The MLS has done all it's Promotional and Marketing moves over the past 13 years and will do a few more in the next five, but if we want to be taken seriously internationally and our National team strikers wants to compete Internationally, the MLS needs to stop catering to the American Idea of high scoring and START SIGNING world class DEFENDERS!!! It's no wonder Taylor Twellman and Landon Donovan etc..etc.. score so many goals here but cant net against the Europeans!! DEFENCE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!! Enough with the flair and flicks!! I want shutouts!!!

Aaron G., Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

I agree with Felix. Dismissing MLS is what everyone is used to. Get over it. The league is improving. We've seen too many important teams come over and struggle against MLS squads. I mean Everton had their asses handed to them by RSL? How does any team manage to lose to RSL?

CSB, Salt Lake City, UT

I agree with Michael from Beckenham UK that Landon Donovan isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but for a different reason.

Without Beckham int he lineup, Landon has to shoulder the entire load. In addition to scoring goals, he has to set up teammates, take corner and free kicks. He has to do almost everything and obviously, the workload has overwhemled him. With Beckham in the lineup, Donovan won't have to do as much. He can just sit back and wait for Beck's passes to come his way so that he can take the ball to the net and score goals. The Superliga game against D.C. United back on Aug. 15 was the perfect example of how Becks and Donovan can click when they're on the field together, as both hooked up for a second-half goal that sealed LA's 2-0 win. If anything, I think Landon is probably happy that he and Becks are teammates, and if Klinsmann somehow becomes the Galaxy head coach, those two will only get better.

Ivan, Simi Valley, CA

I agree with PeaCe what the MLS needs is more global talent , which will in return up the level of football to where the USA wants to be and maintain that level ....in the long term it will take alot more than 1 player and 1 couch so the MLS needs to thin collectively ..

all the best
and get Klinsman ( watch that space man it's going to be huge !!)

Reza Haniff, Durban, South africa

Without a doubt Yalop should get the ax...there is no question. But so should Lalas and Garber while were at it...Anyone could have seen this train wreck coming. Come on we know David can't defend and so you surround him with the old and slow. Beckham, Landon, Matino, and Cannon can stay and scrub the rest...at least the guys i saw play Chivas....

the next growth for the MLS is coaching...and it should be English, Dutch, and that's it....let a few Americans coach and learn from those coaches....

the minute a guy like Jol gets axed then he should be in the MLS.

Crusher, cucaomonga, Cali

I agree with Las Vegas Rudy. This season is a wash. They better start planning next season. Also, Alexi what ever his name is, is a horrible general manager. He did squat on the east coast. What creditentials does he have to GM such a wanna-be high profile club. None. LA better hope to win the 1 million dollar Super Liga vs. Pachuga on Wednesday and then plan on sitting out the playoffs until 2008. I feel sorry for Yallop, he's good coach, but not a decision maker that you need, he should have told Beckham to stay in England and rest up for a flight a day later. Larry from NYC.

Larry, New York City, New York

There are many factors which have created the situation on Thursday night. McClaren didn't need to play Beckham for the full 90 and MLS should stop scheduling games right on top of FIFA-mandated international dates. Yallop played the player because he declared himself fit but Yallop's not to blame for the mess. Alexi Lalas has wrecked Galaxy's season with bad trades, and Yallop has thrown all his eggs in the Beckham basket to save the season. Yallop is a two-time MLS Cup winner and has more pedigree as a club coach than Klinsmann. Klinsmann's big success, which wasn't all that impressive, has now been attributed to Joachim Low.

Donovan cannot and will not go back to San Jose. The fans now hate him (Landon pinatas anybody?) and he wants to be in Southern California, where he and his girlfriend are settled. The league have bent over backwards for Landon and the Galaxy in the past and I foresee some rulebending to keep Landycakes playing for LA.

Michael Farrow, Beckenham, UK

Rudy from Vegas- you are exactly right. While I feel sorry for Yallop I understand that the Galaxy (and MLS) can't afford to crash again in 2008. They will need a facelift and that most often includes the manager.

When the Galaxy has any injuries to the "handful" of decent players, the subs, while energetic, simply lack skills one expects from a professional. They are in over their heads.

I'm unsure as to the salary cap rules in MLS, but if they can't get better players the growth of the league is in jeopardy...

Charles, Los Angeles,

If you're watching the team closely it occurs that Lalas and not Yallop is the first deserving of the boot. Yallop did manage the last match quite poorly, but Lalas has gutted the squad with his personnel decisions. The Galaxy have gotten older and lost depth in a desperate attempt to win now, which has backfired with a few injuries including The Ankle.

