[Closed] Sir David of Beckham

they only give to charity, to gain for themselves

Jeez - I thought I was world weary and jaded! If you're actually [b]SO[/b] cynical that that's what you really believe, then I actually feel sorry for you!

And there's no actual effort in redirecting the salary to the charity for him.

...and you too.

Remind me again why he went to Real Madrid (and subsequently LA Galaxy)?

And your answer is... 'the money', obviously. He went to Real because Fergie wanted shut, and he could go and play with the best players in the world and win trophies. He went to Galaxy as he was nearing the end of his career, but could help raise the profile of the sport he obviously loves, in America 🙄

[i]and certainly not really newsworthy[/i]

well it is, because footballers are often painted (with some cause) as being greedy and overpaid. This is a story about one who is seemingly bucking that trend.

Berm_Bandit - nice maths, you makes an excellent point.

So yes, it's quite a 'generous' thing for him to do, but no big deal really and certainly not really newsworthy

He's one of the most famous people in the world, everything he does is newsworthy to a huge number of people. If it turned out that his morning stool was slightly looser than normal there are people who would report on it.

What is newsworthy is not directly correlated with what [i]you[/i] consider to be important.

It's also not his only charitable donations. He doesn't boast about it, and he doesn't hide it, he just answers the questions when asked. He doesn't pretend to be a saint, while actually being a bit of a **** and using charity as a shield like Armstrong or bono. He has had a very lucky life in what he has been able to achieve and the financial rewards have been considerable, but he has always shown an aptitude to give something back, and not just sit in an ivory tower lauding it over others.

I really haven't a clue why so many have a problem with his approach

convert - Member

then expect hardworking general public to give what little they have to help, when david beckham/bono etc could solve all the worlds misery/hunger/death in one big swoop if they'd donate all their 100's of millions

I'm not comparing you the rich and famous, but as another normal hardworking general public member I find the fact you can't find your way to give anything to charity a bit sad and unusually self centred.

Does it exclude you from this conversation? No, but it besmirches much of what you have to say. I find it strange if that's your attitude to charity giving that you have any opinion about the giving of others

well it would be a shite/perfect world if we were all the same would it not?!

im entitled to my opionion, and to be frank the 'celebrity'ness' of the word 'charity' is the thing that puts me off donating, i could give £5 a week sure, so could everyone else, but i dont nor do alot of other people, because life/and other costs get in the way.....

if you give to charity as you obviously do, then hats off to you, ive far more time for you donating what little you can give out of a realistic wage, than what these incredibly self indulgent cretins give, in which i have no interest, other than the motives to promote themselves

again beckham is a nice lad, make no mistake, especially compared to other idiot footballers- but somebody has told him to say hes giving it to charity as a PR stunt to make him look even better than he already is, and probably take the shine off the fact he'll be remembered for that at PSG rather than his football skills (lack of) ;)`

seems like a decent guy and thats a great gesture,what exactly is the problem with some
people??
he's signed for a new club of course the press are going to be interested he's donating his wages to charity
fantastic well done, regardless of your thoughts on the man I cant see anything wrong in that move
but the usual whinge moan bitchiness starts FFS its friday theres bigger things to worry about than this
have a word with yourselfs

[i]but somebody has told him to say hes giving it to charity as a PR stunt to make him look even better than he already is[/i]

You know that for a fact do you?

especially compared to other idiot footballers

Maybe you should look at the work some of them do, of the top of my head Drogba, Bellamy and Adebayor seem to be some of the most vilified sportsmen on the planet, yet all give considerable time and money to charity and humanitarian projects.

The obvious hate coming from some on here says far more about themselves than those they feel such hate for.

IHN - Member

im not a hypocrite at all

I say you are.

You criticise rich people for not giving more (or indeed all?) of their money to charity, yet you give none of your own. If you think that they should give away everything they have other than that they need to live on, shouldn't you do the same?

he could have just donated it and kept quiet

as has been said, he was asked a question in a press conference. He could, I suppose, have not mentioned that the money was going to charity, but then he'd be tarred with the "footballers earn stupid money" brush.

