Beckham left out of GB Olympic team

[just]

.... Good!

IMO one of the most over-rated, "look at me, look at me" footballers ever to have kicked a ball.

A good player, who was the proverbial one-trick pony. To his credit he perfected his dead ball technique and his crossing ability through sheer hard work. But limited in so many other areas of the game and never, ever up there with the truly great players of his generation Zidane, Fat Ronaldo, Figo etc.

Much of his "footballing" fame is founded on his media presence and his female fan-base. If he looked like Martin Keown he would have been out of the public consciousness years ago.

Edited June 28, 2012 by just

[Davey Baby]

I rarely disagree with you just but here I do.

Of course Beckham was never up there with Zidane etc, that goes without saying. However he was a damn good player at Utd. For England also, he was often our best player, often the only one who looked comfortable at that level. People bang on about Paul Scholes but they forget he was abysmal for England, whereas Beckham often stood out. He was a very cultured player. He could ping a pass over long distances with unerring accuracy. Not so much defence-splitting balls but balls that could stretch opponents or switch the play. As for his crossing, he was the best. He could put it on a sixpence, with pace and swerve and find a teammate's head. He was a centre-forward's dream. He was also very determined and driven. England have rarely produced a better midfielder.

Sure he's good-looking, but speaking as someone who is similarly afflicted, I can tell you it can often be a curse. Sometimes I just want people to judge me on my posts, you know what I mean.

[blizeH]

Couldn't agree more with Davey, to say Beckham is overrated is just silly (your getting his fame confused with how people perceive his footballing ability) and honestly I think it's pretty f**king appalling he's been snubbed by team GB.

It's unfair to compare him against those players too, Zidane and 'fat' Ronaldo as you put it are two of the most naturally gifted players the game has ever seen, the fact that Beckham achieved what he did through sheer hard work is testament to his character, and as Davey said that determination and work-rate was always evident on the pitch too. As a Chelsea fan, with Lampard who also got to the very top through sheer determination, persistence and hard work I'd have thought we'd all be able to appreciate someone like Beckham.

[Phillip]

I feel bad for Beckham. He should have been on the team.

[Englishman]

Him not being picked is hardly appalling. At 37 and having not played at the highest level for a few years, he'd only have been in because he's David Beckham rather than what he would offer the team. This isn't a few exhibition games, it is actually a serious competition. With him around the whole thing would have been another Beckham circus, like the final part of his England career when it seemed he was only still involved just so he could beat Bobby Moore's appearance record.

[BlueBeard]

Totally agree with Just, Beckham is an over-rated prima-donna. Considering he was supposed to be a world class player, his only skills were taking free-kicks and putting in the occasional good cross. He couldn't tackle, head the ball, or even pass intelligently, if he was an ugly f*cker and played for West Brom (for instance), he'd never have been given a second look as regards the England team.

The Great Britain Olympic Football team should be picked with a view to winning a gold medal, not to accommodate some aging twat who has trouble stringing two sentences together and is playing out his footballing career, badly, for mega-bucks in the US. He was past his best many years ago, and his best wasn't that good anyway - he should just retire and f*ck right off. And don't get me started on his tart of a wife!

[The Moos]

I hope the british team crash and burn.

[AdelaideChelsea]

I watched an old England DVD I have (qualifers for 2002 World Cup) and my word, what a player Beckham was. Didn't see it at the time as I had my ABU glasses on and was too young to appreciate, but he was head and shoulders above the rest.

Would've been worth taking him for set piece delivery alone, and I don't think fitness would be too much of an issue. Michah Richards is a waste of an overage sport to be honest. If you weren't going to take Beckham, put Lamps in instead.

[just]

I watched an old England DVD I have (qualifers for 2002 World Cup) and my word, what a player Beckham was. Didn't see it at the time as I had my ABU glasses on and was too young to appreciate, but he was head and shoulders above the rest.

Would've been worth taking him for set piece delivery alone, and I don't think fitness would be too much of an issue. Michah Richards is a waste of an overage sport to be honest. If you weren't going to take Beckham, put Lamps in instead.

His set piece delivery and crossing are the only things he has ever been able to do, hence why I call him a one trick pony. His England hero status is largely based on two kicks of a ball, the free-kick goal against Greece in the 2001 qualifier, and the penalty kick against Argentina in the 2002 WC.

As Bluebeard pointed out he couldn't head the ball, couldn't run with the ball and often ducked a tackle, the prime example being the one he completely bottled against Brazil in the 2002 WC which directly led to Rivaldo's equalizing goal.

Don't get me wrong, his dead ball technique and crossing were absolutely A1, but he was never a "world class" player in a million years IMO.

[Tim W]

On performance a player with more cards than assists to his name should never be near a national team. Let him sell ice creams or programmes

[Nibs]

Can’t believe the stick Pearce is getting for having the audacity to leave out Sir David. Some folk seem to feel that Beckham has a divine right to be leading the Olympic team just because of who he is, regardless of the fact that he isn’t actually very good any more.

I do admire Beckham, he has achieved a great deal with what limited talents he has but he is owed nothing and 2012 should be all about our youngsters rather than some final ego trip type testimonial for the likes of Beckham. With Beckham involved it would have been all about ONE PERSON rather than Team GB.

Well done Pearce for having some (Golden)Balls.

[Barn]

He should have been a long way ahead of Bellamy in the line for a call up.

I do think people dislike him because of the way he played the media rather than any football reasons. I think if he'd been an ugly West Brom player he would still have been England's best player but wouldn't have won as many caps, but I think some fans that slag him off would have been supporters of his.

