The Power of the Pen

You have to feel for these famous footballers as they agonise over where the next million is coming from. After all, they have big houses, fast cars and expensive WAGS to keep. So in the circumstances you can hardly blame them for hurling themselves onto the band wagon and casting about for a competent journalist eager to make a few bob by ghost writing the so-called autobiography of a life that is nowhere near half-time yet, but does (fortunately) include an appearance at the World Cup finals. Forget about the fact that they were there to play football, but for the most part didn’t. Dismiss from your mind the idea that the paramount consideration was the unity of the squad, which would preclude any tasteless revelations or lack of loyalty. Just concentrate on rushing out at the first available opportunity and purchasing the innermost thoughts of the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole. They need the money.

Of course, there are some narrow minded folk who cling to the idea that a footballer should wait until the end of his career before entertaining the idea of an ‘autobiography’. On the whole, it is more dignified and there is a good chance that he will have more to say and can say it with more authority. If that is the case, it may be opportune for David Beckham to contemplate a book on the grounds that recent action by the new manager of England has effectively terminated his international career before he could fulfil his ambitions to win the World Cup and amass the coveted 100 caps. Ostensibly, David has received the bad news very graciously, but headlines like “Beckham fury at England Axe” hint at a level of private anger which many people will understand – not least because, for all his shortcomings, it is difficult to believe that he is no longer one of the best 24 England players available, or that he is less worthy of selection than Phil Neville. More importantly, he is entitled to feel aggrieved not merely at the act of rejection but the manner in which the deed was done, which scarcely befits a player who almost single-handedly hauled his country into the World Cup finals in 2002.

It has been suggested that McClaren’s action has cost the F.A. some £50 million. But that’s only money. A book by David Beckham could have more far reaching consequences.