Becks for Good: Golden Balls or a load of Bollocks?

By Matthew Handley

Proposition: Matt Handley wants to see David Beckham in Team GB this summer

Let’s be honest: no one in Britain really cares about the Olympics’ football, as demonstrated by the slow ticket sales and general apathy that surround the contest. A match between the youth players Premier League clubs don’t want for the start of the season and the United Arab Emirates will struggle to excite even the most committed fanatics, whilst Brazil vs. New Zealand will essentially be Neymar and Ganso ramping up their international goal-scoring stats before their inevitable moves to Barcelona or Real Madrid. 

Given the summer already contains the European Championships and the fact that English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish fans have been cultivated to despise one another, the prospect of Team GB attracting any sort of crowd is thin. However, there is one potential saving grace; David Beckham. Each side is allowed a quota of three players over the age of 23 in the squad, and one of those places should unquestionably be allocated to Goldenballs. 

There are a few key reasons for this; first it is rewarding a player who has done an immense service to football in Britain, participating in the ultimately doomed bid to host the 2018 World Cup, but also being involved as an ambassador in the team that brought the Olympics to these here shores. What’s more this is Beckham’s last chance to play in an international tournament; at the age of 37, Becks has been past his peak for quite some time, but it seems fitting to allow him one more chance to shine on a global stage. Whilst it’s not the Euros, there is, nonetheless, a certain irresistible romance to the idea of the East End boy turned global megastar return to his roots to guide an all-British team to Olympic glory.  This is a romance that will also, crucially, get bums on seats; half-empty stadiums would be an embarrassment for the entire competition, something that the marquee draw of Beckham could help prevent.

And even whilst conceding that Beckham isn’t the player he used to be, he could still play a role of immense importance within any potential squad. Given that the team will be primarily made up of young players who have never played international tournament football, his leadership experience could prove vital. He’s also still a bit tasty on the pitch, scoring from his own half last season, and playing a vital role in guiding LA Galaxy to the MLS Cup (a tournament of an increasingly high standard).

Beckham’s involvement would add a touch of glamour and class to what, at the moment, has the potential to be an incredibly drab tournament. His inclusion is a no-brainer.

Rebuttal: Tom Ough argues that it’s about time we jumped off the Beckham bandwagon

When Stuart Pearce made his recent trip to the States to watch David Beckham represent LA Galaxy, it was made abundantly clear that stardust could not disguise the decline of the former England captain. Overhit passes, inaccurate free kicks, and a squandered chance to equalize towards the end do not in themselves constitute reason to strike Beckham off the 80-man provisional list for Team GB, but they are symptomatic of the fading powers of a man well past his peak. The glory days have passed, with Old Trafford ‘01 and Sapporo ‘02 long since passed in a footballing journey that has taken Beckham to Manchester, Madrid, Milan, and now mediocrity.

Most arguments in favour of Beckham’s inclusion tend to extol his technical skills to defend his lack of athleticism. Granted, one doesn’t have to be a whippet to whip it in. But this underplays open play; in a tournament in which the majority of the players are under-23s, having a 37-year-old in midfield would put Great Britain at a considerable disadvantage. And let’s not forget that there are other players capable of doing dead ball damage. Jordan Henderson is in the frame for the Olympics and assisted Martin Kelly’s goal for England under-21s with a fine free kick, while Henri Lansbury, another of Brian Eastick’s mainstays, has showed his prowess with dead balls for both England and West Ham. To wheel out Beckham for free kicks and corners would show a patronising lack of faith in players who could be the future of the national team.

This is another important point: the Olympics serve as an international proving ground, an opportunity for valuable tournament experience. Carlos Tevez lit up Athens in 2004 with eight goals, transforming himself from Boca Juniors hopeful to Argentina senior player. This is a platform suited far better to performers like Chelsea’s young playmaker Josh McEachran rather than old-stager Beckham.

It has also been said of Beckham’s potential inclusion that it would secure enormous commercial windfall from shirt sales. This is undeniable, but is hardly representative of the Olympian spirit, while other players, such as the perenially-coiffed Gareth Bale, are capable of flogging sports gear. And to have a member of the team present simply for money-making reasons would be nothing short of an embarrassment, for both Beckham and the nation. Let’s hope that Stuart Pearce gives the place to someone who will be able to make the best of it.

PHOTO// Downing Street

Share/Bookmark