UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Former England captain David Beckham says he wants to play for national team again, rules out becoming a manager

Record ID: 726087

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Former England captain David Beckham says he wants to play for national team again, rules out becoming a manager
  • Date: 15th July 2010
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - 2009) (REUTERS) (CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL) RYAN GIGGS TALKING TO MICHAEL OWEN DURING TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA7YJY0C6LFQPMC2YDPYV12ITTC
  • Story Text: Former England captain David Beckham says he wants to play for national team again, rules out becoming a manager and welcomes Thierry Henry move to MLS.
    Former England captain David Beckham ruled out any move into management on Wednesday (July 14) and said he hoped to be available for his country as a player for some time yet.
    "I'd love to play for my country again," the 35-year-old, out since March with an Achilles injury but hoping to be back in month and a half to two months' time, said in an interview with Reuters Television.
    "I've always said that I won't retire from international football for my country," he added.
    "That doesn't mean I'll never get picked again. You never know in football. I always want to be available to play for my country and if the manager feels that I have a part to play I hope I can fulfil that."
    Beckham did not play in the June 11-July 11 World Cup finals after suffering the injury while on loan from LA Galaxy to Serie A side AC Milan. He said he had already started running again, ahead of schedule.
    He was involved with the England squad in South Africa as part-mentor to the players, triggering some speculation that he could take on a managerial role in future.
    "No. It's something that I have never been interested in," he said. "I have never been interested in being a manager or managing a team. I love coaching kids, it's one of my passions, but being a manager doesn't really interest me."
    England's most capped outfield player with 115 appearances, Beckham last played for his country in October when he made a 30-minute cameo in a 3-0 defeat of Belarus.
    Beckham, who earlier spent an hour and a half happily fielding questions from fans around the world on yahoo.com, threw his weight behind manager Fabio Capello after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
    He said England could succeed under his leadership and blamed the players for the country's failure to progress.
    "People were happy with him when he had that 100 percent record leading into the World Cup," he said.
    "Obviously the players didn't perform in the World Cup so people felt that the manager leaving would be the right thing. But for me personally I think the manager is first class, I think the players respect him and he respects the players.
    "But obviously things are not right. There are certain things that will change but that's not down to me to make decisions," added Beckham.
    "I'm not the manager and that is down to the manager."
    Former Manchester United and Real Madrid player also had no real reason for England's poor performance in South Africa.
    "You know what sometimes in football it happens. It is the way it happens sometimes. Everything else was right, we were in this great accommodation, everything was right for us, training field was perfect, management perfect, you know staff, everyone around us was good," he said.
    "Sometimes, and the players would admit it was down to the players performance."
    Beckham was all smiles when asked about Thierry Henry's move to the New York Red Bulls. He said it's another boost for Major League Soccer and the profile of the sport in America.
    France striker Henry, 32, announced earlier that he was leaving Barcelona for a multi-year deal in New York.
    "I think it's great," said Beckham.
    "Thierry joining the Red Bulls is great. I knew that he was interested in coming to the MLS because we've talked many a time about it and I've known for a while certain things," added LA Galaxy midfielder.
    "Thierry going there can only be good for the sport because it raises the profile, gets people talking about the MLS again and it makes it bigger.
    Beckham said that he would also not rule out his veteran former Manchester United team mate Ryan Giggs ending up with him on the other side of the Atlantic as well.
    "I think Ryan has looked after his body so well for many years and that's the reason why he's playing at such a high level still at his age. I think if he feels like he can still do it, he will do that. It doesn't matter what age you are. If a Ryan Giggs or Thierry Henry comes over and plays in the MLS it's great for the sport."
    Giggs, 36, was quoted in the British media as saying he could end his career in America although he still had a year left at United and might be too old by then. Beckham disagreed.
    Beckham said the U.S. team's performances in the World Cup, reaching the last 16, had also have given soccer a boost in America.
    "I think it did a lot. I heard 25 million watched the final in America, so that's saying something. For a country where soccer is not the number one sport, I think that's exceptional," he said. "The interest is there."
    "They had some great players there and some great moments, scoring in the last minute to go through to the next round. Things like that. American people love the excitement and I think that helps the sport in the U.S."
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