Beckham gets a loan

The financial crisis credit crunch appears to have finally caught up with Hollywood’s leading sports star and the first lady of football on the US shores, Posh. What’s a girl to do when you’ve shopped out London, LA, Madrid, Manchester (huh?), and the old man is no longer mates with Tommy Cruise anymore?? Get a loan and move to Milan, of course! So, while the head Spice Girl eyes up a European assault on the boutiques and spas of Italia, Becksie gets ready to pack up the kids in the station wagon and lace it up for a 3-month loan spell with Italian Serie A giants, AC Milan.

After getting permission from his ‘owners’ the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer and Victoria, David secured a deal to play a few months in the Italian top flight. Maybe he needed to top up the coffers a bit or save up for another handbag for Posh (Christmas coming and all) but most likely, he fancied a decent game of football.

Let’s face it, since he arrived in LA to a fanfare that would rival a Pope on a farewell tour, his footy career hasn’t exactly sky-rocketed has it? After all, from playing on some of the greatest stages that football can offer; Old Trafford, Wembley, and The Bernabeu (and those are just his previous 'home' team venues), you would forgive the lad for thinking that Real Salt Lake away is just a bit of a Sunday “kick-about” at a different type of temple. The Galaxy versus the Houston 'something or others' hardly has the passion of a Man U trip to Anfield, or a visit to the Nou Camp while leading the hated Galáctico of Real Madrid. In case anyone was wondering that’s the real ‘Real’, not the Utah variety who call themselves ‘Real’ but play in Barcelona colors – you think they might have Googled it before coming up with that bright idea, or maybe that’s the point… But I digress.

Beckham has continued to add to his caps for England becoming the third most capped player in the history of the national team with 107 appearances. He is also a true ambassador for the game. The work that he performs for youth and community establishments is extensive and he has developed into a truly recognized global role model – a bloody rich one mind, but still a role model nonetheless.

I was devastated when the writhing acting antics of another cheating Argentinean, Simeone got him his marching orders at the 1998 World Cup and, arguably, cost us a place in the quarter-finals as we battled Argentina undermanned, for most of the match plus extra-time, before finally succumbing during the penalty shoot-out. The reaction he received in England on his return was undoubtedly the low point of his career, and in many ways, his treatment by so-called fans driven by the gutter press was nothing short of despicable.

But, ultimately Beckham came back and has since won every accolade possible in the club game and attained his ultimate footballing honor in captaining the England national team on 59 occasions. He is one of only five players to have represented England in 100 games and the only Englishman to score in three World Cup final tournaments.

England Players with 100 Appearences

Peter Shilton - 125
Bobby Moore - 108
David Beckham - 107
Bobby Charlton - 106

Billy Wright - 105

Although his role at the national level is now diminishing, I wish him the best. He’ll be back in the US next season for his summer job and if he visits the Pacific Northwest to play against the newly founded Seattle Sounders, I hope to be there in person to see one of the best playmakers that ever graced the English game, have a bit of a “kick-about.”

In the meantime, count your pennies mate ‘cos you might need them when the missus hits those Italian shops…