Stan, Washington, DC, USA

With due respect to Albert from Manchester in the UK, jog on. MLS is poised to be a very important world player in the scheme of things. Very hefty investors are doing just that, investing, into a league with far more potential than any other startup than maybe say China or India due to population. US still has cash power and is a great place to live. The stadiums that are getting built are being done so with expansion in mind. When MLS does take off, and I have no doubts it will be huge, your comments will look nothing short of sheer ignorance and jealousy. The fact MLS has signed some top players that could still be playing with their favorite top division clubs states the league is entering a new faze of its existance.

Felix, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The real problem is Alexi Lalas. He is not a good team manager. He only just set his squad prior to Beck's arrival, until which he was constantly trading and tinkering with the roster/squad.

We all know that in football, it takes a fair amount of time to get a chemistry working (Sven to be excluded in this instance). In America, this is especially true due to the fact of the lack of technical quality and management quality.

Lalas was inconsequential at San Jose. He was a dismal failure running the club in New York. And now, he has failed at LA. Look at the fact that he fired Sigi Schmid while his team were in good form and in first place. Then replaced him with the perrennial failure, Steve Sampson, who backed Sigi's team to the double and was fired early the next year. Thanks to Lalas' constant urge to tinker, HE has led to LA's depraved state of MLS existence.

Nathan, Orient, Ohio

Typically the Mancs write off Beckham, and anything the U.S throws up about football.
But as far as the league goes, there is no doubt that Beckham has already had a huge impact, bring in Klinsman, another starlet, and rebuild the team to be a formidible side, add another star in the outfield too, and we could see the Glaxay surpass the mighty Cosmos in entertainment value and full stadiums wherever they play... important to add more stars each season,
and eve out the teams...but the NFL MLB and NBA better be watching over their shoulders, Footy is here, and its going to stay.

PeaCe, Los Angeles, CA

With all due respect to Frank Yallop as being a "ttrue hard-working professional and an honest man," that doesn't make him a good coach. He was in charge of the Canada for a couple of years and drove the team into the ground. They couldn't even beat the likes of Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica or anyone else in the CONCACAF region, finishing dead last in their group and not getting out of the qualifying round, and arranging fixtures so they they played Caribbean nations in the dead of winter on snow, rock hard Canadian grounds. And, even then, losing, There was a mighty cheer when Yallop took off for L.A. Good riddance.

George Peters, Toronto, Canada

MLS owners, especially AEG, might better serve the future of the league by taking a fraction of what they have committed to Beckham and buy 10 or so top quality U19's each year for the next 10 years; the very highest quality U19's from around the World. In just 5 years, combined with our best homegrown talent, MLS would have bona fide first division players and likewise, a first division league.

Albert Colone, Oneonta, NY/USA

Wow, great write up. I was expecting a run of the mill article, but Nick nailed this one.

Bob, Ft. Lauderdale,

I got sick to my stomach watching the Galaxy v Chivas match last Thursday. With the exception of Beckham and Donovan, the Galaxy need to scrap the entire team. They can't hold on to the ball to save their lives, they never shoot the ball on target, and their defending is absolutely shambolic. Let's hope Klinsmann comes in to save the day. Though in order for that to happen, AEG is going to have to pull some strings to spend some serious money to bring in some talented players.

Patrick, Cambridge, USA / Massachusetts

How comes the British media are always reporting everything that happens in the Galaxy's backroom, changing room and even toilets! Comeon, Beckham is as good as gone, Galaxy are a Sunday league Club standard and as for Jurgen Klinsman, Galaxy is way too low for his standards!

Albert, Manchester, UK

I watched Frank Yallop fo rmany years at Ipswich and he is a true, hardworking professional and very honest man. I would be sorry for him if he left and would like to think he would get some support, rather than just the sack UK Premiership style -bring in Klinsman by all means, but why not alongside Frank?

Mark, Warsaw, Poland

Yallop is a good coach, but the players he has are just Not good, save for a handfull.

Beckham should not play until 100% recovered.
$250M investment should not be wasted on short term goals.

The Galaxy needs to forget about the 2007 season; instead plan on Klinsman and a totally NEW team, New Blood - with players that can play the game, hold the ball, take on opponents one on one and have fire in their eyes!

Rudy TAN, Las Vegas, NV, USA

No one individual in the world is as qualified as is capable of launching the Galaxy to soccer success - Klinsmann is THE man to do it, with or without Beckham.

s k lin, Guangzhou, China