MLS More Than Beckham This Season

Finally we get to see David Beckham at full strength, hopefully from start to finish, but Major League Soccer's biggest star isn't the big story as the 13th season of America's soccer league kicks off Saturday.

Beckham's presence towered over everything else in 2007, but a late arrival and injuries limited the English midfielder to just 255 minutes spread across five games in league play as the Los Angeles Galaxy sputtered to a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs for the second successive season.

L.A. opens Saturday in Commerce City, Colo., against the Colorado Rapids, and Beckham, coming off his 100th international appearance Wednesday in England's loss to France, heads into the season healthy, fit and ready to go. That could bode well for the Galaxy, and it's certainly good news for fans across America, who have made "Golden Balls" the hottest ticket in this sport since, well, Pele.

But MLS is much more than Beckham, and the real story this spring is the continuing influx of players from South America. Nearly 25 foreign players have arrived, a good 20 of them from south of the equator. Seven are from Argentina -- making for 19 in all -- including both new Designated Players: Kansas City forward Claudio Lopez and D.C. United midfielder Marcelo Gallardo.

Brazilians also are a hot commodity, with newcomers Rafael Gomes (Colorado), Alvaro Pires (Los Angeles) and Andre Rocha (FC Dallas) expected to make impacts this season.

Latin holdovers include Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico), D.C. United's Luciano Emilio (Brazil), Colorado's Christian Gomez (Argentina), New York's Juan Pablo Angel (Colombia) and Columbus's Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Argentina).

Year 13 brings club 14: The San Jose Earthquakes have returned two years after the first version high-tailed it for Houston. And two more are on the way. Seattle debuts in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010, and additional expansion is just up the road, with St. Louis the likely home of the 17th club.

The best teams from 2007 -- champion Houston Dynamo, runner-up New England Revolution, and regular-season conference champions D.C. United and Chivas USA -- remain the favorites for 2008, but watch, too, for the Kansas City Wizards and, yes, Real Salt Lake.

L.A. is among several clubs that have made massive changes during the offseason. The Galaxy brought in new coach Ruud Gullit -- world soccer's iconic figure of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when he was a massive star with AC Milan and the Dutch national team -- and brought back Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz and defender Greg Vanney, who began their MLS careers in L.A. Landon Donovan, too, is back, but all eyes will be on Beckham, at home and on the road. He's MLS's biggest draw, even if he isn't the biggest story.

A rundown of the conferences, in predicted order of finish:

Eastern Conference

1. D.C. UNITED

Head coach: Tom Soehn. 2007: 16-7-7, 55 points (first in Eastern Conference, Supporters' Shield winner, lost in first round of playoffs).

Major additions: G Jose Carvallo, M Marcelo Gallardo, M Quavas Kirk, D Gonzalo Martinez, F Franco Niell, D Gonzalo Peralta, M Santino Quaranta, G Zach Wells.

Major departures: D Bobby Boswell, M Brian Carroll, M Christian Gomez, G Troy Perkins, D Greg Vanney.

Outlook: The four-time MLS champs have won the Supporters' Shield for best regular-season record the last two seasons, then nose-dived once the playoffs began. Only an MLS Cup triumph will satisfy D.C. this time around, and Soehn has made massive changes to meet that aim. United has become MLS's premier South American club, adding five players from the other side of the equator (with one more to come) to a roster that already featured Argentine longtimer Jaime Moreno and Brazilian stars Luciano Emilio and Fred. The big-name arrival is Argentine playmaker Marcelo Gallardo, the club's first Designated Player. Gallardo, who replaces countryman Gomez, has a rich resume that features two World Cups and tenures with River Plate, AS Monaco and Paris St. Germain. His ability to control D.C.'s reins will determine how much the club achieves, and there are several trophies within reach. D.C.'s heavy schedule includes the CONCACAF Champions Cup (it's in the semifinals), SuperLiga, next summer's CONCACAF Champions League and, of course, the U.S. Open Cup. Other new arrivals include Argentine defender Gonzalo Peralta and forward Franco Niell, Colombian defender Gonzalo Martinez and Peruvian goalkeeper Jose Carvallo, and Brazilian midfielder Cezar Hermenegildo is on the verge of signing. Ben Olsen, the club's heart, continues to recover from offseason surgery; if he can regain last year's form, D.C. will be tough to beat. And expect continued growth from midfielder Clyde Simms and defender Marc Burch.

