary."
Despite the increased awareness of American soccer domestically and internationally, along with the global demand of David Beckham, you can't escape the field. Even if you can bend it like Beckham.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Far more enjoyable than I expected
20 Sep 2009
Format:Hardcover
Let me state upfront that, having grown up in Europe, I was (and still am) a huge soccer fan. So when the annoucenment came in 2007 that David Beckham would be joining the LA Galaxy, I was mightily surprised--and intruiged.
In "The Beckham Experiment: How the Wold's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America" (302 pages), auhtor Grant Wahl (from Sports Illustrated) brings us the juice background details of the transfer that brought Beckham from Real Madris to the Galaxy, and how the grand experiment evolved from there. I will admit that I don't follow the MLS that closely, and so for me a lot of new details emerged in this book that I was unaware of. The book really shines in the second half, when we get insight on how the 2008 season unfolds, with a promising start for the Galaxy, followed by a 15 game (that's half the regular season) downward spiral in which it can manage only 1 win. The author is not kind in his assessment of Beckham, in perticular his lack of leaqdership which comes back time and again, moreover because Beckham was made team captain before he even played a single minute. "The questions about Beckham's lack of leadership dodn't come just from Donovan, but from other players who liked Beckham personally and shared dinners with him on road trips." At one point in the season both the coach (Ruud Gullit) and the GM (Alexi Lalas) are fired, and the author makes an assessment of each of the main parties. He comments dryly on Lalas: "In the end, it came down to this: Lalas had a three year contract, and in those three years never once made the playoffs".
Beckham clearly became disinterested in the Galaxy as the losing streak mounted. His trip to the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games were totally unnecessary (and that's just one example). It came as very little surprise then that Beckham joined AC Milan after the 2008 MLS season. This book concludes before Beckham's return to the Galaxy this summer. It is highly surprising to me that Beckham has played better this year than he did in 2008, and it looks like the Galaxy will make the MLS play-offs for the first time since 2005. As to the book, I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish, and would readily recommend this to any soccer fan.
In "The Beckham Experiment: How the Wold's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America" (302 pages), auhtor Grant Wahl (from Sports Illustrated) brings us the juice background details of the transfer that brought Beckham from Real Madris to the Galaxy, and how the grand experiment evolved from there. I will admit that I don't follow the MLS that closely, and so for me a lot of new details emerged in this book that I was unaware of. The book really shines in the second half, when we get insight on how the 2008 season unfolds, with a promising start for the Galaxy, followed by a 15 game (that's half the regular season) downward spiral in which it can manage only 1 win. The author is not kind in his assessment of Beckham, in perticular his lack of leaqdership which comes back time and again, moreover because Beckham was made team captain before he even played a single minute. "The questions about Beckham's lack of leadership dodn't come just from Donovan, but from other players who liked Beckham personally and shared dinners with him on road trips." At one point in the season both the coach (Ruud Gullit) and the GM (Alexi Lalas) are fired, and the author makes an assessment of each of the main parties. He comments dryly on Lalas: "In the end, it came down to this: Lalas had a three year contract, and in those three years never once made the playoffs".
Beckham clearly became disinterested in the Galaxy as the losing streak mounted. His trip to the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games were totally unnecessary (and that's just one example). It came as very little surprise then that Beckham joined AC Milan after the 2008 MLS season. This book concludes before Beckham's return to the Galaxy this summer. It is highly surprising to me that Beckham has played better this year than he did in 2008, and it looks like the Galaxy will make the MLS play-offs for the first time since 2005. As to the book, I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish, and would readily recommend this to any soccer fan.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
ably captures the culture clash between Becks and Galaxy
14 Aug 2009
Format:Hardcover
When David Beckham arrived in LA, a lot of people were understandably shocked. Beckham is one of the world's most successful and recognized athletes. He was arriving in one of the world's most cosmpolitan and famous cities, backed by a PR machine unrivaled in the English speaking world. But he was doing it to play America's 5th most popular (at best) sport in a league that is currently ranked as the 77th best soccer league in the world, between Algeria and Macedonia.
What happened was fairly predictable. Sure, Becks made a splash and sold lots of t-shirts and was a hit with the gossip rags. But Beckham didn't fit in with the players and the players did not fit in with him. The two alpha males of the Galaxy clashed almost instantly. Beckham was shocked by the bush league operations of the MLS. The fans did not like him once the honeymoon wore off. Club management was alienated and unqualified people got too much control over the club. Worst of all, the club did not improve.
Grant Wahl's book ably captures these dynamics. It's easy to tell the man knows his US soccer, being on this thankless beat for many years for Sports Illustrated. Some folks come off worse than others, but the book is fair, even-handed, and consistent. This is no hatchet job.
The ending of this story has not been written, so we will have to see what happens with David Beckham, Landon Donovan, the LA Galaxy, the MLS, and World Cup 2010. But this book is a good way to catch upo.
What happened was fairly predictable. Sure, Becks made a splash and sold lots of t-shirts and was a hit with the gossip rags. But Beckham didn't fit in with the players and the players did not fit in with him. The two alpha males of the Galaxy clashed almost instantly. Beckham was shocked by the bush league operations of the MLS. The fans did not like him once the honeymoon wore off. Club management was alienated and unqualified people got too much control over the club. Worst of all, the club did not improve.
Grant Wahl's book ably captures these dynamics. It's easy to tell the man knows his US soccer, being on this thankless beat for many years for Sports Illustrated. Some folks come off worse than others, but the book is fair, even-handed, and consistent. This is no hatchet job.
The ending of this story has not been written, so we will have to see what happens with David Beckham, Landon Donovan, the LA Galaxy, the MLS, and World Cup 2010. But this book is a good way to catch upo.
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