Good on you, Mister Beckham
It is traditional to knock David Beckham though there has always seemed to me little reason to do so. To my knowledge he has done little to enrage fans other than to play for Man Utd and get himself sent off against Argentina in 1998. Granted that last was stupid and petulant and might have cost us the game. But only might have. We scored a good winner, chalked off by the ref then did what we do with or without him. Lost on pens. But anyway.
So this US thing then. For the money? Well if it is, who cares? Here’s the choice he was effectively given.
1. Carry on playing for Real by sitting on the bench but thanks for helping us sell so many shirts.
2. Do the same in Italy for a Serie ‘A’ Club.
3. Come to England, play in the premiership and suffer extraordinary abuse from the fans regarding you and your wife and from the press because you aren’t still at your peak after 15 years at the top.
4. Come to the US, a country which you and your wife love. Add some real celebrity to major league soccer, playing for a team whose owner wants the game to be massive over there. Knock about with your ‘A’ list friends. Add energy to the Beckham soccer schools you’ve opened there. Get no filth from fans or media. Ever. Oh, and have $120-odd million over the next five years too.
Tough choice, eh?
David Beckham has gone to take on a new challenge. Anyone who thinks he has just ‘gone for the money’ is ignorant and blind. And jealous too, I expect. The fact is that he has always given his all at everything he has done. It will be no different this time. He loves his football and he loves his celebrity. What better place to enjoy them both together at this time in his life? Good on you, sir. Good on you.
