Beckham lauds Capello, passionate about England

January 4, 2010

England veteran David Beckham, keen to use his loan spell with AC Milan to boost his chances of holding down a place at the World Cup, on Sunday saluted coach Fabio Capello, whose “scary” personality he credited with revitalising the national team.

“He’s brought an arrogance – but in a good way. Players go onto the field confident, they believe they’re going to win, and he gives us that confidence,” Beckham said in an interview with BBC radio.

“He’s brought a real seriousness, a professional side which was needed. He scares you – in a ‘respect’ way,” said Beckham, drawing a parallel with former Manchester United mentor Sir Alex Ferguson, who “was a father figure to me.”

Beckham is hoping to make enough of an impression at the San Siro – as he did in a first loan period last season – to persuade Capello to keep him on board with England at the World Cup finals.

He gave up the captaincy after the last World Cup and then found himself dropped altogether under former coach Steve McClaren before winning a recall.

Now he hopes to play his way on to Capello’s teamsheet.

“I’ve always said that I always want to be available for England whether I’m in the team or whether I’m not I’m passionate about playing for my country – I’ve enjoyed every moment whether it’s been good or bad times,” he told the BBC’s Sportsweek programme.

There has been speculation as to whether Beckham may feature in a more withdrawn role at Milan this season under coach Leonardo but the veteran star is unconcerned – as long as he features somewhere.

“I’m sure he’ll put me somewhere in midfield when I do start – he’s not a manager and a person who’s going to put me out of position unless it’s really desperate.

“Throughout my career there’s not one team I’ve played for where I expected to start.

“I’ve just been lucky enough I’ve been picked for most (games).

“Everyone knows I’m prepared to work hard to be part of the England squad and I’m going to do that,” said Beckham, a frontline ambassador for England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

Regarding his fitness, Beckham said: “I’ve always looked after myself – ate the right things. I’ve always tried to look after my body – I want to play for as long as possible.

“There’s nothing special I do – I’ve got three sons who are full of energy so I’m chasing them around for most of the day! That’s the thing that probably keeps my fitness up more than anything.”

Top of Beckham’s club agenda is an impending Champions League last 16 tussle against former club United.

“Manchester United is so special to me and I’ve never been back as a player – it’s an experience I want to cherish. It’s going to be such a special and emotional night,” said Beckham, who admitted that he would have liked to spend his whole career at Old Trafford.

“But it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Looking forward to facing United – having not faced the club during his four years with Real Madrid – Beckham said his loyalties were clear.

“I’d like us to win. Us is AC Milan! But as a Manchester United fan I always want them to win in every game – but maybe not this one!”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, arrogance, coach fabio capello, coach steve mcclaren, David Beckham, England, fabio capello, father figure, former coach, leonardo, loan period, london, MADRID, Manchester, manchester united, midfield, Milan, professional side, San, san siro, seriousness, sir alex ferguson, speculation, Steve McClaren, world cup finals

Beckham´s Galaxy battle to reach MLS title match

November 12, 2009

The Los Angeles Galaxy, with David Beckham on board and Landon Donovan on song, battle for a berth in Major League Soccer’s championship match on Friday when they take on Houston in the Western Conference final.

It seemed an unlikely scenario early in the season for a club that equalled the league’s worst record in 2008, and started 2009 with 11 draws in their first 13 matches.

England star Beckham was at the centre of a storm as he stayed on at Italian club AC Milan four months beyond his original loan period, provoking the ire not only of Galaxy fans but also of teammate Donovan – who questioned Beckham’s commitment to the US league in a book.

Thanks in part to the intervention of coach Bruce Arena – named the league’s coach of the year on Wednesday – the two mended fences.

With a shored-up defence and newfound confidence, the Galaxy had seven clean sheets in their last nine matches of the regular season and earned the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

“Even in the beginning part of this year, we went a bunch of games without winning and it became frustrating,” said Donovan, a candidate for MLS Most Valuable Player honours. “Once we got that taste of victory and realised what it took, everybody grabbed a hold of that and we’ve maintained that the rest of the year. Now, I think we’re playing as well as we have all year.”

One of Beckham’s trademark crosses to Donovan helped create the winning goal in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Chivas USA that sent the Galaxy into the Western Conference final.

Donovan fed Mike Magee, who was fouled in the penalty area. Donovan then converted the penalty and the Galaxy return to the Western final for the first time since winning the MLS title in 2005.

The Dynamo, meanwhile, are in a familiar spot. The 2006 and 2007 MLS champions, Houston ousted Seattle on Sunday thanks to a goal from Brian Ching in extra time.

The Galaxy beat the Dynamo 1-0 in June before the teams played to a scoreless draw on October 18 in a contest that Ching called “feisty”.

Beckham earned a yellow card and Ching was also cautioned after a heated exchange with the English midfielder.

