Issue No.589
Sports
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6 - 12 June 2002 Issue No.589 Sports |
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Beckham, a man transformed
From a cause of loss in France to England's captain in Korea and Japan, David Beckham is a man transformed
After being away from the pitch for six weeks, England's skipper David Beckham recently revealed that he was so concerned for his safety four years ago that he almost quit soccer.
Beckham was made a scapegoat and became a figure of hate for many fans after he was sent off during England's second round defeat at the hands of Argentina in the 1998 World Cup in France. Now he is a man transformed -- seen as an iconic figure in the Far East and an inspirational figure back home.
However, as tomorrow's rematch with Argentina hovers, Beckham recalled the extreme pain of his nightmare four years ago following his red card in St Etienne. He said how he considered not only playing abroad but even giving up the game after he was "haunted" by his treatment. He feared not only for his safety but also for that of his family who felt the brunt of the criticism against him. Winning over England fans was his hardest task, but he owes a debt to Alex Ferguson and Tony Adams for their support. He never doubted his own ability and would be "lost" without soccer.
"There were times when I could have walked away from the game," Beckham admitted. "Football is what I love doing, though. Of course, the most important things to me are my family but without my football, I'm a lost man. I've been lost for the past seven weeks as I haven't been able to do anything."
Now fit again after breaking his foot in a Champions League match in April, Beckham is determined to make the most of his reprieve and put the memories of St Etienne firmly behind him. Against Sweden on Sunday, Beckham led out his team in its World Cup opener in what he described as his "proudest moment in football". His pinpoint 24th minute corner to burly defender Sol Campell gave England a 1-0 lead before Sweden equalised in the second.
"Probably not in my wildest dreams did I believe that I could get back to this level again. I always believed in it myself but I had to prove it to everyone else," he said.
"It has changed me as a person and a footballer. Maybe if that hadn't happened -- and of course I'd rather it didn't -- I might not be in this situation now."
The lowest point was the way his family suffered after he was subjected to constant abuse. "Did I fear for my safety? Yes, at times. There were so many threats coming through, not just to me but to my family. That was hard," added Beckham.
"It was a horrible time for not just me but for my mum, dad, nan and granddad as well.
"That was probably the most upsetting part for me -- that they were going through more of it at the start than I was.
"Of course, playing abroad went through my mind. I was just a 23-year-old boy wanting to play football for a team that I loved and people were telling me that I wouldn't be able to go to certain grounds.
"But you can either go home and cry, which I felt like doing at times, or you can come out fighting.
"I had the people around me that made me come out and fight to prove that I deserved to be out there no matter what was being said."
And so the "amazing turnaround" in Beckham's fortunes started, with the real turning point being his elevation to the England captaincy followed by a series of match-winning displays. Only then were the fans, who had mercilessly given him such a hard time as a Manchester United player married to a famous pop star, truly won over.
"I knew that I had the ability to get back into any squad and that's what got me through it but, of course, I had to overcome the supporters," said Beckham.
"That was the big part. It was not that long ago that United players used to get stick at Wembley. That was hard.
"The England captaincy helped me though. Some people were saying 'I can't believe Beckham's captain. Only a few years ago he knocked us out of the World Cup.'
"So I had to overcome those people. But Anfield was the point where I look back at 40,000 or 50,000 fans singing, 'There's only one David Beckham.'
"That was coming from the Kop. It was amazing."
That happened in February last year. Since then, Beckham's free-kick equaliser against Greece ensured England made it to the World Cup finals.
He still recalls the debt which he owes Adams and Ferguson amid the trauma of four years ago. Having blankly watched England knocked out by Argentina on penalties from the tunnel, Beckham was left sitting morosely on his own as the rest of the team returned to the dressing room.
"I just needed someone to come up and put their arm around me and say, 'It's not your fault,'" he recalled.
"That man was Tony Adams. It was his last World Cup but I'll always thank him for taking the time to do that.
"One of the first people to call after that was Alex Ferguson. He just said, 'Don't worry son, get yourself back to Manchester, to the people who love you and you'll be fine.'"
Beckham basks in the glory after England scored against Sweden
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