Criminally snubbed for the Ballon D'Or.
David Beckham the player
- Thread starter Mr.Ridiculous__
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
So it was a friendly charity match, long time ago, I didn't realise I had to post for your pickiness. Had I googled it I would probably have gotten it correct. I just remember the banter when sporty walked onto the pitch and banter from the Leeds fans when Bestie walked out. But either way I was there. You may wish to find out and verify who the half time guests were. Actually spoke to Becks outside the stadium on that day as well.See you've gone away and spent some time googling? Try harder, it was a charity game. Surprised you don't know that.... being as you were there?
And trying to ignore your comments about him being "superb pre Posh" (because it's garbage) and focus on her/her impact by quoting SAF'S book and making smart arse comments like "I suppose you know him better than Sir Alex".
Surprised you say you were at that game as it's 20 years ago and you sound 12.
He was a superb player in 97 (bit I googled 49 appearance and 12 goals the season prior for United), hadn't reached his peak but he was indeed a superb player. Your opinion differs, well that's your point on view. I must appologise that you sounded like someone who had a deep insight into Becks and how his relationship affected him. I just gave how I saw things and the perspective of Sir Alex as a counter argument. But as I'm 12 I should have known better. As for being a Mel B or whatever band you were wittering on about, no!
Anyways moving on. Bye
Scholes was better at long range passing for me. He was even more accurate and not as lofty. On the other hand, Beckham was the best crosser of the ball I have ever seen.
Damn that was one talented team. Giggs on the left who could run with the ball at such speed and control, Scholes and Keane in midfield... Those were the days. Most importantly, they were committed. Even if Becks had other commitments, football had first priority.
Bye. Don't write.Some really surprising opinions on here. Beckham May not be one of the footballing greats but he was no doubt a great footballer.
Massively intelligent and cultured player. Knew his limitations but worked and practiced on his strengths until they were a real weapon.
To those that are saying he wouldn’t make it work in the modern game. Why? Each game we watch Ashley Young trying to hit crosses and corners, if that was Beckham ... well, Lukaku and Rashford would be doing much better that’s for sure.
Massively intelligent and cultured player. Knew his limitations but worked and practiced on his strengths until they were a real weapon.
To those that are saying he wouldn’t make it work in the modern game. Why? Each game we watch Ashley Young trying to hit crosses and corners, if that was Beckham ... well, Lukaku and Rashford would be doing much better that’s for sure.
It really was. I well remember when United midfield used to steamroller the opposition players and dominate games.
One of the main reasons why we were so good was that we were able to stretch the opposition with the width we has.
Nowadays we are so narrow it is pretty easy to defend against us.
Beckham was absolutely unbelievably good. Lots of comments about him being 'underrated' but I think that's more down to him moving out of England in his 'prime'
He's a perfect symbol of Manchester United becoming biggest global entity in and outside football. Perfect ambassador material for football as a whole. Sir Alex should never let him go but we know he had his reasons.
Was he underrated ? Galacticos wanted him, he almost reinvented free kick taking on his own and in the same time gave Robero Carlos solid run for his money. Best player in the world in the late 90's according to Franz Beckenbauer.
Was he underrated ? Galacticos wanted him, he almost reinvented free kick taking on his own and in the same time gave Robero Carlos solid run for his money. Best player in the world in the late 90's according to Franz Beckenbauer.
Did he really say that?! Jaysus. Becks was a decent player but I don’t think he’s ever been the best player in his own team, never mind the world.
EDIT: Apart from, maybe, Ingerland?
We were lucky to have 2 different types of 'wingers'. Giggs is full of trickery dribbling but his crosses are average to say the least. Beckham cant dribble but you just can't mark him out of the game because he just need a minimal space to whip in his famous sumptuous laser-guide cross. His dead ball delivery is one of the best ever.
Still remembered the 1999 final, we had Keane and Scholes suspended. But I still believe we can win because we have Beckham. If it was Beckham and Keane or Scholes suspended, we would have struggled. That is how good I rank him personally.
Still remembered the 1999 final, we had Keane and Scholes suspended. But I still believe we can win because we have Beckham. If it was Beckham and Keane or Scholes suspended, we would have struggled. That is how good I rank him personally.
We appreciated Becks when he was at United although in his last two seasons especially there were signs his head had been turned - it was inevitable given that when he became a couple with Victoria he focused on becoming a brand with her and often embarked on private promotional tours that were more public displays.
I don't think it affected his football at all - he always was a magnificent passer who worked endlessly on the pitch. Becks was Mr Reliable. It didn't matter that his pace was suspect - he made the ball do the work. For someone with his model looks and preoccupation with self-promotion off the pitch he was simply an ace on it. His vision was amazing and he was so unselfish but of course scored many cracking goals.
In his own way he had the Keano drive to win. I always felt reassured when Becks lined up for the team. Although he didn't score any goals that night of the 1999 European Cup win, as usual he was composed and continually driving the team forward, probing for openings, threading the needle and focused on creating opportunities.
All of this is why some of us were so disappointed with his grandstanding the last two seasons. He had fallen out with Sir Alex and with his full approval his agent was telling Real Madrid that he wanted to be courted. In his ghostwritten autobiography My Side he claimed otherwise but sounded unconvincing - for example saying United were pushing him out when in fact they had offered him a new, richer contract.
