[Archived] Beckham retiring

[Tom]

Looking back it was a bit of a churlish point to make we all know what happened it was pointless bringing it into it

Ignore me

[Rover_Shaun]

If it means we never see or hear of him again then bring it on. A shining example of the modern games style (and not on the pitch) over substance. Fully agree with the late George Best's shrewed evaluation

[Batman.]

I'll go with Messieurs Ferguson, Capello, Ancellotti, Eriksson et al over a raging alcoholic waster.

[Rover_Shaun]

I'll go with Messieurs Ferguson, Capello, Ancellotti, Eriksson et al over a raging alcoholic waster.

Don't be too harsh on yourself

Football is all about opinions and wrong one's like yours are valid too

[Waggy76]

A very good footballer who always gave his best but that is all like Owen and Fowler hasn't played seriously for years ...

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Your reaction now Tom is every bit as embarrassing as it was then. If England had beaten Argentina you'd then have had to beat Holland, Brazil and France. There's absolutely no chance. I guess the Lampard "over the line" incident cost you the 2010 World Cup too?

Only once has a refereeing decision ever had a direct impact on England winning the World Cup - and it went in your favour.

You're forgetting the fact that Ronaldinho didn't mean it and how Ronaldo got Rooney sent off.

I'd say Beckham was a tad underrated in that people can forget how good he was due to all the other things that surrounded his career. Even AC Milan fans really rated him after he "retired".

He might not have been the best "all-round" player but I don't hold much weight to that. He had an excellent range of passing and was that good at crossing that it didn't matter. Nobody plays for Milan, United and Madrid, three of the biggest clubs in the world, because they're good-looking.

[mode_m]

I always thought he was a great winger. Didn't matter who the striker was he could place the ball right on their head/foot from a distance and score from set pieces with ease.

I guess this means Venky's will not be bringing him to Ewood next season?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=F6QyPrwDwko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJGxF6Y9M_w

[Batman.]

Don't be too harsh on yourself

Football is all about opinions and wrong one's like yours are valid too

Good argument, well done.

[Majiball]

He might not have been the best "all-round" player but I don't hold much weight to that. He had an excellent range of passing and was that good at crossing that it didn't matter. Nobody plays for Milan, United and Madrid, three of the biggest clubs in the world, because they're good-looking.

4 titles in 4 different countries and all by a lad who can't dribble, can't head the ball, can't tackle and hasn't got a left foot.

Never seen that assist for the fat gopher before, sublime.

[adopted scouser]

I'll go with Messieurs Ferguson, Capello, Ancellotti, Eriksson et al over a raging alcoholic waster.

Agreed, great tribute from Alan in the paper this morning, the guy is a great Dad, polite bloke and a great sportsman. Unlike Rooney, Ferdinand, wife beater Collymore and the walking abortion that is John Terry

[RevidgeBlue]

I was rushing out when I pulled up the George Best quote yesterday which I enjoyed but it's probably a bit churlish in isolation.

The fact that he wasn't the most technically gifted player ever probably make his accomplishments all the more laudable.

I hated him when he was a young player at United, I thought he was very nasty and petulant on the pitch (moulded in the image of his manager?) but as he's got older my view on him has mellowed as he has matured with fatherhood etc. and he seems to have turned into a genuinely nice bloke.

I really don't like all the carefully planned and rather cynical "Brand Beckham" stuff but it's a matter of personal taste I guess and there's little doubting he is an icon of our times. Great parallels with Kevin Keegan 30 years before who like Beckham had limited natural ability but through sheer hard work and graft transformed himself into our best player and who became the first footballing "superstar" making TV commercials with Henry Cooper and the like..

If I could be picky Beckham had a great Club career but at international level didn't reproduce his Club form in an England shirt often enough imo. We all remember that astonishing individual performance against Greece, but in common with the rest of the "golden generation" he couldn't really deliver when we got to the business end of tournaments.

Nevertheless he looked after himself well and had a great and veryb lengthy career overall and is a superb role model for kids as AS said.

[AspRover]

He was the best at what he did. I've never seen a better first time crosser of the ball, he could glance up and put the ball onto a strikers boot with his first touch nine times out of ten. I tend to think that the main reason that he gets criticised is that people expected him to do everything. So he had no left foot - his right one was pretty damn good, he didn't score enough goals - but he set up plenty, he couldn't dribble - that wasn't his game, he found space and picked the cross.

It's kind of like saying that Brad Friedel was useless because he never dribbled past a defender; it doesn't have any relevence to the job he had to do on the pitch.

[colin]

Not the most talented player and always thought he was over-rated but he always gave 100 per cent and he will always be remembered for the his performance in the World Cup qualifier against Greece in 2001 when he played the Greeks on his own while his team-mates went into hiding owing to the pressure of the occasion. One of the best individual performances I have ever seen.

Too true Jim,

I remember watching that game and revising my opinion of him as a media brat. He carried the England team that day.

And if anyone wants to buy anything just because it's got his name on it then more fool them and good for him.

Although I really did enjoy Jay McEverly sending him into the advertising hoardings at the Riverside . Probably the best bit of the game actually.

[Jock]

Too true Jim,

I remember watching that game and revising my opinion of him as a media brat. He carried the England team that day.

And if anyone wants to buy anything just because it's got his name on it then more fool them and good for him.

Although I really did enjoy Jay McEverly sending him into the advertising hoardings at the Riverside . Probably the best bit of the game actually.

I tried some Beckham aftershave one night, didnt get to do a posh girl up the ' the wrong 'un ' just had a Gary Neville lookalike following me all night

[M-K]

I can't agree he was world class. He could cross and take a free kick. Other than that it's all PR propaganda.

The propaganda is that he was overrated. You hardly ever hear anyone say he was an amazing player, despite all the games for Man Utd, Real Madrid and England, but there are plenty of people who'll say he wasn't very talented, he just worked hard and marketed himself well.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

He was a decent player but if he looked like Paul Scholes I doubt he would get anywhere near as much attention. 4 league trophies in 4 different countries is impressive although one was the USA and he only joined PSG in March. Can't knock the guy but he was not world class. At the top of his game he still falls below Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Chris Waddle spot on for me with his summary of Beckham:

"I would say he has been a good player, I wouldn't put him down as a great."

[Sparky Marky]

Chris Waddle spot on for me with his summary of Beckham:"I would say he has been a good player, I wouldn't put him down as a great."

Waddle also said of Beckham in the same interview.."he is not in the top 1000 players of the last 30 years"

[DE.]

Chris Waddle spot on for me with his summary of Beckham:

"I would say he has been a good player, I wouldn't put him down as a great."

At least Beckham can take a decent penalty at a world cup.

[RoyRover]

He was a good, hard working player, who made the most of what he had. Was he a great player? No. Was he a very good player, who gave everything he had and inspire others around him? Yes.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

On one of the newspaper articles that contained that Chris Waddle interview, someone had commented "This article is more over the top than your penalty at Italia 90" haha.

[Tom]

At least Beckham can take a decent penalty at a world cup.

Just not in the euros

To be fair he made up with it in his Stuart Pearce moment v Argentina was it?

His farewell today was emotional, not sure about all the dodgy hairdos on display but that's all the more fitting for possibly his last match

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Zd4qeByipo

[Guest Norbert]

I wonder where his MLS team will be based? I can't see him in some deep south, inbred, bible bashing area, though Texas and Arizona do have large hispanic populations. They might create another New York or LA team to try and manufacture some city rivalry.

[DE.]

According to the Beeb he's not allowed to open a franchise in NY.