Beckham problems threaten Galaxy's top man

And Galaxy's head coach, Frank Yallop,who played for Ipswich and Canada, is also under serious threat following the club's promotion yesterday of assistant coach Paul Bravo to director of football.

Significantly, Bravo said: "I expect this organisation to be at the top of the MLS."

Beckham has not travelled to Denver for today's Major League Soccer game against Colorado Rapids due to fatigue and an ankle injury after playing on consecutive nights last week for club and country.

But he is expected to return to the team for the final of the SuperLiga tournament against Mexican side Pachuca in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Lalas, Galaxy's general manager, was regarded as a perfect front man when Beckham was lured to America from Real Madrid. But Galaxy owner Philip Anschutz is now having major doubts about him and Yallop, as his team are languishing one place off the bottom of the table.

Lalas questioned the wisdom of Beckham's transatlantic travelling after the player returned from England's midweek 2-1 defeat by Germany to put in an ineffectual performance for Galaxy in a 3-0 defeat by local rivals Los Angeles Chivas the following night.

But many people blame Lalas for not anticipating that there could be problems with such a difficult schedule.

Ironically, Beckham has already paid back most of his £16.5 million MLS contract, just two months after arriving in the United States.

His move has sparked a huge surge in ticket sales, merchandising revenues and television coverage, even though he has featured in only four competitive games.

MLS chiefs have been thrilled by the dramatic boost in income, and Beckham's No 23 Galaxy jersey is the top-selling sports jersey with the giant Sports Authority chain, outstripping the leading replica kits from basketball and American football.

Although Beckham has said that he can cope with his demanding programme, more of the same appears inevitable as he tries to fulfil his commitments to two masters.

A glut of MLS matches are due to come thick and fast while the 32-year-old continues his efforts to try to help England qualify for the Euro 2008 Championships.

Inevitably, Galaxy want Beckham to cut down on his England appearances but they are restricted under FIFA rules.

And Beckham, who has 97 caps, is in no mood to miss any internationals including next summer's European Championships which will run in the middle of the MLS season.

He said: "We cannot afford not to qualify for the European Championship. It's unthinkable that a nation like us, with the players we have, are struggling to qualify. It would mean the world to me to get those 100 caps, but if we lose these games and we're not going to qualify then there is going to be disappointment there. It's so important that we all play well and get ourselves ready for two massive games against Israel and Russia."

Beckham admitted losing to old rivals Germany was a blow, but he added: "We were lucky it wasn't a qualifying game."