David Beckham – Got to be joking me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/9283138.stm

I don’t get you – I’ve just read the first 2 paras of your link and it seems pretty impressive to me.

I don’t know much about football though…

OK so he is a bit young for a “lifetime” acheivement award, but to be fair he has been reasonably successful on and off the field of play.

Why are you so against it?

It’s not their fault. When it comes to sport, the UK media only know about wendyball. The occasional nod to tennis and cricket or “obscure” sports for the two days after we win a gold somewhere on the other side of the world, but other than that, it’s wendyball or nothing.

he’s certainly achieved a fair bit to date.

Because he’s 35 and still playing.

Paul Scholes for example has won more in his career as have various other players. So it has nowt to do with winning stuff.

I think the reason people object to this is that, while he is an accomplished sportsman, a big part of where he is now is as a result of good management and marketing. Great, well done to him, but should it influence a “sporting” award?

Interesting to note that 6 out of 10 Lifetime Achievement Awards made 2001 to 2010 are for the sport of Football. Probably says as much about the award as anything.

Beckham is a great ambassador for sport though IMO.

a big part of where he is now is as a result of good management and marketing

so the reason he is England’s most capped outfield player and won european cup, league titles in england and spain is because he appears in hello?

Of course it should – It’s not just goign out and showing that you can kick a ball (very well too) but the extra effort he puts into things associated with it. Take the world cup (couldn’t play but still helped out), 2012 bid, 2018 bid, countless accadamys, visiting troops, etc etc.

Just because he played for Man Utd – a lot of people hate him , take off those blinkers and look to see that yes he is a sucsesful brand, but he knows how to use that for the good of himself and otehrs. His wife comes accross as more shallow, but I have never heard of him being so.

It will be Sir Becks one day!

The reason he is England’s most capped player is that the play a hell of a lot more pointless friendlies than they used to.

you may have apoint but he would stiull be massively capped player would he not.
Seems to me peopledilkie him because he plays football and has a media presence.
Football is more popular than any other sport I know this annoys some people but hey dont forget your are the minority.
I dont like cars but amasingly I manage to not start cars dont interest me threads – why oh why do you get so wound up about it just watch your other and ignore this. Ye spopular sports get a disproportionate amount of awards. Whatever you think more poeple admire Beckham than Peaty

You get me wrong. I am a football fan. I simply do not see how you can give a lifetime achievement award to a 35yr old. What are they going to give the guy when he’s 70?

Free bus pass?
Winter fuel allowance?

The reason he is England’s most capped player is that the play a hell of a lot more pointless friendlies than they used to.

That’s what I always assumed but it’s interesting that Bobby Charlton leads the England Goal scoring record with 49 but more than half were in friendlies and Michael Owen and Gary Lineker share the record for goals in competitive matches at IIRC 22. I think there were probably as many friendlies in the past but they didn’t receive the coverage they do now.

He’s nearing the end of his career, so why wait until he’s nearly dead to recognise his achievements?

He’s a great ambassador and arguably at his peak, one of the best football players in the world – certainly the most recognised/famous.

well he is about to stop playing the rest is just politics.
I am sure he will continue to be an ambassador for the game. I dont see him trying his hand at management 😉
Not the greatest foootballer of his generation – but very very good. He is very well known and uses his brand well for football and England.Whatever you think of him off the field he was always a modle professional on the pitch – no diving etc from him and always gave 110% the boy done well etc

How about kicking folk and getting sent off in world cups? 😛

Impetuous retaliation Zulus, not malicious intent.

Much like previous winner Ryan Giggs, PERSONALITY!!!

I never said he was perfect but niether is he an intentional cheat like so many players today

Seems perfectly sensible to me. Long playing career with top world clubs (well until recently!), 2nd most capped England player, England captain yadda yadda.

I’m surprised you’re surprised!

He’ll be Sir David soon

England v Greece 2002

Thread closed

this has nothing to do with awards, but always thought of him as one of the few players left who was genuinely proud to play for and captain his country. Never one to miss a friendly because there was a big game at the weekend. Even in SA when he was watching from the touchline he showed more desire than anyone on the pitch.

If England had even made it to a final during all his time associated with the team then maybe, but England have failed in every tournament he has been involved in. I’d argue that every team he’s been to since United he’s been window dressing too and hasn’t been a key player there. Ferguson hasn’t let Scholes or Giggs go, has he, and that says more to me.