Someone here has done something voluntarily that will benefit a huge amount of people. If you can't recognise that as something good then, frankly, I pity you.

ohhh get off your high horse sir, seriously im not the only one who doesnt give to charity, nor do i profess to be a better/worse person for not doing so

people get so blinkered by 'celebrity'ism' when the realism of it is they only do it for their own image..

great, beckhams giving money, great for the people that will benefit from it, but if hes so strongly for it, he could go far further and give millions more of his personal fortune to help the needy.

instead hes using wages that are ridiculous in the first place that he doesnt deserve to fund the donation (that he doesnt deserve due to being old and past it)...

i'll stick to being cynical thanks, im not bitter, i still find it funny i find them all driving around in their ferraris' and 10million pound mansions, they obviously need all these luxurys as a thankyou to themselves for being so kind to charity

cynic oot

[i]FFS its friday theres bigger things to worry about than this
have a word with yourselfs [/i]

Exactly; your spelling and grammar for a start 🙂

ohhh get off your high horse sir,

Oh the ironing!

Just think, he wouldn't have attracted all the negative comments if he'd kept the money and kept his mouth shut.
then Oscillate Wildly wouldn't have an excuse not to donate and some anonymous charity would be better off to the tune of £5/month or £60/yr or £3000 if he were to continue donating for the next 50 years.

Before I start I'll say that I unequvically think donating £3m to charity is a good thing to do.

But I'd be interested what the French view of this arrangement is. The frogs have a very different attitude to charity than we do. The general view being they pay their taxes so the state should provide what they need, why should they pay again and again to support each and every cause as advanced by a charity.

So do the French see the Beckham thing as a good thing like most of us, or do they think he has just deprived the state of circa £2m in income tax? (of which some of it would have been used by the state to support children in Paris)

[i](I suspect that Beckham does get some benefits through not getting paid in France and therefore not being subject to their tax laws but so what, its only what every single one of us, and every coporation would also do)[/i]

MSP - Member

ohhh get off your high horse sir,

Oh the ironing!

not really - as i think its great the money goes to the needy not more in his already very deep pockets, im totally for it, just not really sure on the motives other than for his own self importance, ala most celebrities!

by the way, good on you 'normal' everyday folks that do donate - hats off!

instead hes using wages that are ridiculous in the first place and doesnt deserve to fund the donation (that he doesnt deserve due to being old and past it)...

people get so blinkered by 'celebrity'ism' when the realism of it is they only do it for their own image..

Exactly how many celbrities do you know, and do you know any of them well enough to make that sort of sweeping statement? Strikes me that you are far more influenced by the media than you would care to admit.

Maybe one day you will change your opinion when you require the services of one of these charities which your warped perspective prevents you from helping.

And your answer is... 'the money', obviously

So he's a 'mercenary' just like many others then.

Lets just doe the sums shall we? 3 million is 1.71% of a £175 million fortune

But he would have got a lot less than £3m, after tax. So the proportionate to his 'wealth', he would have given perhaps less than 1%. I imagine many people on here probably give more than that to charity each year, and if you consider the 'value' of the unpaid voluntary work many people do, that figure is increased even more. So he's not actually doing any 'more' than millions of others, just that it's a higher sum. And there are scummy banks and corporations who donate vast sums each year to all manner of worthy causes; they're still scum though.

seems like a decent guy and thats a great gesture,what exactly is the problem with some
people??

It's not 'greater' a gesture than someone earning £20k a year donating £500 a year to charity though, is it really?

I don't have a 'problem' with it at all, good on him for doing so. i just don't see why so many people pour such adulation over him is all.

What is newsworthy is not directly correlated with what you consider to be important.

I'd much rather the 'News' be devoted to informing us of things which are important to us all, that way perhaps we would all be more enlightened about matters, and be more willing to want to do something about them. Had Beckham held a press conference to promote the charity he'd donated to (which is it, I have no idea), and highlighted the work they do, that would have been more worthy of reporting.

I'm sad that 'famous bloke gives a tiny fraction of his vast wealth to charity' takes precedence over stuff like the situation in Mali, for example.

So for all those having a snipe, which one has done most for charity, Beckham or Armstrong?

jesus - im not against the charities they do a fabulous job, often unpaid!

im merely on about celebrities' and how it only ever comes across that they do it to self promote, again no need to tell the world he's donating this money, he did it for one reason and one reason only, to promote himself/his image

again ill gladly accept im a cynic and love to be proved differently by the 'celebs' themselves, but clearly as others in the thread im not the only one that thinks like this

I'll read an article about Beckhams charitable work the day he starts clearing landmines in Kosovo or dodging bullets in a civil war ridden hell hole.