2. New England Revolution

Head coach: Steve Nicol. 2007: 14-8-8, 50 points (second in Eastern Conference, won U.S. Open Cup, reached MLS Cup final).

Major additions: D Chris Albright, M Mauricio Castro, F Argenis Fernandez, D Rob Valentino.

Major departures: M Andy Dorman, D Avery John, F Pat Noonan, D/M James Riley.

Outlook: The Revs have lost the last three MLS Cup finals and four of the last six -- two in overtime, another on PKs, last year's by just one goal -- and it's about time they got to kiss the trophy. Could happen this year, or they could fall to Houston for the third straight year, or maybe it's D.C.'s turn. One thing's for certain: New England will be in the title hunt. Nicol and Paul Mariner are rivaled among coaches only by Houston's Dominic Kinnear and John Spencer, and New England's spine (GK Matt Reis, D Michael Parkhurst, DMF Shalrie Joseph, AMF Steve Ralston, F Taylor Twellman) sets a standard nobody else approaches. The Revs don't look as strong as last year following Dorman's and Noonan's moves to Europe, but let's rethink that for a moment. Joseph might be the best player in MLS. Ralston is a superb creator, whether inside or on the wing. Twellman, benefiting from an attack designed to get him the ball in the right places, has scored 91 goals in six years. Parkhurst is the smartest defender in the league, and Reis a rock in the nets. Throw in note-perfect role players, particularly Jeff Larentowicz and Khano Smith, and the addition of Albright, which could spur a switch from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2. The big questions concern (1) Twellman's attitude after MLS/the Revs turned down his desired move to Preston North End, and (2) who will partner Twellman up front. As to No. 1, if you know Twellman, you know it won't be an issue. He'll give everything he's got. And No. 2 could be newcomer Kenny Mansally or second-year Adam Cristman, or, likelier, a combination of the two.

3. Kansas City Wizards

Head coach: Curt Onalfo. 2007: 11-12-7, 40 points (fifth in Eastern Conference, reached Western Conference final).

Major additions: M Roger Espinoza, F Claudio Lopez, D Chance Myers, F Ivan Trujillo.

Major departures: D Jose Burciaga Jr., D Nick Garcia, F Eddie Johnson.

Outlook: The Wizards climbed from decent also-rans to title contenders during the offseason, with just a few deft moves transforming the roster -- especially at the back and up front -- and creating a side that, at least on paper, is deeper, deadlier and more versatile than the one that was within one game of last year's MLS Cup. The big addition is Argentine forward Lopez, a two-time World Cup performer who becomes K.C.'s first Designated Player. He's one of the two biggest additions to the league in 2008 and should easily make up for the departure of the often brilliant, often inconsistent Johnson to England. Trujillo, from Colombia, adds to the attack, which already boasts Scott Sealy, playmaker Carlos Marinelli and winger Davy Arnaud, who will miss the start of the season while recovering from microfracture surgery. The backline has gotten younger, with Garcia and Burciaga heading west, No. 1 draft pick Chance Myers' arrival and Tyson Wahl's move into the starting XI. Onalfo has plenty of options, both alignments (4-4-2 or 3-5-2) and personnel, and he can count on a solid spine, from goalkeeper Kevin Hartman to backline anchor Jimmy Conrad to holding midfielder Kerry Zavagnin. A move to cozy CommunityAmerica Ballpark, a minor-league baseball stadium, could provide a home-field advantage impossible at mostly empty Arrowhead Stadium. All of this could add up to big things in '08.

