For the LA Galaxy, it was a flawless plan, one that would catapult them onto the world stage of soccer.

In Landon Donovan they had possibly the best footballer the USA has ever produced, and in David Beckham they had the most marketable player on the planet, possibly in all sports. So how did it all go sour?

Galaxy pulled off a major coup for themselves and American soccer by bringing in Beckham as his Real Madrid deal expired. Until then, the main man across the pond was Donovan. He was the top earner, but was earning cents in comparison with the ex-Manchester United man.

Has there been in-camp rivalry and tension between these two stars?

That's how it may come across. Since Beckham moved to Hollywood, his club have gone out of their way to promote the Beckham Brand. His shirt sales have been astronomical, his unveiling was something straight from a Hollywood script, and he was made captain as soon as his feet were comfortably under the table.

Donovan was the marquee player until Beckham arrived, and the way he seems to be in the shadow of the 112-cap England man may irritate him.

His claims that Beckham has slowly lost any commitment he had for the Galaxy are likely to cause more tension in Los Angeles. He has also said his teammate lacks leadership, and expects him to "bust his ass every day, and that hasn't happened."

Could the "lack of commitment" have anything to do with the loan spell at AC Milan that Beckham enjoyed? Possibly. But for Donovan's sake, I hope it isn't. If this is the reason behind the outburst, then he will be branded a hypocrite.

This is the same Landon Donovan who joined Bayern Munich during the MLS close season. He wanted the chance to compete in one of Europe's top leagues. He wanted to keep his match fitness during the close season. These were also reasons for Beckham moving to the San Siro.

However, David Beckham's main motive was to prove himself to Fabio Capello ahead of selection of the squad for the 2010 World Cup (I doubt there is any danger of Donovan being dropped by Bob Bradley).

A 'time-share' agreement is now in place for Beckham between the Galaxy and the Rossoneri, with the player featuring heavily in negotiations. This may be the real reason for Donovan's outburst. You begin to think he has a point.

But to say the ex-England skipper doesn't "bust his ass" like he should is a bit unfair. From Manchester United, to Real Madrid, to LA Galaxy, to AC Milan and to England, a big asset of his game has been his commitment to the cause.

How often have we see David Beckham rescue his team from desperate positions? Of course we all remember that game against Greece, but he's done it at club level before. When he agreed to join the Galaxy, his Real boss, then Capello, vowed not to play him again. He eventually relented, and Beckham's performances were crucial in the La Liga trophy returning to the Bernabeu.

That was Beckham's first, and last, trophy in Spain. His performances epitomised how desperate he was for a medal.

I think Donovan's comments were ill-judged, and the result of jealousy towards his teammate. It's a shame, because Donovan is a great player who would fit into many Premier League teams. But he has been the main man both at club and country level, so the arrival of Beckham was a shock to his system.

I can imagine him counting the days until Beckham's flight for Milan departs from LA. Then he will once again be the MLS's star man.