England could learn something from the Italians

apart from winning world cups

9 players over 30 tonight - we are far too quick to write people off, Beckham is only about 33 and never had any real pace, his striking of the ball remains the best in the world. Deserves his starting place and provides and effective tactic when subbed off for Wright-Phillips/Lennon on 70 plus minutes.

 

....

 

Agree completely - Beckham has still shown to be one of the best players we have when called upon

Unless a player's game is built on pace they can carry on playing at the top level way past 30

Saying that, I'm sure Sven or the last retard we had tried to tempt Paul Scholes back

 

I'm saying that people not wanting Beckham in the team is a prime example of the English being too keen to write off players as too old when in fact they are still perfectly able to play effectively, the Italians are willing to start 9 over 30s and won the world cup with a similar average age

 

I don't think it's got owt to do with age. I think most people are just sick of Beckham being involved purely for his name.

He has never been world class, he can cross and that's about it. His free kicks are possibly the worst around. 9 out of 10 go horribly wrong. He's always been a squad player at best.

 

He's always been a squad player at best

Dont talk daft

 

"He has never been world class, he can cross and that's about it. His free kicks are possibly the worst around. 9 out of 10 go horribly wrong. He's always been a squad player at best."

The mind boggles

Please explain how he has managed to win over 100 caps

 

Brace yourself!

Squad player?

 

Real Madrid don't make squad players the highest paid player on the planet

which he was upon signing I believe

 

What have i just said? He gets played for his name.

Name me one quality he has above anyone else? Gerrards a better crosser, Gerrard takes a better free kick. So why exactly do we need him in the team? The answer is, we dont. Get Lennon in there!!!

 

Let's have a think...

To start with there's crossing - as you said yourself, still one of the best in the world (apart from Disco v Liverpool and Chelsea)

Then there's free kicks - been brilliant over the years,

Captaincy - he played Greece on his own a few years ago and got us through with a last minute free kick.

If it is true that he only gets picked because of his name, then how did he get his name? He may have dropped off in the last couple of years but over his career he has been a great player.

Of course you can have your opinion but you are being very harsh.

 

And the Dutch pace is killing them! nt

 

clrealy you know somewhere between nothing and f*ckall about football nt

nt

 

And your obviously someone who follows the crowd and decides he's great because of

the amount of shirts sold with his name on. He's not a footballer, he's a brand. Without the brand, he'd have been playing for Everton or someone similar. Real Madrid admitted they only signed him for commercial reasons.

 

be fair...

He was world class for Man United.

 

Now we are into marketing

A "brand" is something that is established by customers showing several years of satisfaction with a product. You are right, David Beckham IS a brand - the question is, how did he get to become a brand in the first place?

Squad players who can't take free kicks are unlikely to become "brands" in the sense that you mean.

 

How did he build this brand?

Also I can almost see how a club team would sign him to sell shirts but that doesnt explain how he has got 100+ England caps

 

go on then tell me a player who takes a better freekick or puts in a better cross

and no Gerrard doesnt. He has a lot of skills but he isnt better than Beckham at either of those things

In fact who has been a better right midfielder than Beckham in the last 10 years

 

By shagging one of the Spice Girls.

Brand Beckham was built round that. Its development had got next to f**k all to do with football.

 

On that basis Robbie Williams should have been up front for England 100 times

Good looking, bit of charisma, banged a few fit birds in his time including a spice girl