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Beckham bedeviled Man U star allows temper to overshadow talent
Posted: Friday January 07, 2000 11:35 AM
David Beckham has been gifted with the right foot of the footballing gods... but an occasional on-field temper hand-delivered by the very devil himself. The Manchester United maestro saw red again in his team's opening Club World Championship game in the famous Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, just as he did on the world stage in England colors in 1998. A dangerously high challenge left the referee in no doubt that Beckham had to be dismissed against Mexican underdog Necaxa. United was already a goal down at that stage and it left them chasing the game in uncomfortable heat with just 10 men throughout the second half. The defending European and English champions salvaged a one-all draw with a show of superior skill and no small amount of spirit. The parallels to Beckham's red card against Argentina in the World Cup final of two summers ago are uncanny. His England colleagues also had to survive a whole half without him (not to mention extra time) and also escaped with a draw -- only to lose a penalty shootout. It came in the summer heat of France, with a global audience tuned in. And there was an Argentine element on each occasion -- first the team, now the referee. But most of all, both incidents smacked of youthful petulance... idiotic immaturity. Against Argentina, he kicked out at Diego Simeone after a bruising challenge from his midfield rival. Simeone was the antagonizer, but Beckham's retaliation was delivered while the referee had a front row seat -- foolish beyond belief. Simeone's actions were to be despised but, as it transpired, Beckham's even more so.
English supporters blamed him for their ultimate defeat, and he was unceremoniously and venomously jeered at every away ground in the land when he returned to pull on the red of United. He was already a target for the boo boys -- the looks of a pin-up, the fleet of fast cars, a famous girlfriend in "Posh Spice" Victoria Adams saw to that. His fame has continued to grow. Marriage to Posh and the birth of their first child, an unprecedented treble with Manchester United -- including their first European Cup in 31 years -- and recognition in European and World Footballer of the Year polls have taken care of that. Almost his every move is documented. The British tabloid press hounds the glamorous couple, and some have even suggested they're the new Charles and Di -- akin to Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, in their heyday. And now this. A rash tackle. Another red card. A guaranteed front page frenzy in Britain. A crescendo of jeers on his soccer travels. It is one thing to be pushed to breaking point off the pitch, which is what he claimed when banned from driving in England late last year. The appeals judge overturned the initial suspension when Beckham explained he was speeding in his Ferrari only to escape a chasing paparazzi photographer. But to crack on the pitch cannot be an option for one of the most idolized players in world football. And yet he does it all too often. He was caught in the World Cup. He was caught in the Club World Championship. Heaven knows how many times he's escaped by the skin of his teeth in between. There are many occasions when he's been very lucky to escape punishment because the television cameras and not the referee spotted him in mid-rage. That spark is part of his nature. It has been from the early days at United. Thankfully for the Old Trafford club, his sublime skill has more often shone through as United has achieved remarkable success.
But when the bad streak in Beckham shows itself, boy is it ugly. The look on his face as he went studs-first into his Mexican opponent was not one of a player simply going for the ball, but of a man intent on inflicting pain on a rival. He makes the newspapers every day in Britain. There's talk of him spending more time in London than Manchester, that his wife wants him to play for a London club when his contract expires. That he's top heavy with commercial ventures. He's even been accused of courting the publicity... of loving the limelight. So far, Beckham hasn't let his off-the-field activity interfere with his on-pitch commitment. Quite the opposite. He's been tenacious in United's cause. But the tenacity boils all-too-easily into ferocity. And one has to wonder how much life under the tabloid microscope is responsible for his violent outbursts. Beckham's reputation for having a flashpoint is now established. Referees are aware of it, so too rival defenders. The cards will fly if the goading works. Only he has the power to control the situation and determine whether the god-given talents are talked about more than the devilish moments of madness.
Phil Jones is a co-host of "World Sport," the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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