Last Minute Transfers On The Last Day Of The Transfer Window

[smokie36]

And he has stated that he will not get paid but his money will go to some school in France. Now don't get me wrong, it's a great gesture but <deleted> links has he got with France? If he was gonna do that, I'm sure there are plenty of charities in England who would have appreciated the money and he already stated there were interests for him from clubs in the Prem. Also, his wife and kids are going to go to school in London.

No English club wanted the circus.

the whole beckham thing is just cringeworthy. he's 37, he stopped being a footballer about 10 years ago when he chose to become a celebrity brand and still the media fawn all over him.

But some French charity is getting big dosh that could have gone to good use in his home country. You know, that country that he he is supposed to be an ambassador for.

He should have signed for Rangers. Jockstar would have been pleased to see his favourite charity receiving some funds.

Oops....sorry JS....couldn't resist.

[StevieH]

But some French charity is getting big dosh that could have gone to good use in his home country. You know, that country that he he is supposed to be an ambassador for.

75% tax rate for high earners in france these days. a cynic might say that beckham giving his money away might be some kind of financial chicanery.

and ambassador my arse. he's a semi-literate brand-worshipping clothes horse who stopped playing football to marry an airhead pop star and hang out with scientologists in california. does my head in that he's considered to be a good role model, he's everything shallow and vacuous rolled into a grinning, preening ball.

[mrbojangles]

But some French charity is getting big dosh that could have gone to good use in his home country. You know, that country that he he is supposed to be an ambassador for.

75% tax rate for high earners in france these days. a cynic might say that beckham giving his money away might be some kind of financial chicanery.

and ambassador my arse. he's a semi-literate brand-worshipping clothes horse who stopped playing football to marry an airhead pop star and hang out with scientologists in california. does my head in that he's considered to be a good role model, he's everything shallow and vacuous rolled into a grinning, preening ball.

I'm getting the slightest of suspicions that you aren't all that keen on Beckham, stevie

In fairness to him, apart from the sending off he got playing for England against the Argies, he hasn't put a foot wrong with his bahavour during his whole career. He certainly hasn't had a baby with his wifes sister!! And I don't think we can really bash him for having friends who are famous. 100+games for England is also pretty impressive, however, I know that you aren't too keen on England either

[smokie36]

But some French charity is getting big dosh that could have gone to good use in his home country. You know, that country that he he is supposed to be an ambassador for.

75% tax rate for high earners in france these days. a cynic might say that beckham giving his money away might be some kind of financial chicanery.

and ambassador my arse. he's a semi-literate brand-worshipping clothes horse who stopped playing football to marry an airhead pop star and hang out with scientologists in california. does my head in that he's considered to be a good role model, he's everything shallow and vacuous rolled into a grinning, preening ball.

I'm getting the slightest of suspicions that you aren't all that keen on Beckham, stevie

In fairness to him, apart from the sending off he got playing for England against the Argies, he hasn't put a foot wrong with his bahavour during his whole career. He certainly hasn't had a baby with his wifes sister!! And I don't think we can really bash him for having friends who are famous. 100+games for England is also pretty impressive, however, I know that you aren't too keen on England either

He's great with kids....and probably puppies too.

France is a new market for him I guess.....he pretty much saturated the English one....I'm sure Max Clifford would have told him.

Oh no...wait a minute.....!

[StevieH]

I'm getting the slightest of suspicions that you aren't all that keen on Beckham, stevie

In fairness to him, apart from the sending off he got playing for England against the Argies, he hasn't put a foot wrong with his bahavour during his whole career. He certainly hasn't had a baby with his wifes sister!! And I don't think we can really bash him for having friends who are famous. 100+games for England is also pretty impressive, however, I know that you aren't too keen on England either

i can't stand him boj. think he's at the centre of most that's wrong with modern football, all image and style and show over substance. he stopped being a real footballer the minute ferguson booted him out of old trafford, from then on he was a mannequin, a lump of meat signed to sell shirts and merchandise. and he might not have had a baby with his wife's sister but he's had plenty of hushed-up flings along the way. would take giggs' football career a hundred times out of a hundred over beckham's.

