David Beckham: ‘Players were to blame for World Cup flop’
In the aftermath of England’s dismal World Cup campaign, there were calls from some for former England captain David Beckham to take over from Fabio Capello.
A knee-jerk reaction if ever there was one. Fortunately for those logical-thinking England supporters, Beckham stated during an in-depth interview yesterday that he has no intentions of becoming a football manager. Speaking about a wide range of issues, the LA Galaxy star also revealed his plans to play in the 2012 Olympic Games, and possibly even the 2014 World Cup; and also said that the players were to blame for England’s failure – not Capello.
It was refreshing to hear such honesty – although Beckham was, of course, not actually part of England’s 23-man squad at the tournament. Beckham was still in South Africa in what vaguely resembled a coaching role, though, and said that everything was in place for the players to perform, and that they must look at themselves first before pinning the blame elsewhere.
"The players are to blame," Beckham said. "Without a doubt it was the right decision for him [Capello] to keep his job.
"When the players step on that field it is up to them to perform. Speaking to the lads, and knowing them as well as I do, they know they didn't play and perform well enough. That is why we didn't go any further in the competition.
"Everything was set up for us, the preparation was right and everything the manager and his staff did was right. Behind the scenes everything in the camp was perfect. We just didn't perform."
It’s hard not to agree with him. The inquest into England’s failure found that the players will have to take responsibility, which is why Capello will take charge of the national team’s Euro 2012 qualification campaign.
As a man with a vast amount of experience and a passion for the sport, management might have seemed the likely destination for Beckham. But he quashed any rumours yesterday by saying that his interests in the game lie elsewhere.
"Management is not something I am passionate about and it is not something I have thought about," Beckham said.
"I love coaching kids, people know I love coaching kids, but being a manager - no. I have other interests that I want to fulfil before anything else. "
Bitterly disappointed to have missed out on England’s most recent World Cup campaign, Beckham admitted that he still harbours aspirations of playing for his beloved national team in future years – including the forthcoming Olympics – as part of a Great Britain team - and even the next World Cup in four years time.
By then, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man will be 39-year-old, surely too old to even think about the possibility of playing in Brazil?
Not for Beckham, who has never allowed his fitness levels to slip throughout his 17-year professional career. When asked for his ideal last game as a professional, the winger said, "In Brazil, for England in 2014, in the World Cup Final when I’m 39. I’ll set one up then score the winner in the last minute. Doesn’t get better than that."
It would be foolish to dismiss the possibility entirely, along with the idea of Beckham eventually becoming England manager one day in the future.
But for now, it seems that Beckham’s main aim – as it always has been – is to remain in contention for a place in the England squad, in a bid to help the national team recover from this latest humiliating World Cup campaign.
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