The Australian sports world is agog with news this morning that football superstar, David Beckham, may be on his way to play in the hitherto humble A-League competition.
Already buoyed by the presence of Italian football royalty by way of Sydney FC's Alessandro Del Piero, the A-League finally appears to be living up to its potential this season with increased attendance, increased television viewers, increased members and unparalleled international interest.
And now David Beckham.
While there appears to be some confusion about the entire story, super-agent Lou Sticca of Melbourne told Motherpedia that it may still come to pass. This is despite football's head body in Australia, Football Federation Australia (FFA) jumping the gun yesterday afternoon by confirming they were in talks with Beckham's management.
Beckham's agent and Beckham himself have since denied this is the case; but FOX Sports football analyst and former Socceroo, Mark Bosnich, also says it's not 'dead in the water' yet. Bosnich is a former team mate of Beckham at Manchester United. Embarrassingly for new FFA CEO, David Gallop, while he was on live television talking about Beckham playing in the A-League, Beckham's agent was denying it.
But there are good football reasons why that may have happened also; and it is a case where some circumspection and prudence may be more helpful to the desired eventual outcome than jumping on a bandwagon with excitement.
If Sticca - who was responsible for bringing Del Piero and Japanese star, Shinji Ono, to the A-League this season and LA Galaxy to Australia in previous seasons - says there's still hope, then there is.
One thing is for sure: while the cultured and evergreen Del Piero may be the football fan's footballer, Beckham is a footballer for all sports fans, celebrity watchers and, judging by reaction this morning, a potential army of soccer mums.
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