'most famous footballer in the world' he's known as. with the emphasis on the fame and sadly not on the football.

[smokie36]

I'm getting the slightest of suspicions that you aren't all that keen on Beckham, stevie

In fairness to him, apart from the sending off he got playing for England against the Argies, he hasn't put a foot wrong with his bahavour during his whole career. He certainly hasn't had a baby with his wifes sister!! And I don't think we can really bash him for having friends who are famous. 100+games for England is also pretty impressive, however, I know that you aren't too keen on England either

i can't stand him boj. think he's at the centre of most that's wrong with modern football, all image and style and show over substance. he stopped being a real footballer the minute ferguson booted him out of old trafford, from then on he was a mannequin, a lump of meat signed to sell shirts and merchandise. and he might not have had a baby with his wife's sister but he's had plenty of hushed-up flings along the way. would take giggs' football career a hundred times out of a hundred over beckham's.

'most famous footballer in the world' he's known as. with the emphasis on the fame and sadly not on the football.

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

[rixalex]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

Yep, and this is why he is still respected on some level by a lot of football fans. Of course all of the off the pitch nonsense and the media circus has devalued his standing in a way, and distracted hugely from his talent, but his talent from his prime is indisputable and what i prefer to focus on, just as with the likes of Best and Gazza, i prefer thinking of them in terms of what they were capable of doing and what they did do, on the football pitch.

[Chicog]

My prediction? He's been hired by the Qataris to promote PSG, and he'll then be paid megabucks to be "International ambassador" for the Qatar World Cup 2022 in an attempt at getting people to take it seriously.

This was the funniest:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/01/peter-odemwingie-west-brom-qpr

Edited February 1, 2013 by Chicog

[StevieH]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

george best was spot on. “He can’t kick with his left foot, he can’t head, he can’t tackle, and he doesn’t score many goals. Apart from that, he’s alright”.

[rixalex]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

Whether a great work ethic or whether a god-given talent, he had something to be admired... actually some might say those who lack the god-given talent deserve more of the admiration.

In my opinion though, great dead ball delivery and pin-point crossing, happens to be one aspect of footballing that can't simply be learnt. Other aspects can. This one... nah, otherwise there would be a lot more David Beckhams about.... scary as that thought may be.

[smokie36]

He seemed to have lost the ability to reach the byline by 25 whick was a bit of a joke I must agree.

[carmine]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

george best was spot on. “He can’t kick with his left foot, he can’t head, he can’t tackle, and he doesn’t score many goals. Apart from that, he’s alright”.

You are absolutely right. fantastic at right side crosses, great free kicks, fantastic marketing product. Thats it. Oh and possibly the most irritating wife there ever was.

[carmine]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

Whether a great work ethic or whether a god-given talent, he had something to be admired... actually some might say those who lack the god-given talent deserve more of the admiration.

In my opinion though, great dead ball delivery and pin-point crossing, happens to be one aspect of footballing that can't simply be learnt. Other aspects can. This one... nah, otherwise there would be a lot more David Beckhams about.... scary as that thought may be.

If were talking about work ethic to be admired then i have to say that Gary Neville is a standout. He knew his ability was limited and he needed to work at his game double hard and thats what he did. He knew his career was going to be all down to hard work.

Then i think of the likes of Bentley and Downing. talented and total and utter wastes of space

[StevieH]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

Whether a great work ethic or whether a god-given talent, he had something to be admired... actually some might say those who lack the god-given talent deserve more of the admiration.

In my opinion though, great dead ball delivery and pin-point crossing, happens to be one aspect of footballing that can't simply be learnt. Other aspects can. This one... nah, otherwise there would be a lot more David Beckhams about.... scary as that thought may be.

hardworkers have their place of course. kevin keegan didn't have much natural talent really but made a hell of a career out of it. but give me genius every time.

[rixalex]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

Whether a great work ethic or whether a god-given talent, he had something to be admired... actually some might say those who lack the god-given talent deserve more of the admiration.

