- Title: USA: DAVID BECKHAM INAUGURATES HIS FIRST US FOOTBALL ACADEMY
- Date: 2nd June 2005
- Summary: CARSON, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 2, 2005) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 1. DAVID BECKHAM WITH EXECUTIVES ON PODIUM 2. BECKHAM, PAN TO REPORTERS 3. SOUNDBITE (English) DAVID BECKHAM SAYING: "Every time someone says to me, what do you want to do when you stop playing football -- soccer, sorry -- I've said, to train kids to be part of a soccer academy and to have my own soccer academy. That was the dream. Now I've gone obviously into the partnership with AEG, and they've made my dream come true with the academy, first of all in London and now in Los Angeles. It's just all about making kids happy and making their dreams come through as well, because the soccer academy is not just about the elitism of children, boys and girls, its about kids getting off the streets, being given the chance." 4. PHOTOGRPAHERS 5. SOUNDBITE (English) DAVID BECKHAM BEING ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PLAYING IN THE U.S., SAYING: "Yeah, that's something I did say that I would consider. Because all through my career, things have happened and I've moved on from them things. I never thought that I'd ever be playing anywhere apart from Manchester United, then I moved to one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. .... I see a man walking through with a Barcelona shirt." JOURNALISTS LAUGHING "You know, things happen and situations, and you know, playing in America does interest me a lot." 6. WIDE SHOT OF PITCH AT HOME DEPOT CENTER 7. BECKHAM WALKING OUT WITH CHILDREN 8. PHOTOGRAPHERS 9. BECKHAM COACHING 10. BECKHAM TALKING TO REPORTER 11. SOUNDBITE (English) DAVID BECKHAM TALKING ABOUT ENGLAND'S FUTURE SAYING: "I think it gets stronger each year, new players come in ... the emergence of new players, it makes the team stronger. Of course, we're in good condition, we're at the top of the table at the moment but we've got to carry on winning and qualify for the World Cup." REPORTER ASKING ABOUT MICHAEL OWEN'S RECENT PERFORMANCE, SAYING: "Great performance, you know Michael Owen is a great goal scorer and he proves that when he plays and when he gets chances. And he got chances the other night and he scored three goals, so for us it was great." 12. BECKHAM POSING WITH CHILDREN FOR PRESS PHOTOS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th June 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CARSON, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA2ATIPUWGCN4QCPY5XOUXXVGSN
- Story Text: David Beckham makes an appearance in suburban Los
Angeles to inaugurate his first U.S. football academy.
The David Beckham soccer academy in California,
which will welcome its first group of 8 to 15-year-olds
this fall, is the second to be launched by the England
captain. He opened his first soccer school in south-east
London earlier this year.
The academy's backers include Simon Fuller, creator of
the U.S.'s most popular television show American Idol, and
Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) which owns and operates
several major sports arenas.
Speaking to journalists at the Home Depot sports complex
south of Los Angeles on Thursday (June 2), Beckham said the
expansion is part of a lifelong dream. "It's just all
about making kids happy and making their dreams come
through as well, because the soccer academy is not just
about the elitism of children, boys and girls, its about kids getting
off the streets, being given the chance," he said.
Beckham was asked by reporters if he might consider
playing in the U.S. when his contract with his Real Madrid
expires.
"Yeah, that's something I did say that I would
consider," he said. "Because all through my career, things
have happened and I've moved on from them things. I never
thought that I'd ever be playing anywhere apart from
Manchester United, then I moved to one of the biggest clubs
in the world, Real Madrid. ... You know, things happen
and situations, and you know, playing in America does
interest me a lot."
Beckham arrived in Los Angeles after helping inspire
England to a 3-2 victory over Colombia in New York on
Tuesday. Michael Owen, who like Beckham plays for Spain's
Real Madrid, scored all three England goals.
"It was a great performance. Michael Owen is a great
goalscorer and he proves that when he plays, when he gets
chances and he got chances the other night and he scored
three goals so for us it was great," Beckham said.
England also won the other game of its short U.S. tour,
beating the host nation 2-1 in Chicago. Several young
players including midfielder Michael Carrick, winger Kieran
Richardson and defender Zat Knight performed well for the
team.
"I think it (the England team) gets stronger each year.
I think new players come in and it makes the team
stronger," Beckham said, when asked to compare the current
England side to those which he played in during the 1998
and 2002 World Cups.
Beckham said England was well placed to qualify for the
2006 World Cup in Germany. The team currently leads
European Group 6 by one point from Poland.
"Of course we are in a good position. We are top of the
table at the moment. We've got to carry on winning and
qualify for the World Cup," he said.
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