At the risk of mixing my football metaphors, I'm giving a game ball to the Los Angeles Galaxy this week. The reason: for completing the Robbie Keane transfer from Tottenham Hotspur. It's an inspired piece of business. The Galaxy get a proven goal scorer and MLS's most prominent franchise demonstrates that it's willing to shed its financial training wheels once again to win a championship. And these days, like it or hate it, that's what big boy soccer is all about.
Keane turned 31 last month, has scored goals wherever he's played and his passion for the game resonates with fans like the unique aroma and velvet aftertaste of a perfect pint of Guinness. And like his nation's iconic stout, Ireland's captain is a much-traveled commodity (that according to some is an acquired taste that comes served with a big head). But by temperament, natural-born goal scorers are all divas, worth their weight in all the bouquets of white orchids placed perfectly in their locker stall. And Galaxy fans will be happy to pay any required florist bills for the foreseeable future.
According to reports, Keane will take his place in the Galaxy locker room for Saturday's game against the San Jose Earthquakes, replacing the quickly discarded, surplus-to-requirements (and MLS rules) Designated Player Juan Pablo Angel. The former Red Bulls striker has been one of the best DPs in MLS history, but this season he has scored fewer goals (three) than EPL teams Keane has played for (five), and now seeks to reboot his career across the Home Depot Center corridor at Chivas USA.
Angel came to MLS with an EPL pedigree, but it wasn't anywhere near as extensive as Keane's. The Irish striker leaves the Premiership tied for 10th on the all-time goal-scoring list (123 goals, level with Dwight Yorke). He's also Ireland's all-time leading scorer with 51 goals and is still very much a fixture on the national team, and -- unlike other notable DP signings such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry -- Keane doesn't wash up on MLS shores carrying an injury.
So, what could go wrong? Well, for starters, Keane will be riding the energy-sapping trans-Atlantic shuttle to play in Ireland's Euro2012 quest (the Irish play crucial games against Slovakia and Russia in September). The Galaxy have already been down this flight path with David Beckham, and those England late-substitute appearance expeditions only expedited exasperation with the Beckham experiment. In addition, Keane clearly wore out his welcome with the easygoing Harry Redknapp at Spurs despite being a prolific scorer and significant contributor for much of his time at White Hart Lane. Also, his Liverpool move was a short-lived bust, and recent loan spells at Celtic and West Ham produced goals (especially at Celtic) but didn't lead to permanent moves. Finances were a factor in both cases most likely, and that's where the Galaxy brass must get some credit here. They not only put up a significant DP salary but also reportedly paid Spurs a transfer fee in the $5 million range.
The Galaxy want to win the 2011 MLS Cup, and this week they put their checkbook where the easy clichés reside. Bruce Arena's team already leads the Western Conference and is well placed for a title chase without another large expenditure. But the same could be said for Barcelona in a much bigger arena, and that didn't stop the world's best team from signing Cesc Fabregas this week. Of course L.A. isn't in the same galaxy as the Spanish giant, but the organization demonstrated huge ambition this week. And that's great for MLS and great for American soccer.
When MLS teams go beyond signing celebrity free agents who have few significant bidders on the European side of the Atlantic and begin competing in transfer payment bidding, then the league sends serious signals of intent to fans, sponsors and its players. It has ambition, and is willing to pay to fulfill it. MLS has a long way to go on this, but the Galaxy made a significant step in the right direction this week.
And now, the league and its best-known team have an established international-caliber player still in his prime with a point to prove and that rare talent for scoring goals. Another North London legend, Thierry Henry, leads the MLS scoring charts at the moment. Don't be surprised if Robbie Keane starts chasing him down very soon.