[Eight Times]

This was a player that could have won more titles, more european cups, but instead he chose to

go to LA, in some mediocre league.

If he had never got involved with that silly cow, he'd have done so much more.

[Barn]

But you have to remember that she didn't really want to be in Spain, it's possible between them as a couple they decided that they'd follow Beckham for a few years while he was at the top of his game and in a position to earn serious money, then Posh would make a call on where to go after that.

Despite everything they are a real couple and probably do make decisions for reasons that the rest of us aren't aware of. I do agree that they are ridiculously money and fame driven.

[barak81]

Did Josh make the squad? what is the squad?

[blizeH]

Anyone who is glad that Beckham isn't in the Olympic team is either:

1) Utterly clueless about football

2) Completely heartless

3) Both of the above

[barak81]

Pretty pleased he's not in the team - It's not an emotional competition, all this work an effort is not a show piece put together for beckham to make it all about him again!.

Ill take heartless if you like, think i'm pretty good with the football.

Ok Beckham is a winger, I know we'r going to get the whole different type of winger thing going on, and the evolution of formations bla bla bla, when i look back in over the last 15 years i think i can name a good few wingers that i would rather have had then Beckham but have no where near the publicity.... ronaldo, robben, overmars, pires, Nedved, Figo, Giggs, bale... this is just now at the computer, pretty sure if i look back through time ill find more.

Thing is - he's english isnt he, so we pump him up well beyond what he is.

[just]

As a footballing issue based purely on ability it is entirely the right decision, but I am suprised he has been left out in one respect. Apparently the Olympic football tournament still has thousands of unsold tickets, (IMO football shouldn't even be an Olympic event, but that's another debate), and there is no doubt Beckham's celebrity presence would have helped shift tickets to the ladies and the celebrity obsessed masses who generally have no real interest in football.

We are fortunate that this has not come to pass and we should give thanks to Stuart Pearce for saving us from a souped-up version of the gringe inducing Soccer Aid, except instead of Robbie Williams preening his ego in front of a worldwide audience it would have been Becks with Posh in close attendance. No wonder the media are absolutely gutted.

[Nibs]

Anyone who is glad that Beckham isn't in the Olympic team is either:

1) Utterly clueless about football

2) Completely heartless

3) Both of the above

Sorry, but it's anyone who thinks Beckham is still good enough at this level who is clueless about football. There are a whole host of British players around better and more deserving than Beckham. A player must be selcted on merit, not because of who he is. If we weren't talking about David Beckham (the brand) nobody would but an eyelid or give a f**k.

Would much rather see players like Josh and Barkley getting their chance than someone who just doesn't deserve it in terms of the footballing ability they have now.

[Ozztheboss]

Anyone who is glad that Beckham isn't in the Olympic team is either:

1) Utterly clueless about football

2) Completely heartless

3) Both of the above

It's the f**king Olympics on home soil, it's sports. Either you go with young players who can develop into great players (for 2014, 2016 etc etc) or you go for the win with the best players. Beckham ticks none of the boxes.

You are talking about a guy who chose to f**k off to the States whilst still having a few good years (if he is as good as the hype says he is) in him. He hasn't gotten any better with all those years of shagging his missus and sipping wine with his celebs friends.

Edited June 29, 2012 by Ozztheboss

[dkw]

He`s still the only wide player we have who can cross a ball, which shows just how sh*t the current young talent in this country are.

[shedpensioner]

The whole Beckham thing shows just what an arrogant prick Pearce has become, I used to think he was great as a player, but as a manager and coach he is far to interested in himself!

For all those saying this is a serious competition get real, no-one outside of the Olympic association see's it as that!

Plus if Team GB do win it, or even do well, the cries from the rest of world football for us to have 1 team instead of 4 will be deafening!

We should have picked Beckham as captain and played it out for the exhibition it was supposed to be for team GB! Its the only competition I think that its the taking part that counts and not the winning!

But Pearce hasn't grasped that!

Perhaps thats because he's still deluding himself that he should of been England manager! TWAT

Edited June 29, 2012 by shedpensioner

[Davey Baby]

He`s still the only wide player we have who can cross a ball, which shows just how sh*t the current young talent in this country are.

And that my friends, is the point. Whenever Beckham has returned to the England team, even coming on as a sub with 20 minutes to go, he has looked head and shoulders above his teammates. He has more class in his left buttock than most of them have in their entire bodies. He can deliver a ball. He can ping a ball. I'm not saying he's still worthy of a spot, but you can see his class. Remember, this was a guy who in normal circumstances would have been a central midfielder, but he was just so good at crossing. The best crosser of a ball I have ever seen. Every single time he got the chance, the ball went in early, and it was expertly delivered. Fergie probably got rid of him at the right time because Beckham had started to have other priorities, but at Utd, he was one hell of a player. Goals, assists, free-kicks. Tenacity.

Some of you will say I'm just sticking up for him because he's pretty and us pretty boys stick together, but that's not the case. The fact that I'm pretty is neither here nor there and I wish you lot would stop talking about it. Please, concentrate on the football.

[bluedave]

Best player in England by miles at his peak. Not being able to head the ball, dribble, or tackle doesn't change that, nor does having an annoying wife.

As he was the player who's job it was to provide crosses to others, his poor heading wasn't often a problem. He didn't need to be able to dribble past players due to his crossing and long range passing being second to none. His tackling was poor but no worse than most other wide players.

It's a shame he's not going to the Olympics, all the younger and less experience players would have benefited a lot from having him around even if he hasn't played a proper competitive match for years.

[ace]

Don't necessarily want to link to them, but Martin Samuel has a pretty good article on it over at the Daily Mail.