4. New York Red Bulls

Head coach: Juan Carlos Osorio. 2007: 12-11-7, 43 points (third in Eastern Conference, lost in first round of playoffs).

Major additions: D Eric Brunner, F Oscar Echeverry, G Zach Thornton.

Major departures: M Dema Kovalenko, M Clint Mathis, M Joe Vide, G Ronald Waterreus, M Santino Quaranta.

Outlook: No team in MLS seems as much a work in progress as the Red Bulls, and new coach Osorio still has plenty of salary cap and allocation money to work with. He could use a true playmaker and more backline talent, to be sure, but there's not much need for concern about what's going on up front. Juan Pablo Angel, who netted 19 goals in 2007, and Jozy Altidore are the best attacking tandem in MLS, but how long with Altidore be around. The Europeans are snooping around, and he could be gone as soon as summer. The addition of Oscar Echeverry -- a Colombian, like Osorio and Angel -- provides depth up top. Claudio Reyna, who struggled through an injury-plagued first season in MLS, will be critical to New York's success. He's slated to do some playmaking, and how well he survives Giants Stadium's unyielding artificial turf will be telling. Rookie of the Year runner-up Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman will miss the start of the season, but both will be needed come summer and beyond, and defender Jeff Parke and defender/midfielder Seth Stammler are the unsung heroes. Osorio turned Chicago around last season, and he could do something similar in New York. Let's see what this team looks like in July.

5. Chicago Fire

Head coach: Denis Hamlett. 2007: 10-10-10, 40 points (fourth in Eastern Conference, reached Eastern Conference final).

Major additions: F Tomasz Frankowski, F Andy Herron, F Patrick Nyarko, D Brandon Prideaux.

Major departures: M Chris Armas, D Jim Curtin, M/D Ivan Guerrero, G Matt Pickens, F Paulo Wanchope.

Outlook: A full season with Cuauhtemoc Blanco ought to mean something for the Fire, which is still finding its way after coach Juan Pablo Osorio's abrupt departure for New York. Longtime assistant Hamlett finally is getting his chance to lead, and he's got talent to work with, of course, with Chris Rolfe and Justin Mapp on the cusp of MLS stardom. The acquisition of Polish striker Frankowski, return of Costa Rican forward Herron and promise of rookie forward Nyarko (who will join the club once he finishes up at Virginia Tech) bodes well up front, especially with Blanco pulling the strings. How the club overcomes the losses of Armas (to retirement; now he's a Hamlett assistant) and Guerrero (to San Jose in the expansion draft) will determine a lot. How Wilman Conde, a pivotal figure who can play in midfield or on the backline, accepts his fate -- he has asked to be traded to New York to rejoin Osorio, a request that won't be honored -- could prove decisive. These are among a whole lot of questions the Fire faces heading into the season, and this appears to be a season that could go either way.

6. Columbus Crew

Head coach: Sigi Schmid. 2007: 9-11-10, 37 points (sixth in Eastern Conference).

Major additions: M Brian Carroll, F Nico Hernandez, D Andy Iro, F/M George Josten, D Gino Padula.

Major departures: D Marcos Gonzalez, M Ned Grabavoy, F Andy Herron, F Kei Kamara, D Rusty Pierce, M Ricardo Virtuoso, D Tim Ward.

Outlook: This is Year 3 of Schmid's rebuilding project, and it had better lead to a playoff berth -- the club's first since 2004 -- or Schmid could be looking for new employment. The Crew figures to be in the thick of a tight Eastern race, and reaching its goal likely will depend on the continued growth of young attackers Eddie Gaven and Robbie Rogers, improved backline play and some scoring prowess up top. Club MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the center of offseason drama (with reports that he wanted to return home to Argentina), is back, and if he can stay healthy, the Crew will be in good shape. Schmid brought in two more Argentines, dealing to get forward Nico Hernandez from Colorado and signing left back Gino Padula. Hernandez needs to create an effective partnership with leading scorer Alejandro Moreno; Schelotto's service will help. Critical will be Danny O'Rourke's switch from holding midfielder to central defense, where he will partner Chad Marshall, who is coming off an injury-plagued 2007. Their success would go a long way toward ensuring Columbus'.

