Cool, calm, and collected are words you'd associate with English football icon David Beckham. Throughout his career Beckham has prided himself on his discipline on the football pitch, but his recent ugly confrontation with a Los Angeles Galaxy fan has come as a surprise to everyone.
Beckham has been used to his fair share of abuse and banter from the crowd, ever since his famous kick at Argentina's Diego Simeone during the 1998 World Cup in France. He received numerous death threats following that incident, and it seems he has learnt from that very big mistake. From then on in you would be pushed to find an incident where Beckham lost his discipline or got involved in a brawl on or off the pitch. However during the Galaxy's 2-2 friendly draw with AC Milan at the weekend, it seems that one fan pushed it just a little too far.
Following Beckham's five month loan spell at AC Milan, he received boos and jeers when running out onto the pitch for kick-off, and at the half time interval, things rather boiled over. Beckham jogged over to a corner of the crowd that had been giving him abuse throughout the duration of the first half. He subsequently pointed for one fan to make his way down the steps to join him at the bottom for what Beckham claimed after the match was just to shake hands. The fan refused and after a couple a bit more finger-wagging Beckham proceeded in trying to jump the advertising hoardings and make his way into the crowd. Fortunately for that one fan, security guards and stewards managed to hold Beckham back, and who knows what would have happened had he been allowed to make his way through.
Beckham said after the match that he was receiving some non-football related abuse, that he believed had gone too far. "I tried to get the guy to come down and shake my hand, but he was having none of it." This incident brings back memories of Eric Cantona's assault on a fan at Selhurst Park in 1995, by which Cantona was suspended for 9 months. I'm not suggesting that Beckham would have done the same, but I sure as hell wouldn't have blamed him if he had. Abuse like that is totally unacceptable. Fans are there to watch football, and support their team, and of course there's going to be a host of abuse aimed at players, but one would hope only football-orientated. When people bring personal feelings into it, and bring up family issues, that's when it crosses the line. Fans like these aren't football fans. They are hooligans and they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a football stadium.
I wouldn't know directly, but I'm sure it can be very distressing for footballers receiving abuse, whether personal, racist or what have you. FIFA, The Fa, and all the other governing bodies should be aware of the situation, and they should be all working together to fight such behaviour. The 'kick racism out of football' campaign has been relatively successful, and if we have such campaigns for personal abuse as well, then the extent to it all will be reduced. I'm all for a bit of friendly banter at a football match, as long as it doesn't enter the realms of unacceptable, which unfortunately it did on this occasion. Lets hope throughout the next season of football we have less incidents like these, so we can just get on and enjoy the beautiful game.
Beckham has been used to his fair share of abuse and banter from the crowd, ever since his famous kick at Argentina's Diego Simeone during the 1998 World Cup in France. He received numerous death threats following that incident, and it seems he has learnt from that very big mistake. From then on in you would be pushed to find an incident where Beckham lost his discipline or got involved in a brawl on or off the pitch. However during the Galaxy's 2-2 friendly draw with AC Milan at the weekend, it seems that one fan pushed it just a little too far.
Following Beckham's five month loan spell at AC Milan, he received boos and jeers when running out onto the pitch for kick-off, and at the half time interval, things rather boiled over. Beckham jogged over to a corner of the crowd that had been giving him abuse throughout the duration of the first half. He subsequently pointed for one fan to make his way down the steps to join him at the bottom for what Beckham claimed after the match was just to shake hands. The fan refused and after a couple a bit more finger-wagging Beckham proceeded in trying to jump the advertising hoardings and make his way into the crowd. Fortunately for that one fan, security guards and stewards managed to hold Beckham back, and who knows what would have happened had he been allowed to make his way through.
Beckham said after the match that he was receiving some non-football related abuse, that he believed had gone too far. "I tried to get the guy to come down and shake my hand, but he was having none of it." This incident brings back memories of Eric Cantona's assault on a fan at Selhurst Park in 1995, by which Cantona was suspended for 9 months. I'm not suggesting that Beckham would have done the same, but I sure as hell wouldn't have blamed him if he had. Abuse like that is totally unacceptable. Fans are there to watch football, and support their team, and of course there's going to be a host of abuse aimed at players, but one would hope only football-orientated. When people bring personal feelings into it, and bring up family issues, that's when it crosses the line. Fans like these aren't football fans. They are hooligans and they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a football stadium.
I wouldn't know directly, but I'm sure it can be very distressing for footballers receiving abuse, whether personal, racist or what have you. FIFA, The Fa, and all the other governing bodies should be aware of the situation, and they should be all working together to fight such behaviour. The 'kick racism out of football' campaign has been relatively successful, and if we have such campaigns for personal abuse as well, then the extent to it all will be reduced. I'm all for a bit of friendly banter at a football match, as long as it doesn't enter the realms of unacceptable, which unfortunately it did on this occasion. Lets hope throughout the next season of football we have less incidents like these, so we can just get on and enjoy the beautiful game.
Pariah to hero. He's done it before.
ReplyDeleteFans who chastise players for fair-weather loyalty are almost comical the hypocrisy is so great.
What is also comical is the level of intensity these people have for....the LA Galaxy?? Whatever flips your switch I guess.
Anyone who throws attachment behind a player and not just a club needs to be a bit more realistic about things. Ryan Giggs, Steven Gerrard, these types are so few and far between.
Love your club, keep your head down, and expect players to come and go.
In the meantime though, I'm happy to have these idiots at matches. It creates a better atmosphere and football without hooliganism wouldn't be the same. If you're paying for a season ticket, you're a customer I suppose and therefore have a right to moan about poor service.
What's funny though is Beckham will most likely transfer out of the MLS and continue swimming in millions and this supporter will, at the end of the day, still be supporting a shite football team in a shite football league.
Besides, you know if anyone laid a hand on Becko, Tommy boy Cruise would have come flying out of the mezzanine and unleashed the power of Xenu on a bitch.
Yeah, I guess football wouldn't be the same without them, but is that really a bad thing? I'd rather not go to a football match and have fat, balding me f'ing and blinding behind me. I love seeing passionate support, but for me it's not on when fans start personally abusing players in a way that is properly offensive. Obviously players are going to get some stick, 'cause they're ginger or what have you, but bringing their families and personal life into it doesn't impress me i'm afraid!
ReplyDelete:)