Beckham sets a Real example

David Beckham has told his Los Angeles Galaxy team-mates to use Real Madrid as

the inspiration for turning around their Major League Soccer season.

Beckham joins a Galaxy side that has struggled in 2007, winning just three

games in the league and getting knocked out of the US Open Cup by a

semi-professional side two divisions beneath the MLS.

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Frank Yallop's men are second from bottom in the MLS Western standings, albeit

with games in hand.

The made Beckham recall his experience with the Spanish champions last season,

when the Bernabeu side lost three of their last four games before the winter

break - including an upset 3-0 home defeat to Recreativo Huelva - which left the

side five points off the title pace.

Of the Galaxy's predicament, Beckham said: "It doesn't concern me at all.

"Halfway through the season, people were saying in Spain that we were never

going to win La Liga and at the end we ended up winning La Liga.

"Things at the moment here with the Galaxy are tough and we're not doing that

well in the league but you have to take in to consideration that we have had

players out injured and on international duty. Now they're back."

Beckham stressed the importance of a squad effort in turning things around at

the Galaxy, again drawing on his past club experiences.

He added: "It's not just about one player in the team. It's always been about

11 players and more than 11.

"It proved that in 1999 when we won three trophies for Manchester United and

last year for Real Madrid where the top scorer in our team, Ruud van Nistelrooy,

came off.

"And then I came off and another player came off and then [Jose Antonio] Reyes

- who hadn't played for a few games and people were talking about him being out

of favour - came on and won the game and we won the title.

"So it's not just about me as a footballer, it's about the whole squad."

Beckham also looked to the longer term and his hopes that American teams could

one day compete on the same level as the top European clubs.

He said: "Hopefully in the next few years but who knows? If it's possible then

it would be great.

"Obviously, we're looking at the long-term prospects more than anything else,

about the American kids coming through as well.

"That's good for the game in America and that's good for the national team in

America.

"People have said it would be great one day to see the US win the World Cup

and if that's going to happen then you have to have homegrown talent like we've

had in England, like there is throughout the world.

"That's the big thing for soccer in the US."