SOCCER Ferguson excited about outlook after Beckham transfer

International superstar David Beckham now plays for Real Madrid.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Don't ask Manchester United soccer coach Sir Alex Ferguson about life without departed megastar David Beckham. He won't answer.
As for the rest of Manchester United's four-match U.S. tour, which concludes with an exhibition against FC Barcelona at Lincoln Financial Field at 8 p.m. today, Ferguson is a little more forthcoming.
"Fantastic," Ferguson said as his team worked out before the sold-out inaugural event at the home of the Philadelphia Eagles. "I couldn't be more pleased."
The news just before the tour began centered on Beckham, who transferred to Real Madrid on July 1 for $40 million. Beckham had been the centerpiece of a team that is coming off its eighth English Premier League championship in 11 years, a team that boasts having more than 53 million fans worldwide.
Beckham made his debut for Real Madrid in a 4-0 victory Saturday over the China Dragon in Beijing. Ferguson, meanwhile, was preparing his Red Devils for a Premier League season that starts later this month and the exhibition against a Barcelona squad that made it to the Champions League quarterfinals last year.
"It's much easier playing over here in the States," Ferguson said. "More peace and quiet."
On a roll
Manchester United has gone 3-0 in the U.S., beating Glasgow Celtic 4-0 on July 22, Mexico's Club America 3-1 on July 27, and Italian champion Juventus 4-1 Thursday. One of the bright spots has been the play of goalie Tim Howard, a New Brunswick, N.J., native who is competing with last year's Manchester keeper, Fabien Barthez, for the starting job.
Howard made 12 saves against Juventus and will start again tonight. The Juventus exhibition was held in Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., where Howard played for the MetroStars of Major League Soccer the last four years.
"He was superb the other night," Ferguson said. "I was fearful in a way. He was playing in front of his own people in the States.
As we saw, in the second half, he made three or four good saves. Now, he has one really good game behind him."
Howard is the newcomer. Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and midfielders Paul Scholes and Roy Keane form a solid core.
Barcelona also has been impressive during its U.S. tour, beating Juventus on penalty kicks July 27 and blanking AC Milan 2-0 Wednesday.
A team that boasts 16 Spanish League championships and one European Cup features one of the top players in the world, Ronaldinho Gaucho. Ronaldinho played for French club Paris St. Germain last year.
"He's not in the best of shape," Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said. "But he's always a good football player and very skillful. He can do some wonderful things with the ball."
Striker Patrick Kluivert and defender Carles Puyol also lead FC Barcelona.