Donovan eager to reconcile with Beckham
Galaxy stars expected to talk through issues in coming days
Galaxy striker Landon Donovan is expected to sit down with teammate David Beckham sometime in the next few days and talk about the controversy surrounding the soon-to-be published book, "The Beckham Experiment," in which Donovan is quoted as strongly criticizing Beckham for his lack of commitment to the team. Beckham will arrive in southern California sometime Friday and be in attendance for Saturday's game, although he will not play.
Donovan said he still stands by what he said, but he does regret not bringing up the issue personally with the English standout when the problems began to surface last season.
"I don't apologize for what I said," Donovan said Thursday. "I just apologize for the way I did. I should have told him to his face. I've long told David since he's been gone and I've been gone that I want to sit down and talk with him about everything. It's fresh in everyone's minds now, and it appears like everything has gone on in a short period of time, but this has been a long time coming.
"The timing of it makes it a little awkward and seemingly uncomfortable, but we'll be fine. We'll get through it."
Donovan said he is optimistic any bad feelings that might exist between them because of fallout from published book exerpts can be assuaged once Donovan gets a chance to hash things out.
"The only thing we can do in life is tell people how we feel," he said. "How they interpret and take it is up to them, but I'm going to be sincere and tell him how I feel.
"That's all I can do."
Donovan said he isn't sure when Beckham first appeared to lose interest in the club last season, one which ended with an 8-13-9 record and included the dismissal of coach Ruud Gullitt and the arrival in August of head coach/general manager Bruce Arena. Donovan believes things have improved a great deal since Arena took over and is confident Beckham will sense that new direction once he returns to practice starting Monday. His first game is scheduled for July 16 in New York.
"We all like David," Donovan said. "I like David as a person and I think he's a very good player. The frustrating part was at some point something happened and he seemingly turned off at the end of the year. Nobody knows what it was, and my fault is I should have asked him and approached him and I didn't.
"Instead I vented to a reporter (book author Grant Wahl) and I regret it."
Donovan also said he feels sorry that Beckham is returning with controversy surrounding him. Donovan apologized for that, too.
"It's unfortunate because David has to deal with the brunt of this," Donovan said. "I feel bad about that, and it's partially my fault and I will let him know that. But it's in the past and it's over, and we've already started moving on."
Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein and Donovan's teammate on the U.S. national team said he admires Donovan not only for his tenacity on the field but his ability to handle adverse situations like this one.
"That's one of the qualities that make him who he is," said Bornstein, who faces Donovan on Saturday. "I look up to that, and hopefully I can be the same kind of person and be as successful as he is in my career."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
