BECKHAM'S JET-SET PLAN IN PLACE FIRST STOP, N.Y. BUT HOW LONG?

Byline: BILLY WITZ

Staff Writer

The David Beckham Across America Tour, which hobbled along for the last month, doesn't seem to be hitting its stride as much as it's breaking into a full sprint.

After a pair of cameos and then his first start, first goal and first victory in a Galaxy uniform this week, Beckham is suddenly a busy man.

He'll play today in East Rutherford, N.J., where more than 60,000 tickets have been distributed for the Galaxy's game against the New York Red Bulls.

Then he'll hop on a plane Sunday morning for England, which he'll play for Wednesday in a friendly against Germany at Wembley Stadium.

Then he'll catch a jet bound for Los Angeles in time to play against Chivas USA on Thursday.

"I haven't done that since I was probably 8 years-old or 9 years-old when we used to play games Saturday-Sunday," Beckham said Friday at a press conference in New York, after learning that England coach Steve McClaren had included him on the 28-man roster. "It's definitely going to be different. Hopefully, I'll get some rest on the plane."

A couple of Americans will also attempt the feat - the Galaxy's Landon Donovan and Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein - will take separate flights from Sweden after the United States' friendly there Wednesday.

Of course, neither of them are 30-something, gimpy-ankled, international pop icons.

What wasn't clear from Friday's nearly 30-minute press conference was just how much Beckham would play today, given the state of his left ankle, the hazards of playing on artificial turf at Giants Stadium and his interest in playing at home against Germany.

As he noted with a grin, it's hard to consider any England-Germany game a friendly.

As for his left ankle, which has limited him to 100 minutes since he arrived a month ago, Beckham said: "I'm feeling good. A little bit tired after the game the other night. I'm aching. The first training session was on the Tuesday, the game was on Wednesday.

"I'm aching a little bit, but I'm ready for the game tomorrow. Hopefully my ankle will hold up like it did the other night. I felt good, I felt strong."

Beckham, who spent the morning at a clinic in Harlem, professed his adoration for New York, calling it one of his favorite cities and noting that his eldest son is named Brooklyn.

"What's great about New York and you don't get it in many cities in the world is there's a lot of energy," Beckham said. "If someone doesn't like you they'll come up to your face and say so. That's one of the great things about N.Y. It's a very energetic and honest city."

How he feels about the artificial turf is another matter. Though great advances in the surfaces have been made from the days of rock-hard Astroturf, it still leaves soccer players sore afterward - particularly joints and ligaments.

When Beckham announced that he wouldn't play at Toronto on Aug. 5, he said the artificial surface was a "huge factor" and went into a lengthy criticism of turf fields.

Since then he has softened his comments and said after playing 63 minutes against D.C. United - his first start and most extensive action since arriving in Los Angeles - that the Giants Stadium field wouldn't be a factor in whether he plays or how much he plays.

Rather, he said, it would depend on how his injured ankle responded after the game and after the five-hour flight. His ankle had swelled up on some flights he'd taken since the injury in June.

"I'm not hesitant about playing on the actually surface," Beckham said Wednesday night. "It's just how my ankle obviously reacts after the game tonight.

"If it reacts in a good way, then I'll be playing and hopefully be starting the game and like tonight getting as many minutes on the field as possible."

If Beckham's minutes are limited because of the surface, he won't be the only one the Galaxy will miss. Central defender Abel Xavier, the leader of the backline, isn't playing - or even making the trip - because of the turf.

Xavier injured his left knee playing on the artificial surface in Toronto two weeks ago, and then skipped the game against New England last week, which was played on synthetic grass.

Meanwhile, he's played 90 minutes twice against D.C. United - on Aug. 9 and on Wednesday - on grass surfaces.

"I know I will not play to protect my situation," Xavier said after Wednesday's game. "(Artificial turf) is a very hard surface. It affects all muscles, all articulations. What concerns me as a player with ankle problems or knee problems, it is almost impossible to play in that condition without risking a big injury.

"I think it is not legal to play on this surface. The league must review that aspect. If nobody in the world plays on this surface, why in the MLS do we play on this surface? It's a good question, but I'm just a player."

If Xavier, who has spent his career playing in leagues all over Europe - from the Premiership to Serie A - seemed incredulous, some of Beckham's American teammates were more accepting.

The United States is, after all, still a developing nation in soccer.

"Turf is night and day," said veteran midfielder Peter Vagenas. "No soccer player would tell you they enjoy playing on turf. But it's something we all go through. Whether (Beckham) likes it or not, it's something he's going to have to deal with as well.

"It's not the best on the body, it's not the best for the sport, but you know, what can you do?"

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) David Beckham didn't practice with the Galaxy on Friday in New Jersey but drew attention from the New York media.

Rich Schultz/Associated Press

(2) A fan kisses David Beckham after a clinic he helped with Friday for the Harlem Youth Soccer.

Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press