“We’re expecting the same kind of a matchup, the same kind of intensity,” Ching said.

The Western Conference winners will play the winners of Saturday’s Eastern Conference final between Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup championship match on November 22.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, berth, brian ching, bruce arena, Chicago, chivas usa, clean sheets, coach bruce arena, David Beckham, dynamo, Eastern Conference, England, england star, Houston, italian club, landon donovan, loan period, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, Mike Magee, Milan, mls champions, Seattle, U.S., USA, Western Conference, western conference playoffs, year one

Ferdinand will make Barcelona showdown: Ferguson

May 15, 2009

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) – Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will be fit for the Champions League Final meeting with Barcelona, according to manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The England centre-half was absent from the crucial Premier League victories over Manchester City and Wigan this week and Ferguson was resigned to being without him for the possible title-clincher against Arsenal on Saturday.

But Ferguson hopes that Ferdinand will have recovered from a calf injury sufficiently to take his place in the concluding league meeting of the season against Hull and fully expects him to be available for the trip to Rome on May 27, which will see United attempt to defend their Champions? League crown.

“I’m sure he’ll be available for the final but it’s one of these calf niggles that usually take 10 days to two weeks,” the United boss said Friday.

“But I’m hopeful he’ll be fit for next Sunday’s game against Hull, which he should be really, and that would be good news for us.

“We’re giving him his treatment for these kind of injuries and he’s come along but he’s not available for tomorrow (Saturday) but hopefully he’ll be ready for next Sunday.

“He doesn’t train, he’s getting treatment but he’s doing his work in the gymnasium, cardio work and cycling but nothing more than that.”

One player whose future – and place in the Rome starting line-up – appears less certain, however, is forward Carlos Tevez, who has been the subject of intense speculation over a move away from Old Trafford.

The Argentinian striker’s loan period with United comes to an end at the end of the season and a minor war of words has broken out between Tevez’s agents and the United hierarchy.

Ferguson is clearly growing tired of discussing the topic and angrily claimed he would do so no more. However, the United manager did confirm that chief executive David Gill has opened formal talks over a permanent move.

“David Gill met with him on Wednesday and that’s a clear fact and they discussed the avenue in which Carlos Tevez could stay at Manchester United and that’s the end of that,” said Ferguson.

“It’s great coverage for the press talking to his agent every minute of the day but I’m not getting into it.”

Meanwhile, on happier matters, Ferguson is on the brink of being able to contemplate an 18th league title for his club, a mark that will equal the current record owned by United’s great rivals Liverpool.

“I don’t think I ever thought about that,” said Ferguson when asked to reflect on his arrival at Old Trafford in 1986. “My intention was to win the first one and try to break the stranglehold Liverpool had. Arsenal helped by winning it in ‘89 and ‘91 and that changed it over because they were a strong team.

“It was my intention just to win it the once and you don’t think about how that opens the door for you in the sense you see now but that was the big challenge, to win it the once.

“We were 10 titles behind and it’s a long way to go when you think that way. Having been involved in the Champions League so many times, we should have done better on some occasions and sometimes we’ve been in semi-finals and lost when we should have won, or been disappointing, but the urge and maturity we’ve shown in Europe this year and last year is very good and hopefully that will get us another trophy.”

Tags: Barcelona, calf injury, cardio work, Carlos, carlos tevez, champions league, David Gill, England, English Premier League, Europe, Ferdinand, gymnasium, HULL, intense speculation, league crown, Liverpool, loan period, Manchester, manchester city, manchester england, manchester united, premier league, Rio, rio ferdinand, ROME, sir alex ferguson, starting line, striker, title clincher, war of words, Wigan

Beckham chooses Milan

February 5, 2009

David Beckham has surprised the many doubters among fans and pundits by scoring two goals in five starts for AC Milan and it looks increasingly likely he’ll be hanging around Serie A for a lot longer.

All in all, it’s turned into very happy move for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder

Despite having said soccer was the sole reason behind the deal, the 32-year-old, still one of the most marketable men in sport, has also managed to revamp brand Beckham by stripping down with his “posh” wife Victoria for the Emporio Armani underwear advertising campaign.

Now, Beckham has finally come out and said what had been looking increasingly obvious: that he wants to stay on at Milan once his two-month loan period is up.

A deal could end up costing Milan a lot of money but certainly for the player the attraction is obvious: keeping his international career alive long enough to play for England at the 2010 World Cup.

Does it make as much sense for Milan? Will his lawyers be able to negotiate an exit from LA that’s acceptable to all? Will this bizarre love triangle, in the words of Jeffrey Marcus at the New York Times, finally be straightened out? We’ll find out by March 9, when the original loan deal is due to expire…

PHOTO: AC Milan’s David Beckham gestures as he warms up in the snow before their friendly against Rangers in Glasgow, Feb. 4, 2009. REUTERS/David Moir

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