He tried to wriggle out of his moves to leave by saying United had 'stuck' the contract 'under' his 'nose' saying sign it but that was a transparent attempt to pretend he had little choice but to sign for Real Madrid. Rightly he lost some respect from United fans and others. At Real the self-promotional nonsense continued such as a video of him sleeping being displayed in an art gallery.
As his foul mouth when he didn't get listed for Buckingham Palace honours shows, Beckham is not quite the person his PR proclaims. He has the money to employ good fixers like all big stars and celebrities in sports and entertainment. Despite the PR overdrive there are indications he is no different from most of them with their public façade of virtue and private lives that differ from the all the virtue signaling. He wanted to be a brand and he succeeded but it has tended to diminish his outstanding football skills.
I must have missed something about Paul Scholes and the thug. Please explain..........
Fyi @ryansgirl I met Becks a few times back in the day (Royales back bar), was an absolutely lovely bloke.
I personally think he was a great one, but to each their own.
Beckham's 98/99 season was greatness personified. In my opinion he was our best player in the club's best ever season with Keane, Yorke and Stam just behind. He was the best player in the world that year.
In my lifetime, only Ronaldo's 07/08 season trumps that for me, and we've had some extraordinary players play for us so it says a lot.
Beckham showed less loyalty to the club than Giggs and Scholes.
But he was also the non-manc and had played for another club already (Preston on loan).
No disrespect at all to Giggs and Scholes who (post 2003) achieved more than Beckham, but when Beckham left he was the only one of the Class of 93 who's star was still rising.
Giggs was turning 30 and losing pace. Some thought retirement might not be far off. Scholes was 29 and retired from England a year after Beckham left.
Beckham didn't rely on pace. He was 2 years younger than Giggs. I don't blame Becks for leaving. Water under the bridge.
Get him on a plane.
But he was also the non-manc and had played for another club already (Preston on loan).
No disrespect at all to Giggs and Scholes who (post 2003) achieved more than Beckham, but when Beckham left he was the only one of the Class of 93 who's star was still rising.
Giggs was turning 30 and losing pace. Some thought retirement might not be far off. Scholes was 29 and retired from England a year after Beckham left.
Beckham didn't rely on pace. He was 2 years younger than Giggs. I don't blame Becks for leaving. Water under the bridge.
Get him on a plane.
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Couldn’t agree more.
That goal vs. Spurs was just so typical of Becks that season, always delivered when we needed him.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/1058953.stm
Surely Zidane was on top back then but still some qualities were definitely on the side of Becks.
He was runner up for the Ballon d'Or in 1999 wasn't he. Should anyone have got there ahead of Becks? Keane made the shortlist too.
Who was the best United player in 1999?
Keane consecutively got the Busby award... we had a real captain back then. Game vs Juve was hard to top.
However Beckham for providing two historic crosses to Teddy and Ole. Goal vs Spurs was just as important among many great moments.
I could say they chose who's more pleasant to the eye but Keane was appreciated greatly in the club.
He did shag around on his missus.
And took the two corners we scored from
Giggs, Scholes or Keane. Take your pick. Beckham was a level below all three of them.
In 99? Scholes was not even a guaranteed starter back then.
I don't believe you actually watched United in 1999 if that's your opinion.
I’m absolutely amazed Pogue just threw Giggs and Scholes in there from 99. Madness.
Scholes as mentioned above wasn’t even a guaranteed starter back then.
The thing about the final is thAt it wasn't just his two corners in which we scored from - he was the one constantly driving us forwards at 1-0 down despite being out of position.
His performance in the final was as good as Keane's against Juve for me. He was a real leader that night in Keane's absence.
His performance in the final was as good as Keane's against Juve for me. He was a real leader that night in Keane's absence.
Trying to imagine Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt or Ryan Giggs wearing a sarong and/or an Alice band.....
That goal, his goal vs Arsenal in the semi, his final performance. He was pivotal in our end of season key games. Well, he was all season, but he really stepped it up when it mattered most.
I’m not talking about performances over that one season though. I’m naming people that were in the same team as Beckham in 99’ that were better footballers than him. Form can wax and wane from season to season, so it’s a bit silly to name a “best” player because of performances in a single season.
To be honest, I’m surprised that anyone would have him as a better player than the three names I mentioned. I could have thrown Stam’s name in the mix too.
Not sure about that but he did come to the fore late on.
Because they realized next to no body still knows how to cross a ball properly. That is KDB's crossing for example. Is overrated
Not true at all. Only Scholes was better
In the sense that - against the odds - neither gave up and drove the team on as leaders, they're pretty neck and neck for me.
To be fair Giggs didn't deserve his PFA award at all.
C'mon, we've all done pictures like that before, and instantly regretted it when we were sober....Giggs?
This Giggs?
They're not showing we're in touch with our feminine side though are they?
I seem to remember more MOTM performances from Becks for United from 1999-2003 than from Scholes.
Keane had the biggest most important one though.
Giggs was beginning to slow, and I don't remember hima clearly at his "fast peak" 1996-1999 so
Is there a list of MOTM winners?
Keane had the biggest most important one though.
Giggs was beginning to slow, and I don't remember hima clearly at his "fast peak" 1996-1999 so
Is there a list of MOTM winners?
seems to be more tactial though nowadays doesn't it? Its about keeping possession and inverted wingers. 4 4 2 and flying wingers seems to be a more simpler time
I don't understand why we play so narrow, tbf. Hopefully, Solskjær will bring wide players and fullbacks to the team that can keep width and create space. It actually worked for a while with Young on the right staying high and wide.