7. Toronto FC

Head coach: John Carver. 2007: 6-17-7, 25 points (seventh in Eastern Conference).

Major additions: M Kevin Harmse, D Julius James, M/D Pat Phelan, M Tyler Rosenlund.

Major departures: M Ronnie O'Brien, D Chris Pozniak, G Kenny Stamatopoulos.

Outlook: While Canada's team hasn't upgraded much from the futile bunch that sold out its season at BMO Field but accomplished little else, it should be far more competitive than in Year 1. There's only so much depth, only so much talent, but better chemistry and consistency could go a long way. TFC needed five games to score its first goal last year and later endured an 824-minute goalless streak, but the frontline looks fine with Jeff Cunningham, Danny Dichio and Collin Samuel. The return of Canadian national team goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who missed most of last season after suffering a concussion, and the addition of defensive midfielder Harmse are pluses, and defender Julius James, a first-round draft choice, looks like a prime Rookie of the Year candidate. Maurice Edu, last year's top rookie, is the key player, but he and right back Marvell Wynne could miss a good stretch of the season while at the Beijing Olympics. Jim Brennan might step back from midfield onto the backline, but reports have co-MVP Carl Robinson looking for a way back to England. Expect progress under Carver, who took charge when Mo Johnston was kicked upstairs, but escaping the cellar might be too much to ask.

Western Conference

1. Houston Dynamo

Head coach: Dominic Kinnear. 2007: 15-8-7, 52 points (second in Western Conference, won MLS Cup championship).

Major additions: D Bobby Boswell, F Franco Caraccio.

Major departures: D Ryan Cochrane, F Nate Jaqua, F Joseph Ngwenya.

Outlook: The two-time defending MLS champs retain the core of their lineup, as they have for several seasons, and remain the favorite to parade the trophy around Home Depot Center next November. Kinnear has done well to replace Cochrane, who went to San Jose in the expansion draft, and Ngwenya and Jaqua, who signed with Austrian clubs. 2006 MLS Defender of the Year Boswell joins masterful Eddie Robinson in central defense, and Caraccio teams with U.S. national-teamer Brian Ching up front. The defense, with the backline led by Robinson and captain Wade Barrett in front of goalkeeper Pat Onstad, is among MLS's best. The midfield is unequaled: Dwayne De Rosario is annually an MVP candidate, Ricardo Clark is the league's second-best holding midfielder (after New England's Joseph), Brad Davis is a superb wing-playmaker, and can there a more underrated player in MLS than Brian Mullan? The biggest issue is an expanded schedule, with SuperLiga, U.S. Open Cup and next summer's CONCACAF Champions League adding to a crowded slate that has started with the CONCACAF Champions Cup, in which the Dynamo has reached the semifinals. But this is a superbly managed, veteran, talented side that has repeatedly proved its worth, and there seems no reason to doubt it now.

2. Chivas USA

Head coach: Preki. 2007: 15-7-8, 53 points (first in Western Conference, lost in first round of playoffs).

Major additions: D Jim Curtin, F Alecko Eskandarian, F Atiba Harris, M Raphael Wicky.

Major departures: D Jason Hernandez, M Ramon Nunez, D Orlando Perez.

