Beckhamania 2.0 hits, the ideal MLS coach and more

David Beckham, much more accessible in his second MLS season, is ready to roll under Dutch legend and new coach Ruud Gullit. AP

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LOS ANGELES -- Ah, preseason. A chance to play "name that camp invitee," watch grown men stretch their groins together and start the David Beckham watch again.

I'm just wrapping up a quick week at the training grounds at Home Depot Center in Carson, where I spent some time with three Major League Soccer teams in attendance this week: the two home clubs (the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA) and the New York Red Bulls, who have made this their preseason destination of choice.

Most of what I gathered will be for MLS season preview stories next month, but here are some of the best news and notes I picked up:

• Beckhamania 2.0 is way less painful. Much of the media hype around Galaxy training this week centered on this biting column by T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, who was denied a one-on-one exclusive with Beckham. Not surprising, considering Simers is notorious for brutally zinging every L.A. sports figure from Kobe Bryant to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt (whom he routinely refers to as "the Parking Lot Attendant").

Simers would have been shocked to see how easy it has become to get access to Beckham. On Thursday, I was among six reporters and one camera crew at Galaxy practice who got a good 15 minutes with Becks -- a far cry from the dog-and-pony show of last season when throngs of foreign reporters invaded the HDC practice fields for just a peek. Maybe we have Simers to thank?

In any case, Beckham looks healthy and says he's eager to start an MLS season from the get-go. The air around Galaxy camp is completely different than it was during last year's circus. Nothing against former coach Frank Yallop, whom I respect a lot, but Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has clearly brought in a more serious tone to camp.

Beckham says training is much more structured and strict, including two-a-days, and there's more of an emphasis on fitness and physical play. "He's been very demanding and very professional," adds Landon Donovan of his new coach, who was brought in as the experienced, world-wise guy to put L.A. on the right track. Remember, the Galaxy have missed the playoffs two years in a row after qualifying for the postseason in all 10 previous years of their existence.

• Agent Ángel at work. Maybe the Red Bulls should give Juan Pablo Ángel a bonus check for working the phones. One of the better candid moments I witnessed this week was during my chat with the Colombian striker after Chivas USA's 1-0 scrimmage victory over New York on Tuesday.

As we started talking, Chivas keeper Brad Guzan ran over and gave Ángel a very sincere, unsolicited thank you and handshake. Wonder if Ángel had some role in Guzan's near-transfer to Aston Villa? It was Ángel, who spent 6½ seasons at Villa, who also helped convince former River Plate teammate Marcelo Gallardo to sign with D.C. United last month. Naturally, Ángel declined to address Guzan's gesture.

• Bradley can't stay away. U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley was also in attendance at the Red Bulls-Chivas USA scrimmage, sitting quietly in the bleachers with Chivas coach Preki. Of course, Bradley won Coach of the Year as Preki's predecessor at Chivas in 2006 and groomed Guzan, Jonny Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan. It's no coincidence all three are now firmly entrenched in the national team rotation. But man, if you're a young American player with Chivas USA and you notice Bradley looking on from up there, what kind of pressure is that?

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