In my opinion though, great dead ball delivery and pin-point crossing, happens to be one aspect of footballing that can't simply be learnt. Other aspects can. This one... nah, otherwise there would be a lot more David Beckhams about.... scary as that thought may be.

If were talking about work ethic to be admired then i have to say that Gary Neville is a standout. He knew his ability was limited and he needed to work at his game double hard and thats what he did. He knew his career was going to be all down to hard work.

Then i think of the likes of Bentley and Downing. talented and total and utter wastes of space

Quite so.

Now with defending, I do think that a lot of the skills required to do it well, can be learnt. Not all of course, but quite a few of the attributes. It's less of an "art form" than other skills. That is not to say it's not just as hard to perfect.

[rixalex]

Made all the worse by his squandering his latter years playing in a mickey mouse league. Best right sided crosser of a ball I have ever seen.

yeah, quite possibly. down to a great work ethic and hours and hours spent honing that skill on the training field. actual gods-given talent? nah, not so much.

Whether a great work ethic or whether a god-given talent, he had something to be admired... actually some might say those who lack the god-given talent deserve more of the admiration.

In my opinion though, great dead ball delivery and pin-point crossing, happens to be one aspect of footballing that can't simply be learnt. Other aspects can. This one... nah, otherwise there would be a lot more David Beckhams about.... scary as that thought may be.

hardworkers have their place of course. kevin keegan didn't have much natural talent really but made a hell of a career out of it. but give me genius every time.

Respecting and admiring is different from who you want in your team or who you would pay money to watch.

Of course we all love watching the geniuses. Some of them though i can't say i particularly respect or admire.

[Chicog]

Every team needs a grafter. You can't fault Beckham for his work ethic, and he has the trophies to prove it.

What I did laugh at was his own admission that he hasn't got that much pace these days, but it wasn't an issue because he never had much to being with.

Great publicity machine though. Although his missus is a world class pretentious hag.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Chicog

[StevieH]

Quite so.

Now with defending, I do think that a lot of the skills required to do it well, can be learnt. Not all of course, but quite a few of the attributes. It's less of an "art form" than other skills. That is not to say it's not just as hard to perfect.

lot of defending is about drills on the training pitch, knowing what to do when without having to think about it. so it's something that can be improved and refined by sheer practice. i think that's true of free-kicks and dead balls though. sure, beckham had a good right foot and decent technique with it to start with - but the regularity, the consistency comes from hitting thousands of balls on the training pitch.

[carmine]

I agree Rix but i think Paolo Maldini turned it into a bit of an artform. That guy was simply a wonderful defender

[rixalex]

Quite so.

Now with defending, I do think that a lot of the skills required to do it well, can be learnt. Not all of course, but quite a few of the attributes. It's less of an "art form" than other skills. That is not to say it's not just as hard to perfect.

lot of defending is about drills on the training pitch, knowing what to do when without having to think about it. so it's something that can be improved and refined by sheer practice. i think that's true of free-kicks and dead balls though. sure, beckham had a good right foot and decent technique with it to start with - but the regularity, the consistency comes from hitting thousands of balls on the training pitch.

I think what you are talking about is honing of natural ability. As i say, if it was as simple as having a good right foot and hitting thousands of balls on the training pitch, the Premiership would be full of Beckhams... well perhaps not full because too many of them are lazy barstewards, but most teams would have one kicking about. They don't. Nobody has been able to emulate him or his crosses and free kicks since he left. There's a reason for that.

[rixalex]

I agree Rix but i think Paolo Maldini turned it into a bit of an artform. That guy was simply a wonderful defender

Agreed. When it comes to timing - a massive part of the defending skill set - there is an art form to that, and he had it in spades.

[jellydog]

A Yank's perspective on Beckham-great right foot, great propaganda/media machine, semi-ugly wife (<deleted>?). I always figured the truth about Beckham was somewhere between those that clearly had an irrational loathing of the guy, and those that fell all over themselves for him. Basically, he has always struck me as a decent guy who lucked into his worldwide appeal, and then played it all very, very well. He must have tremendously astute handlers.

Any question of talent aside, Give me 10 Beckhams for every Balotelli.