MLS Schedule-Makers Draw Beckham's Ire

As David Beckham's second MLS campaign winds down, with the postseason again nothing more than a fantasy, the Los Angeles Galaxy captain has lashed out against the league's scheduling practices.

"That's one thing that I've said about this league. It should be organized where players don't miss games [because of national team commitments]," Beckham said recently. "Until that changes, there's always going to be a problem. There are always going to be players who are going to be missing games and missing big games. It's wrong, so something needs to be changed or looked at."

Like every other team in the league, Los Angeles has been victimized by national team callups taking their best players out of the lineup at one point or another. With the MLS playoffs now looming on the horizon, upcoming World Cup qualifiers again threaten to steal away the best players from each club when it can least be afforded; the Galaxy will likely have to do without Beckham, Donovan and others for their October 12th tie against Colorado, as England and the United States will both be in action on the day before.

"It's out of our hands," said Beckham of the players' situation. "There's nothing we can do about that. We're representing our countries."

MLS Commissioner Don Garber has come under some heavy fire from fans, players and coaches alike over the scheduling issue; for example, supporters in Los Angeles recently unfurled a banner that read: 'Don, Respect the Calendar'. But after taking some lumps, Garber is now hitting back.

"There are 13 weekends affected by international play and we have a 30-week season," Garber explained to the Chicago Tribune's Luis Arroyave. "To not play on [FIFA-designated international dates] is impossible. Starting at the end of February would be a little difficult to do [in Chicago]. Even the first or second week in December would be almost impossible to do in most markets."