Some really bitter, bitter fan-dans outing themselves on this thread 😳

he should keep some of that money and buy his wife some pies.

Anyone can clear land mines if they have the bollocks for it.

Crack on then ?

Take a camera and post some pictures up so we can all see how much better than Beckham you are.

I'll read an article about Beckhams charitable work the day he starts clearing landmines in Kosovo or dodging bullets in a civil war ridden hell hole.

If you donated your time or money, why broadcast it to the world. Charity in the heart is unsung and unadvertised.

If you donated your time or money, why broadcast it to the world. Charity in the heart is unsung and unadvertised.

Because he was asked about it.

Why was he asked what he would be doing with his salary?

Was he actually asked? Because in this clip, he appears to offer the information without anyone asking him what he would be doing with his salary:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21278235

And he seems quite eager to point out that 'it's something that hasn't been done before'.

thx1138 - Member

And your answer is... 'the money', obviously
So he's a 'mercenary' just like many others then.

That's what you're saying. Not me. The premiership is awash with money grubbing mercenaries, as the transfer window has just aptly demonstrated. Beckham is/was one of the greatest footballers of his generation, and I'd suggest his career choices reflect someone who works incredibly hard, and is driven by a will to win, for both his club and his country. And about considerations for his family. One things for sure. He certainly doesn't come across as someone motivated primarily by greed! As this gesture has demonstrated.

But with your attitude I doubt you'll ever acknowledge that. Some peoples comments on this subject say a lot more about themselves, than they do about Beckham 🙄

[url= http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/celebrity/beckham-to-help-poor-children-have-better-hair-2013020158280 ]Anyone; no one?[/url]

Lol, this forum.

That's what you're saying. Not me... ...One things for sure. He certainly doesn't come across as someone motivated primarily by greed!

He went to Real Madrid because he was offered a much more lucrative salary. He then signed for LA Galaxy for £125m over 5 years. And you really don't think he was motivated by greed?

Why didn't he go and play for Leyton Orient or someone then, if he's so 'passionate' about football?

But with your attitude I doubt you'll ever acknowledge that.

I'm just seeing things with an open mind, and not through rose-tinted spectacles.

He went to Real Madrid because he was offered a much more lucrative salary.

Yes... I'm sure that's the only reason he went there. Nothing to do with playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, alongside some of the best players in the world, competing for Champions Leagues. I'd say with every move he's made, he's had many many equally, if not more lucrative offers on the table at the same time. I can't remember, off the top of my head, if Leyton Orient were competing in the Champions League that season. Did they go out at the group stage?

No, actually you're right. You've got it all weighed up, haven't you? As with most things 🙄

He went to Real Madrid because he was offered a much more lucrative salary.

Actually he moved to Real Madrid because bacon face skelped him in the face with a football boot, and £125m over 5 years is nothing in football terms. Works out at £50k a week which is a massive amount of money, but half what the likes of John Terry etc are making

Yes... I'm sure that's the only reason he went there. Nothing to do with playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, alongside some of the best players in the world, competing for Champions Leagues.

His Real career was relatively unsuccessful. So why did he then leave one of the biggest clubs in the World, to go and play for LA Galaxy on a £25m a year contract?

What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?

No, you're right. You've got it all weighed up, haven't you?

I think I have, pretty much, yes.

[i]Why didn't he go and play for Leyton Orient or someone then, if he's so 'passionate' about football?[/i]

Hmm, Real Madrid or Leyton Orient... Maybe he was passionate about playing at the top level, alongside and against the best players in the world and, because of his talent, he was given an offer that would allow him to do just that.

Admittedly, the Galaxy move was an odd one.

His Real career was relatively unsuccessful.

Compared to your own, I'm sure it was

£125m over 5 years is nothing in football terms. Works out at £50k a week

Maths isn't your strong point, is it?

Would you accept a $25m a year contract to ride your bike? I would, so why shouldn't he accept one to do something he loves?

I'm just seeing things with an open mind

At the time of writing this, there were 58 voices on this thread.

I've got you down as 56th least open.

Only binbins and I are propping you up matey. And we're fragile at the best of times, so watch out for when you hit the bottom.

Ooh, where do I come in the charts?

[img] [/img]

There is no pleasing some people.

I've got you down as 56th least open.

How kind of you.

