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| Sunday, January 11, 2004 |
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| Sunday, January 11, 2004 |
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David Beckham: My
Side
As you can imagine, this was a real adventure, if ever there was one. It called for guts, grit and determination to master the nuances of not just one sport, but all sport—soccer, rugby, golf, cricket, motor sport, athletics, basketball—in one masterful stroke. The news only got better. It had to done in a matter of a month. Given that I’m no fan of the game, how then did I survive My Side. Largely because this is a frank account of the life and personal/emotional battles of someone who is arguably the most recognised sportsman in the world. At 28, he has taken a lifetime’s worth of speculation, adulations and insults in his stride. Now he claims to be setting the record straight. Beckham has been at the heart of some of the biggest stories in British football for over a decade. The details are in here just in case you’ve missed out on the reams of newspaper column inches devoted to his life and times. There is the Champions League Final, the 1998 World Cup disgrace, the 2002 World Cup glory, his stormy relationship with Manchester United Alex Ferguson, the infamous cut after the boot in the face incident, the highs and lows of his career at Old Trafford, right through to the highly publicised transfer to Spanish giant Real Madrid. Then there are honest insights into the family man behind the famous footballer, his meeting and marriage to ex-Spice Girl Victoria, raising and rearing their two lovely boys, Brooklyn and Romeo, keeping them safe from the Paparazzi and guarding their security at all times. Sure you don’t read about the millions that are now going into the yacht and Bentley that are soon to be headed to Victoria’s shores, but all of that happened much after this book was published and after the strain of living in Madrid and London started showing on this famous relationship. He also talks of the influence of his parents, growing up as a shy youngster in the family home and how their subsequent split created a yawning chasm in his private life. This book is an intimate and soul-searching portrayal of a massive celebrity, a family man, and an awe-inspiring footballer—the likes of which we are unlikely to see again. On the flipside though, Beckham has never uttered anything as coherent as the stuff that makes up the 416 pages of My Side, but then that’s what ghostwriters are for. BBC Radio’s Tom Watts manages to capture the "Beckham magic" well. His passion for the game, the challenges of preparation and performance drive the narrative full swing ahead. Beckham’s frankness and openness came as an eye-opener to me. For those who think international football is all about glamour, put your hands on this interesting read to find out what truly lurks in the dressing rooms and what is behind the glamour of Old Trafford. It’s about as exciting as being on a wire-strewn television set with the studio making up all of that a perfect-looking virtual set. As for me, never in my life had I thought I would end up recommending a "football" book, but here I am doing just that. Like its subject, this one is in a class of its own—a good addition to the reading list for 2004. |
MY
foray into sports reading and writing began when my boss deemed I was
sporting enough to write it all. Not that I was prepared. The last real
game I’d played was school basketball that only got me to the showing
at the district level. Yes, there were those swimming sessions in
university, but those were done only to be part of the free-meal deals.
Soccer, well I knew there is or was a Mohan Bagan, and living in
soccer-crazy Singapore, I for the life of me couldn’t understand what
was the big deal about all those men chasing a ball.