Outlook: Nobody in MLS plays as attractively as the Goats, who might have done more last year if not for late season injuries to forwards Maykel Galindo and, especially, Ante Razov. The lack of attacking depth killed their chances last year -- they scored just one goal in their final six games, none in the playoff series against the inferior Kansas City Wizards. The additions of Eskandarian and Harris, both from Real Salt Lake, ought to solve that problem, but we'll see. Galindo hasn't fully recovered from his hernia, and let's see if he can be as effective as he was in 2007. Razov, at 34, remains the pivotal player. What he does off the ball enables Chivas' other attackers -- especially Galindo, wingers Sacha Kljestan and Francisco "Panchito" Mendoza and attacking left back Jonathan Bornstein -- to do what they do, and he's a consummate finisher, likely to pass Jaime Moreno as MLS's all-time goals leader this season. Jesse Marsch, also 34, is the leader in midfield, where Swiss newcomer Wicky should make an impact, and Mexican legend Claudio Suarez, 39, anchors a solid backline. It's an aging group, to be sure, and success will depend on how well those creaking bones hold up. The loss of right back Alex Zotinca to a partially torn ACL can be overcome, but can the departure of MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Brad Guzan should he head to Europe this summer?

3. Real Salt Lake

Head coach: Jason Kreis. 2007: 6-15-9, 27 points (sixth in Western Conference).

Major additions: M/D Anthony Beltran, D Nat Borchers, M Matias Cordoba, F Kenny Deuchar, D David Horst, D Ian Joy, M Dema Kovalenko, D Jamilson Olave.

Major departures: F Chris Brown, F Alecko Eskandarian, F Atiba Harris, D Ritchie Kotschau, D Eddie Pope.

Outlook: After three seasons in the Western basement, RSL appears ready to make its move. The goal, Kreis says, is a playoff berth, but more appears possible. Kreis, who took charge a month into last season, has worked feverishly rebuilding the club's culture and instilling a fighting mentality -- basically, building a team in his own image: feisty, tough, hard-working. We saw the effects last season: After winning just once through July, RSL closed with a 5-6-3 stretch, losing by more than one goal just once. Last year's acquisition of central midfielder Kyle Beckerman was pivotal; adding gutty midfielder Kovalenko, from New York, was this offseason's coup, or one of them. The addition of big Scottish forward Kenny Deuchar, who scored 10 goals in his final 21 Scottish Premier League matches for Gretna, also ought to pay off, and there are several options to run off of him, including Robbie Findley and top preseason scorer Yura Movsisyan. And there's tremendous depth on the backline and in midfield, a fine 1-2 punch in goal (with Nick Rimando and Chris Seitz), and a solid nucleus of South American talent (holdovers Javier Morales, Matias Mantilla and Fabian Espindola, plus newcomers Matias Cordoba in midfield and Jamilson Olave in the back). RSL hopes to debut its new Sandy stadium in October, but there could be far more to celebrate this season.

4. FC Dallas

Head coach: Steve Morrow. 2007: 13-12-5, 44 points (third in Western Conference, lost in first round of playoffs).

Major additions: D Duilio Davino, G Josh Lambo, M Andre Rocha, M Brek Shea.

Major departures: M Denilson, D Chris Gbandi, D Clarence Goodson, F Carlos Ruiz.

Outlook: The Hoops haven't won a playoff series since 1999, but they've got a roster capable of doing much more if everything comes together. Whether it will is anyone's guess. Morrow has switched to a 3-5-2 formation that ought to lead to better defense, a must if FC Dallas is going to succeed. Former Mexican national-teamer Davino will anchor the backline, with rising Drew Moor and healthy Adrian Serioux on either side, and Pablo Ricchetti is critical in front of them. The midfield has promise, with Rocha arriving on loan from Brazilian partner Atletico Paranaense and Dax McCarty coming off a fine Olympic qualifying performance. Club MVP Juan Toja will push forward, but there exist questions about the attack, especially with Ruiz off to L.A. Kenny Cooper, sidelined much of last year with a broken leg, needs to regain his superb 2006 form, and he must build a relationship with dynamic Arturo Alvarez. Watch for 19-year-old Brek Shea, who could be the league's big breakout star.

5. Los Angeles Galaxy

Head coach: Ruud Gullit. 2007: 9-14-7, 34 points (fifth in Western Conference).

Major additions: M Ely Allen, D Sean Franklin, D Michael Gavin, M Alvaro Pires, F Carlos Ruiz, D Greg Vanney.

