Report: Beckham to face U.S. hostility

LONDON, July 2 (UPI) -- Soccer great David Beckham should expect a hostile reception when he returns to the Los Angeles Galaxy this month, the London Telegraph said Thursday.

Beckham has been playing for AC Milan, part of a loan arrangement with the Champions League club in Europe, and has not played a Major League Soccer match this season with the Galaxy.

His absence has led to scathing criticism by Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan in his new book, "The Beckham Experiment," authored by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl.

"All that we care about at a minimum is that he committed himself to us," Donovan told the newspaper and ESPNSoccernet.com. "(That) has not proven to be the case in many ways -- on the field, off the field."

Donovan said: "At a minimum, you should bust your ass every day. That hasn't happened."

Without the highly paid Beckham, LA has drawn an average of about 19,000 fans per home game to date, some 7,000 fewer than last season.