YOUNG 'STARS' SHOULD LOOK BECK TO THE FUTURE
England legend's impressive attitude is the real lesson for youngsters
A YOUTH international with a promising future is approached by his club's reserve team manager and told he is being invited to train with the first team.
A big moment for the 15-year-old.
Just one caveat.
He might want to get a decent haircut. One that says he means business rather than one that says he's trying out for a grunge rock band.
Just a couple of hours later, his agent is on the phone. Complaining, issuing thinly-veiled threats.
The sad thing about that tale is that I didn't doubt its veracity for one single moment.
Cocooned. Sir Alex Ferguson got it spot on when he lamented the culture among some modern-day players.
There are those who believe that culture is embodied by a man who, here in Seattle tonight, could become only the second Englishman to win championships in three different countries.*
David Beckham.
They are wrong.
Today's young players - young English players anyway - may aspire to become a Beckham figure ... they just don't aspire to his sense of responsibility. His attitude.
Look at Robinho. Or Robbie, as Mark Hughes likes to call him.
A supreme talent married to a lousy attitude.
Probably more natural talent than Beckham, certainly destined for less achievement.
He should be knuckling down to the business of justifying the loyalty of Hughes and the Manchester City fans. Instead, he does little to staunch the flow of rumours linking him to Barcelona.
He will be defended by Hughes. Of course he will.
And that is where we lose some sympathy for Ferguson's lament.
Publicly at least, managers continue to indulge and excuse the players. Joey Barton's a good lad really. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't dive, he gets kicked. El Hadji Diouf is misunderstood. Etc, etc.
Because any hint of criticism has them on the blower to agents, lawyers, or whoever is trying to make a few bob out of them.
Beckham has had his fair share of criticism.
Still gets it.
But his response has never been to go whingeing to one of the plethora of advisers available to him.
When he was vilified after France 98, he did not bleat. He used it as motivation.
When England failed at the 2006 World Cup - and quarter-final defeat is a failure - he resigned as captain.
Some saw it as typically melodramatic. Maybe.
But he made the decision because he accepted personal responsibility for that failure.
When Fabio Capello ostracised him during his time at Real Madrid - miffed that Beckham had agreed a deal to go to the States - he could have taken gardening leave. But he didn't - he redoubled his efforts in training, made it impossible for Capello to ignore him, forced his way back into the team and helped Real win La Liga.
Ditto when Steve McClaren made the grandstanding gesture of dropping him.
And ditto when American fans gave him abuse after his first loan move to Milan. He could easily have stayed in Europe. The MLS needs him more than he needs the MLS.
But that would have been shirking his responsibility.
And so this weekend, he is again the centre of attention, on the verge of an achievement that should not be belittled.
The Beckham phenomenon is not to everyone's taste. And there is little doubt that age is diminishing his talent.
His place in Capello's squad should by no means be a given.
And if honesty is defined strictly in Thierry Henry terms, then who is to say Beckham would meet the criteria?
But honesty is also about not making excuses. About hard work. About responsibility. About earning the right to tell your agent to make you more dough.
Qualities that Beckham - for all the circus antics that follow him - has in abundance.
Qualities that, as Sir Alex knows, are sadly lacking in 21st century football.
* Trevor Steven was the first. Marseille, Rangers and Everton - if you're interested.
HENRY NOT THE ONLY CHEAT
BEING proved correct is usually cause to crow. Last week, I said that cheating is not a problem in football... it is a way of life.
Three days later, Thierry Henry provided indisputable proof.
What is desperately depressing is that Henry is a decent guy from a humble background. Only on a football field is he a cheat.
But his main crime was the timing. His despicable act happened to give France a place in the World Cup Finals and so deny Ireland one. But cheating is cheating. Whether it be in the first minute of a Johnstone's Paint Trophy regional quarter-final or the last minute of a World Cup qualifying play-off.
The war against cheats can only be waged effectively by those inside the game. Coaches, managers, players, players' parents even.
It is up to them to shame the individuals involved.
Henry will regret that moment of dishonesty because its consequences were so dramatic. But hundreds are getting away with it every week. And they are as guilty of besmirching the game as Henry.
FAB'S B IN HIS BONNET
LOOKING back at the farce in Doha last weekend, I bet Fabio Capello is raging.
On reflection, it was a lazy, insipid, careless England performance.
But Capello must take a large part of the blame.
He should have made it clear from the outset that it was a game for his fringe players - a B team exercise.
The team could have prepared accordingly. The defence might not have seemed like four blokes introduced to each other in the tunnel.
Instead, the steady trickle of big name drop-outs seemed to sap any sort of interest from those called to action.
Capello has hardly made a wrong move since his appointment. But last Saturday's debacle was a mistake. And his mistake.
BUTTON PRESSED FOR TRUE TEST
WAS Jenson Button pushed or did he jump? Well, it doesn't really matter. To most observers - this one included - it seems crazy for Button to put himself alongside the fastest racer in the sport.
But if, by competing against Lewis Hamilton in the same car, Button is trying to prove he is a great world champion rather than a flukey one, then good luck to him.
CANNY ROG
AHEAD of this week's season-ending Masters tournament in London, Roger Federer took another dig at Andy Murray and his defensive style of play.
Am I alone in believing that Federer is not quite as complete a gentleman as portrayed?
After all, without a mean streak, he wouldn't be the great champion he is.
PLAYED OUT
A TEAM bus stoned, the Thierry Henry shame, knife-throwing, shocking decisions, two requests for games to be replayed.
Welcome to the World Cup play-offs, FIFA-style.
The sudden death situation will inevitably create controversy, desperation, even violence.
This round of games should put an end to the system.
RED MIST
THE Premier League would be a poorer place without Harry Redknapp. But he can get a bit muddled at times. This week, he claimed owners would prefer to give managerial jobs to foreigners.
The last time I counted, there were 15 British managers in the Premier League. Which, considering the percentage of foreign players, is not a bad number.
PRICELESS
HAUGHTILY dismissing any suggestion that Lord's might be commercially branded, the chief executive of the MCC - that most quintessential of English institutions - insisted some things were sacred.
And said it in a strong Australian accent. Priceless.
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Why is it that I get the distinct impression that when the press manage to bring themselves to paise David Beckham, that they are somehow doing it between gritted teeth?This"so called" circus that follow him,that is the press is it not? So if you don't like it,stop doing it! Simples! as for age "diminishing his talent" ,watch what happens when he goes back to AC Milan ,who are curently doing very nicely in the Champions League.Who knows,he might leave them with one or maybe two more titles to his name,in which case if I were in his shoes I would seriously consider finding a way to leave LA Galaxy and getting a contract with AC Milan,after all, why have cotton when you can have silk?
By Rita Cocking.. Posted November 22 2009 at 4:01 PM.