Major departures: D Chris Albright, G Joe Cannon, F Gavin Glinton, M/D Kelly Gray, D Ty Harden, M Kevin Harmse, M Cobi Jones, M Quavas Kirk, M Kyle Martino, F Carlos Pavon.

Outlook: This is an almost entirely new team, and it doesn't appear as talented or deep as last year's side, which endured a disastrous season defined by injury after injury after injury, an insanely backloaded schedule designed to wring every possible dollar out of Sir Beckham, chemistry issues caused by all those injuries and the in-season trades meant to deal with them, and -- perhaps most of all -- the circus surrounding their big-name import. This year's model adds a "sexy" coach in former superstar Ruud Gullit and returns Ruiz to the club with which he began his MLS career and scored 50 goals in three seasons. The attack should be dynamic with Beckham, Ruiz and Landon Donovan, who account for a little more than half the club's salary cap, and there's some depth up top, too, with Alan Gordon and Edson Buddle. Brazilian newcomer Pires will bolster the midfield, and Allen and Gavin could emerge as something special on the left flank. But there's not much speed or depth behind the front line, and the experience in the back -- with Vanney, Abel Xavier and Chris Klein -- might not be enough to offset that or inexperience in the nets. There's enough talent to get the job done, but if anything goes wrong, this could be another long, difficult season.

6. San Jose Earthquakes

Head coach: Frank Yallop. 2007: Expansion team.

Major additions: G Joe Cannon, D Ryan Cochrane, M/D Ramiro Corrales, D Nick Garcia, F Gavin Glinton, M Ned Grabavoy, M/D Ivan Guerrero, D Jason Hernandez, F Kei Kamara, M Ronnie O'Brien, D Chris Pozniak, M/D James Riley, M Joe Vide.

Major departures: M Brian Carroll, D Clarence Goodson.

Outlook: The Quakes return after a two-year hiatus -- the previous incarnation moved to Houston -- and no matter what MLS brass preach, this is an expansion team. But don't expect expansion-team play. Yallop, who won titles with the Earthquakes in 2001 and 2003, has assembled a veteran group that is solid at the back, especially with Cannon in the nets, Garcia and Cochrane in central defense, and Corrales anchoring midfield. Cannon, Cochrane and Corrales are San Jose vets. The big concern is attack. O'Brien will be the critical figure, creating from midfield, and Kamara will need to mature into an effective striker -- or Yallop must find someone who can score, probably overseas. The "or else" is 0-0, 1-0 and 0-1 scorelines. Unlike RSL and Chivas in 2005 and TFC last year, San Jose will be competitive, and a playoff berth is not out of the question.

7. Colorado Rapids

Head coach: Fernando Clavijo. 2007: 9-13-8, 35 points (fourth in Western Conference).

Major additions: D Jose Burciaga Jr., M Rafael Gomes, M Christian Gomez, D Kelly Gray, F Tam McManus, M Ciaran O'Brien, D Tim Ward.

Major departures: F Jose Cancela, F Nico Hernandez, D Brandon Prideaux.

Outlook: Clavijo justifiably likes his roster. The Rapids are solid defensively, possess a first-rate midfield, and few teams have the kind of depth he can call upon. The addition of 2006 MLS MVP Christian Gomez provides an attacking dimension that has been sorely lacking, Pablo Mastroeni and Brazilian newcomer Gomes offer plenty of steel behind him, and Terry Cooke and Colin Clark are fine wide players. But Colorado scored only 29 goals last year, and the frontline remains questionable. Herculez Gomez and Conor Casey (and defender Dan Gargan, too) are coming off torn ACLs, and Casey probably won't be 100 percent until at least a couple of months into the season. Jovan Kirovski never has been a finisher. And soon-to-be-signed Scottish forward Tam McManus doesn't appear to be the answer. If everything falls into place, the Rapids will again compete for a postseason berth. But the odds of that just don't seem very good.