Beckham's a mercenary like most of the others. Of course he's going to go for the biggest salary he can get, and the maximum exposure and promotion for Brand Beckham. Doesn't mean he's not a decent human being, but he could do far more good stuff with his £175m fortune really, if he'd genuine about wanting to help others, couldn't he? I think that's what some of us are getting at, that we're looking a bit beyond the immediate 'oh what a lovely bloke he is' reaction by people. And seeing that actually, it does well appear to be little more than a clever PR move.

That some French kiddies will benefit is great, but then if people like Beckham weren't paid such obscene sums in the first place, then there might be a bit more cash to spread around everyone else.

Ooh, where do I come in the charts?

IHN, you're so open, you're inside out. 🙂

Not 'alf! 🙂

Whats it like, being you?

Whats it like, being you?

Infinitely preferable to being you. 😉

'oh what a lovely bloke he is'

Hang on, "oh what a lovely bloke" and veneration are two different things. Where are you exactly on this?

That some French kiddies will benefit is great

That's lovely that.

Oscillate Wildly - Member
by the way, good on you 'normal' everyday folks that do donate - hats off!

Dunno if been mentioned but he was also pretty nice to Stephen Murray

[url= http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/1210143/Beckham-put-on-hold-as-he-tries-to-wish-BMX-rider-well.html ]http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/1210143/Beckham-put-on-hold-as-he-tries-to-wish-BMX-rider-well.html[/url]

CountZero - Member
Oscillate Wildly - Member
by the way, good on you 'normal' everyday folks that do donate - hats off!

Wow, that's so condescending and patronising of you! What a big, generous person you are...
I'm sure you'll really appreciate the help you haven't given should you have the need for an air ambulance call-out, or similar.
Arse.

😆

it wasnt patronising at all, well not intended, perhaps take off those rose tinted specs, young sir!

and i have donated to the air ambuluance before as i do to the red cross etc, not that ive needed the air ambulance mind...so touche

i just didnt make a song and dance about it

Berm Bandit you should declare a vested interest given you're French.

Blimey 😐

i could give £5 a week sure, so could everyone else, but i dont nor do alot of other people

by the way, good on you 'normal' everyday folks that do donate - hats off!

and i have donated to the air ambulance before as i do to the red cross etc, not that ive needed the air ambulance mind...so touche

Make your mind up!

😆

im not boasting at all, i gave a small small donation as i passed them once, nothing major...then the same as i always do for the poppy appeal too, again nothing major and hardly any noticeable amount of cash, does that make it less helpful?!?! or makes me less of a person than that Beckham?....

and im less of a dick for having a different opionion to your rose tinted glasses self? ohhh of course its STW afterall!

its not a regular thing by any means, and i dont regularly make charitble donations, and no i dont get the need to get out a tannoy and advertise it to the world HOW AWESOME AND SPECIAL I AM that i am doing it

😆 nice try soft lad

and im less of a dick for having a different opionion to your rose tinted glasses self?

i'm one day hoping to reach fully fledged dick, lets hope its some time soon - and then ill come knocking again to the next time a thread with a so called 'celeb' makes a so called 'charitable donation' then eh?!

i mean what celebrity would ever dream of doing something for nothing eh?!

god bless your naive views

Nice attempt at patronising OW but can I just point out that it is often the charity itself which is most keen to have celebrities as patrons/donors and to publicise the fact.

I'm sure even you can work out the rationale behind it.

clever boy!

charities use celebrities for/to gain money

+

celebrities use charities for PUBLICITY

see what im getting at now? finally!

see what david beckhams getting at now?!?!

Berm Bandit you should declare a vested interest given you're French.

Merde! ........ Busted! ..... désolé pour la réponse lente. Je me bats avec les rebelles à Tombouctou, et la connexion internet est un peu lent.
Mais oui, je suis le légionnaire gay de la ville St Geramine vieux à votre service "

Getting very bored of this now and I'm still waiting for you to answer how you [b]know[/b] that celebrities only do charitable work as a means of self-publicity.

Beckham hardly needs it to increase his profile, as he merely has to scratch his arse for it to be on every front page worldwide. The money is a relatively small amount for him to donate but what he does give up is his time, which I imagine he has far less going spare of than most of us and it is that, which says a lot more about his motives than a showy PR stunt.

Go Go Google Translate!

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

He certainly doesn't come across as someone motivated primarily by greed! As this gesture has demonstrated.

I agree I think his primary motivation is playing and a love of football. If he lost it all money, cars, houses and most of his talent, i still reckon he'd be out there on a wet sunday morning playing for his local pub team.

