David Beckham backs Gary Neville in England Euro 2012 coaching role

By Mike Rowbottom in Athens

May 18 – David Beckham has applauded the England manager Roy Hodgson’s decision to take on his old Manchester United teammate Gary Neville as a coaching assistant for the forthcoming European Championships.

Speaking during a school visit here before setting off back to London with the Olympic Flame, Beckham (pictured above, centre) said with a wry grin: “Roy Hodgson’s a brave man.

“I think it’s a very clever thing to do, and wish Gary (pictured below) the best of luck.

“It’s great, because of Gary’s knowledge throughout the game – he’s played in big tournaments, he’s played for England for many years.

“I think it’s a great thing for the team and the management to have someone of his knowledge.

“Gary’s always been very vocal about the game.

“He’s had the experience of being in tournaments and being disappointed in tournaments, and knowing what he thinks has been the problem.

“Let’s hope we go out there to the European Championships are we are successful.

“It’s a new team, with young players, and it’s one of the first times we have been going to a big competition without huge, huge expectation on our shoulders.

“And I think that could maybe make a big difference.

“I hope they can go all the way.

“That’s always been the main object in any competition I’ve been in.

“You don’t go into a competition thinking ‘Let’s try and make the quarters, and then see what happens’.

“You always try to think you can go all the way, although that hasn’t happened for quite a few years.

“We’ve got some talented players, new management, so – who knows?

“It might be our year.

“Roy has picked a bunch of players because he believes they are the best in the country.

“That’s what England managers have to do.

“Let’s hope he’s right.”

Beckham reiterated his desire to be picked for Team GB at the London 2012 Games, but insisted that he would never want to be picked for anything other than his footballing ability.

The recent debate over whether pressure would be put on Stuart Pearce, coach for Team GB, to pick him because of his drawing power and “glamour” brought a sharp response.

“I’ve always found that question a little bit disrespectful,” Beckham said.

“I have been asked about shirt sales, about filling stadiums.

“It’s the kind of question I’ve always felt is a little bit disrespectful.

“Throughout my career I’ve been – pretty successful.

“I’ve played for some pretty big teams, and played for my country quite a few times.

“And that’s one of the things – when you play for Alex Ferguson, and Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello – managers I’ve played under, they don’t pick players because they want to fill stadiums or, especially, sell shirts.

“Saying that, I’m very proud of the fact that people have bought my shirt or turned up to the stadium to see me and the other players.

“I don’t want to be picked on a shirt sale or a stadium-filler.

“I want to be picked on what I can bring to the team.

“It’s what happened throughout my career and I don’t want that to change.

“I’ve always made it clear; everybody knows that I love representing my country.

“I’ve done that for quite a few years with the national team, 115 times, and I’m very proud of that.

“That’s one of the reasons why I have always said that wouldn’t retire from the England team because I always wanted to be available whether I was picked or not.

“I am very proud of my achievements for my country.

“Obviously I’ve never played in an Olympic Games before; I’ve never taken part in an Olympic Games, so obviously I would love to be a part of the team.”

Asked about his fitness, Beckham – who flew here from Los Angeles, where he is playing for LA Galaxy, to attend the Flame Handover Ceremony – said: “I’m still training throughout the season.

“We are only nine games into our season and I’m playing well and feeling fit.

“So fitness all the way through my career hasn’t been a problem, so it won’t be a problem leading up to the Games, so if I am selected I’ll be in good condition.”

He said he had spoken recently to Pearce (pictured above, third right).

“Stuart was over in LA a couple of weeks ago,” Beckham said.

“I spoke to him briefly, it wasn’t about selection, he was just over to see the game, to see my fitness and my form.

“So that’s the only contact we’ve had.

“He could have caught me on a better day – he obviously could have caught me on a worse day, for the team had a bad day.

“But he knows what my fitness is like, he knows what my passion is like as well, so – we’ll see.”

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