Ferguson puts the boot into Beckham again
Former Manchester United boss says midfielder thought he was bigger than the manager
A decade after kicking a boot at David Beckham’s head, Alex Ferguson has used his autobiography to criticise the star’s apparent preoccupation with fame.
At Manchester United, Ferguson developed Beckham into one of the world’s most recognisable sportsmen, but the midfielder left United in 2003 for Real Madrid under a cloud after his relationship with the manager broke down.
“David was the only player I managed who chose to be famous, who made it his mission to be known outside the game,” Ferguson wrote in his autobiography, which will be released on Thursday. “I felt uncomfortable with the celebrity aspect of his life.”
You cannot have a player taking over the dressing room ... many tried
By moving to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 after four years at Madrid, Ferguson said Beckham “surrendered part of his career”.
In the 2002-03 season, Ferguson had concerns over Beckham’s application level and his “work rate was dropping”.
There was no way back after the February 2003 match against Arsenal. Ferguson was unhappy that Beckham neglected to track back when Arsenal scored its second goal in a 2-0 win.
“As usual, with David at that time, he was dismissive of my criticism,” Ferguson wrote. “It’s possible that he was starting to think he was no longer needed to track back and chase.”
In the dressing room, Ferguson recalls Beckham swearing nearby before the boot flew.