David Beckham; back as a player or an Ambassador?
Arguably the most glamorous English player David Beckham may yet again return to English football in a surprise turn of events. Beckham who started his career with Manchester United and played there with great distinction till 2003 left for Real Madrid in the backdrop of some controversial back room stories. The former England captain missed the World Cup in South Africa due to an Achilles injury, and is currently in USA looking to get fit and play in MLS for LA Galaxy. He was not given a nod by the England manager, Fabio Capello, in the friendly against Hungary but he still has an offer waiting from West Ham United to make his way back to Premier League.
Fabio Capello has openly said that Beckham does not feature in his long term plans for the team. Capello said that David is no longer a young man and after 115 caps he has given all he could to the country.
Capello announced last night that Beckham, who has worn 115 caps, does not feature in his plans as England head into their Euro 2012 qualification campaign. The Italian said that the team needs to be comprised of new talents that can serve the team for longer periods of time.
David Beckham was first contacted by West Ham when the club’s co-chairman David Gold met Beckham’s representative to discuss a loan deal.
Gold said that Beckham playing for West Ham may still be unlikely, but still the club might be interested in attaining his services as a club ambassador as they make the transition into the new London Olympic Stadium.
He added that at the end of last season, they had contacted the former England captain regarding a possible loan move for a few months.
Gold said that unfortunately Beckham is a very busy man and has numerous commitments. He said that even the January transfer window looks unlikely but still they have given Beckham an open offer.
He said that the club believes that there is no doubt about how big a star Beckham is, he is a fantastic ambassador of the game and anything or any club that he endorses becomes extremely popular.
He said that if Beckham acts as an ambassador to the club, it will mean a lot to West Ham and help them make the move to the Olympic Stadium. He said that when he acted as an ambassador for England for the 2012 Olympics and 2018 World Cup the bid was given a big boost by his sole presence.
The West Ham co-chairman said that even when he hangs his boots he will be a great asset for any club, purely because of his stature and popularity. He said, the fact that he belongs from East London does give them extra incentive, but even if he was not from there it would not have made any difference.
Recently Beckham said that after ending his football career, he will not prefer to live in Los Angeles. Following Capello’s statement that Beckham does not feature in his plans, the right winger reiterated that he has not decided to call it a day from international football yet.
Recently in the World Cup in South Africa, England manager Fabio Capello decided to take him on board as a mediator between the players and the management. Capello had said that even though he is not fit to play but he will be a great influence on the team. Such is the charisma of the man that, even when he does decide to call it a day, he will be a very important figure for England football.
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