David Goes to Hollywood

David Goes to Hollywood, A Victory for the Common Man and Premiership High

Adios El Becks

Yesterday’s announcement (12 Jan 2007) that David Beckham is to go and play ‘soccerball’ in the United States’ Major League from next season came with limited surprise to many. Most of all to my football despising girlfriend, “Have you heard about Becks?” I asked as we purveyed the Indian cuisine section of Marks and Spencer’s food hall.

“Yeah, but I could have told you that ages ago!” was her rather overly terse reply.

I chose not to pursue a line of questioning upon her acquisition of information on this matter and merely mused that it appears that my beloved’s ear is a tad closer to the turf that most journalists. Either that or she has been conducting a clandestine relationship with Real Madrid’s sporting director Pedrag Mijatovic.

The subject of England’s former talisman’s future has been the stuff of much discussion over the past few weeks and months, some fancying a return to the Premiership with his boyhood club Tottenham, some rumours even confiding that the Manchester United owning Glazer family may lean upon Sir Alex to let bygones be as they should be and resign Beckham. Other potential Premiership suitors included his native East End with West Ham and the ever chic West Midlands with Aston Villa.

It also became apparent last week that Beckham would continue his tour of Europe by joining one of the two Milanese giants. Internazionale seemed a distinct possibility when their current right winger Luis Figo took the decision to move to Beckham-esque new climes in the rather more tropical Saudi Arabia. However, none of the clubs chasing the former England captain could either match the ‘challenge’ or the wage involved in a move to Los Angeles. If we are to believe the, often excitable, English press this morning, Beckham is set to earn something in the region of £128 million over the term of his five-year deal, a deal which is said to include his, now synonymous, image rights and shares in the club itself.

I have to admit at this juncture that I was a tad disappointed at first that Beckham chose to close out his glittering career stateside, I had hoped that he would have one final hurrah, hopefully with my own beloved Spurs, filling the role that Michael Carrick’s departure has created and bossing our midfield, helping to simultaneously develop the career of (future England midfield general) Tom Huddlestone. In the process I foresaw Becks return to the international fold (after McLaren’s unceremonious sacking for being clearly inept) and a well deserved knighthood.

Alas, as is so often the case with Tottenham, my dreams far outweigh the reality. The whole situation for me does echo of the first time my footballing heart was broken. At the end of the 1991-92 season when Gary Lineker announced he would be joining Nagoya’s Grampus 8 in the new Japanese ‘J’ League I felt similar feelings of loss, but at the time I was too young to appreciate that it was ‘for the best’ in the long run.

Similarly, on evaluation, this is probably the best option possible for Beckham. Firstly, what more should he have to prove to a nation that has, through no fault of his own, endlessly built him up with the anticipation of mocking his shortcomings when they arrive. Why should he and his family continue to be hounded by the vultures of our tabloids? Plus, and surely most importantly of all, Beck’s new best mate Tom Cruise lives in LA so surely the move will allow this burgeoning friendship to further blossom. Which makes me a little sad, whatever will happen to Beckham’s former best friend Gary Neville? I imagine the Hollywood set to be a little out of ‘Mr Consistency’s’ depth.

More of the same please….

Article by David Hardy