- Title: CHINA: DAVID BECKHAM PRESS CONFERENCE AND TRAINING.
- Date: 30th July 2003
- Summary: KUNMING CITY, YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA (JULY 30, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PLAYERS FILING ONTO FIELD 2. PLAYERS WALKING 3. BECKHAM AND RONALDO WALKING 4. PLAYERS ON GROUND DOING EXERCISES 5. PLAYERS DOING STOMACH TRAINING 6. PLAYERS TRAINING 7. FIGO, RONALDO AND RAUL TRAINING 8. PLAYERS TRAINING 9. PLAYERS HITTING BALL OVER NET 10. BECKHAM HITTING BALL WITH HEAD 11. PLAYERS TRAINING 12. BECKHAM HITTING BALL WITH HEAD 13. PLAYERS TRAINING 14. BECKHAM HITTING 15. FANS SCREAMING 16. NEWS CONFERENCE 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKHAM SAYING: "The training is similar here you know, the players - there is a lot of ability in this team, and it's nice to be around the players because they're friendly as well, and they're good to me as people. But my message to the fans is: keep supporting us. It's been an amazing two weeks for me, and an amazing week so far for me here. So thank you for supporting me personally and the team as well." 18. NEWS CONFERENCE 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKHAM SAYING: "I am just looking forward to playing football, you know, the number people are making a big thing of because they also said that I wanted the number Seven which I never said I wanted and then they made a comparison of the 23 and Michael Jordan. But the number 23 was offered to me and, you know, I took it, I was offered two numbers of which I chose the number 23." 20. NEWS CONFERENCE 21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKHAM SAYING: "I think all the players are the same. Everyone misses their families when they're away from them, their wives, their children, their girlfriends, so it is a hard time for every player. But, you know, we stick together, we have a lot of fun together with the players, and that's the way you get sort of through being away from your family. But obviously I speak to Victoria on the phone, I speak to my sons on the phone, and that's the way of keeping in touch with them." 22. NEWS CONFERENCE 23. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKHAM SAYING: "I think it was always going to be quite difficult for me, because I've never had to learn the language, and now I do. But it's important for me to learn Spanish as quick as possible. The players are helping me, I am helping the players to speak a little bit of English, and we're communicating quite well, on the pitch as well, so it was always going to be difficult, but it's something of a challenge, and it's something I am looking forward to." 24. NEWS CONFERENCE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 14th August 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KUNMING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVABZ2SYFHFY6WH6L8CR3NG245Y7
- Story Text: Media frenzy in southern China as Real Madrid's
superstar signing David Beckham gives a press conference
A crowd of Chinese fans watched Real Madrid's daily
practice on Wednesday (July 30) in the south Chinese city
of Kunming (pron: koon ming).
As on every morning of their weeklong training camp,
David Beckham -- the man Chinese affectionately call
"Little Bei" -- was the centre of attention.
Since his 35 million euro ($40.40 million) transfer
from Manchester United, the pressure has been on Beckham to
prove he is not surplus goods in Real's midfield, already
stacked with superstars Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo.
Beckham is also attempting to make the tough transition
from the English Premier League to Spain's La Liga, where
many an English star has failed to shine.
His full debut in the Real white will come on Saturday
(August 2) in Beijing
against a squad of selected Chinese professionals.
Real also hope Beckham's international celebrity will
be one of the keys to open up the Asian market, where his
old club United have reigned.
Speaking at a press conference after the morning
training, Beckham said he has been enjoying the practice
with his new teammates.
"The training is similar here you know, the players -
there is a lot of ability in this team, and it's nice to be
around the players because they're friendly as well, and
they're good to me as people. But my message to the fans
is: keep supporting us. It's been an amazing two weeks for
me, and an amazing week so far for me here. So thank you
for supporting me personally and the team as
well," he said.
There has been a lot of speculation as to what number
Beckham will be wearing at Real.
But the soccer star said he didn't want to make a big
thing about it.
"I am just looking forward to playing football, you
know, the number people are
making a big thing of because they also said that I wanted
the number Seven which I never said I wanted and then they
made a comparison of the 23 and Michael Jordan. But the
number 23 was offered to me and, you know, I took it, I was
offered two numbers of which I chose the number 23," he
said.
The spotlight has been on Beckham in China, and the
media have tried to track his
every move, both on the pitch and off.
Asked whether he misses his family Beckham told
reporters:
"I think all the players are the same. Everyone misses
their families when they're away from them, their wives,
their children, their girlfriends, so it is a hard time for
every player. But, you know, we stick together, we have a
lot of fun together with the players, and that's the way
you get sort of through being away from your family. But
obviously I speissue was the language problem -- Beckham is
just learning Spanish while most of the Real players don't
speak English that well.
"I think it was always going to be quite difficult for
me, because I've never had to learn the language, and now I
do. But it's important for me to learn Spanish as quick as
possible. The players are helping me, I am helping the
players to speak a little bit of English, and we're
communicating quite well, on the pitch as well, so it was
always going to be difficult, but it's something of a
challenge, and it's something I am looking forward to," he
said.
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