I've heard others complaining that he should be donating to a UK charity not a French one. Its Jingoism gone mad I tell you.

thx1138 - Member

£125m over 5 years is nothing in football terms. Works out at £50k a week

Maths isn't your strong point, is it?

Oh aye, missed a zero in my calculations. That's £480k a week 😯

Go Go Google Translate!

Damn .... you guys just won't let a girl have any secrets!

I'm not under the pretense that my opinion matters, but it is that this is a real low point of STW, and there's been a few.
Damning a bloke for giving money to charity. FFS.

if he's not interested in the money why doesn't he come and play for a low league struggling english team..... Sheffield Wednesday??

Erm.... Let me think, now. Could it be that he fancies playing at the highest level in Europe? As thats been the proposition he's been offered? As opposed to spending Wednesday nights against Blackpool? I'm only guessing, obviously.

wasn't a serious question 😀 but thank you for your serious reply mr bin man. 😉

No problem! It's become increasingly difficult to fathom what's what on this thread 😀

It's not 'greater' a gesture than someone earning £20k a year donating £500 a year to charity though, is it really?

Well. Yes it is actually 😐

It's the equivalent of someone who earns £20k a year giving just shy of £8.5k to charity.

As he is giving five months Salary away.

If you are going to take total worth I to the equation, you can't just do it for one side.

It's not that hard to figure out surely.

No problem! It's become increasingly difficult to fathom what's what on this thread

It has indeed gone in some directions I didn't foresee.

Rich tapestry of life etc etc.

Damning a bloke for giving money to charity. FFS.

No. Get a grip. No-one's 'damning' him, stop being so hysterical. Some people are simply being a bit more open-minded, rather than getting caught up in the Saint David of Beckham mass adulation.

The guy has far more money than he knows what to do with (as exemplified by the obscene vulgarity of his family's lifestyle). Not that he shouldn't enjoy the fruits of his endeavours, far from it. But there comes a point of being comfortable and set for life, and he is way, way beyond that. In order for people like him to be incredibly wealthy, means that an awful lot of other people have to be extremely poor, and that's an inequality which needs constant examination and criticism. What, now no-one's allowed to criticise anyone? So much for Freedom of Speech.

It's the equivalent of someone who earns £20k a year giving just shy of £8.5k to charity.

As he is giving five months Salary away.

If you are going to take total worth I to the equation, you can't just do it for one side.

It's not that hard to figure out surely.

That's a silly argument. £500 a year to someone earning £20k is a significant amount of money, and they may have living costs which mean such a sum is just too much for them to give. That could well be more than all the 'disposable' income they have for the year. A tax-deducted percentage of £3m to a man who has a personal fortune in the hundreds of millions is nothing. Beckham isn't going to go without something he needs, by giving away 5 months salary is he now? It's not that hard to figure it out, surely?

if we were to use the idea of 'giving what you can afford', then Beckham could afford to give a hell of a lot more. And still have enough left for his and his family's lifetimes, several times over.

That's a silly argument.

It's perfectly logical actually.

If someone is going to use Total Worth on one side of a comparison, and just Salary on the other.

Then the comparison makes no sense at all.

You may as well compare One persons salary, and the coins in the ashtray of your car and decide who's "best" for donating to charity.

The guy has far more money than he knows what to do with (as exemplified by the [u]obscene vulgarity of his family's lifestyle).[/u] Not that he shouldn't enjoy the fruits of his endeavours, far from it. But there comes a point of being comfortable and set for life, and he is way, way beyond that. [u]In order for people like him to be incredibly wealthy, means that an awful lot of other people have to be extremely poor,[/u] and that's an inequality which needs constant examination and criticism. What, now no-one's allowed to criticise anyone? So much for Freedom of Speech.

I can only dream of being so open minded.

And all this ratio of wealth stuff is gash.
What matters is the charity and what would they prefer, 0.1% of beckhams wealth or 50% of mine?

Fair play to him, the charity gets his salary and presumable any tax he would have paid on it. Not sure how some people think he has a tax break on it, as he will have given it all away.

So he gives a shedload to charity yet people still feel the need to be critical. 🙄

I'll have 50% of yours wrecker. Then you'll be broke. 😛

thx, that's a hell of a statement considering you were keeping an

open mind

63 voices now and I've got you down as the 62nd least open minded. And that's only because wrecker joined in. 😀

As you well know DD, my GAFometer nary flickers.