Beckham's departure divides Spain, silence from Real

MADRID, Jan 12 (Reuters) The Spanish media were left today to talk about David Beckham's decision to quit Real Madrid in June to join Los Angeles Galaxy as there was a stony silence from the club itself.

''Becks goes to Hollywood,'' said the front page of sports daily Marca, though the other sports papers gave the story less prominence. Daily El Mundo said: ''Beckham changes Galaxy.'' Apart from a brief two paragraph notice on their official Web site (www.realmadrid.com) announcing his decision, the player's statement and a history of his time at the club, there were no words from Real's president or sporting director.

El Pais had a brief ''It hasn't been a surprise'' from president Ramon Calderon.

After yesterday's King's Cup match away at Real Betis, which ended goalless and which Beckham had not been picked for, coach Fabio Capello simply said he did not want to talk about the decision at that moment.

Away from the club, however, the former England captain's departure sparked furious debate on television and radio.

Throughout Real's dull draw at Betis the radio commentary spoke of little else other than Beckham's departure, and the late-night sports shows were flooded with opinions from listeners.

Presenters scrambled for calculators to work out how much the 31-year-old would earn a minute, an hour, a day in the United States, while the debate centred on whether the player had been a failure at Real or just unlucky to catch a club in decline.

Opinions were divided, though a poll on Marca's Web site (www.marca.com) on Friday had 67 percent of readers saying the club would not miss him.

Barcelona based daily Sport, with more than an axe to grind after Beckham turned down Barca to join arch-rivals Real in 2003 said: ''He leaves as a failure.'' Another daily from the Catalan city Mundo Deportivo said: ''Another British player has failed to triumph in Spain.'' Madrid based AS took a different view backing the player saying: ''Is anyone surprised that he left?'' after the constant changes around the club over the last three and a half trophyless seasons.

With the futures of Ronaldo and Antonio Cassano also in the air - both were also left out of the Real squad for the Cup game - daily ABC said: ''Bye Bye Beckham...and counting the days for Ronaldo.'' El Mundo quoted sources from AEG, the entertainment conglomerate that owns the Galaxy, who said that Beckham's arrival in Major League Soccer could lure other big name players to the US.

''We are aware of Ronaldo's situation at Real and that he wants to live in the United States. Ronaldo's arrival in the MLS would be impossible to describe in words,'' a source said.

REUTERS PDS BST1650