Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Maldini Impressed By Becks

AC Milan captain Paulo Maldini has expressed his admiration for David Beckham after he completed his first training session with the club.

The former Manchester United player has joined Milan on a short-term loan during the Major League Soccer close season in a bid to maintain his fitness in preparation for England's forthcoming freindlies against Spain and Slovakia.

Beckham is due to return to LA Galaxy in March but with the MLS season finishing in October it means the midfielder has not played competitively for over two months.

Despite this fact, Maldini is confident that the 33-year-old will be match fit again soon after he joined up with the rest of the squad at a training camp in Dubai during the Italian winter break.

"Beckham is a great champion, but we shouldn't forget that he has come into a great team and a great club like Milan," he said.

"We players don't care what his life is like off the pitch, we have found a lad who has not trained for two-and-a-half months.

"But I have had the chance to talk to him and I noticed his determination and his great desire to put himself to work immediately to return to playing as soon as possible." Impact

Beckham officially becomes a Milan player on 7th January and could make his debut in the Stadio Olimpico four days later against Roma.

Even though the former England skipper's stay with the club will be a brief one manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident he will play a big part.

"This morning he took part in his first training session with the team," he stated.

"I believe he is an important player and that he will give his contribution to Milan. He is a player who can play in all three roles in midfield and he has immediately put himself at the disposal of the group.

"This week away will be useful to evaluate his physical condition and then we will evaluate when it will be possible to use him in official games."

Meanwhile, Milan's club doctor Jean Pierre Meersseman has likened Beckham to Rossoneri legends Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta.

"He will be at his top level in 15-20 days," he declared.

"The tests which he did showed that he is already very good. He has an exceptional physique which will allow him, as happened to Maldini and Costacurta, to play for another five or six years."

Source:Beckham magazine.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Milan, Beckham in terrorist threat

AC Milan midfielder David Beckham and the rest of the team could be targeted by terrorists when they travel to Dubai next week for the club’s annual tour.

The Daily Star claims extra security measures have been taken to protect the Englishman while he is away with the club as Islamic terrorists are planning an attack.

Reports suggest Beckham will be an ideal target and thus a special security team will be dragged in.

A member of the Beckham security team told the Daily Star: “This is a big headache for us and we are taking his visit as if he was a head of state. The security measures will be stepped up and we are concerned about public appearances for example when meeting fans or signing autographs. The fans want to meet Beckham and this is a great risk for us. The risk of an attack is potentially high.”

Milan will train in Dubai and play a friendly against German side Hamburg on January 6. However, Beckham is unlikely to play.

Source: Goal.com

Monday, December 22, 2008

Beckham worth a place - Ancelotti


David Beckham will play a significant role for AC Milan during his loan spell, says coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Los Angeles Galaxy player joins the Italian side until March as he attempts to stay fit in the US close season.

And after the Englishman was paraded in front of the San Siro crowd on Sunday, Ancelotti made it clear that the move was more than a publicity exercise.

"Certainly there is a place for him because he is a great player," said the Milan coach.

"He is very well-prepared tactically and he can give a contribution to this team.

"He is in good condition and if he is one of the 11 names on the team sheet, then it is because he deserves to be there.

"I met with him this morning and he has been welcomed very well. We are all delighted to have him here.

"We are all happy because what we have got is a great professional."

Speaking on Saturday, Beckham said a key reason behind the loan was the relatively short length of the football season in the United States.

"I've always said I would miss playing at the highest level," said the 33-year-old.

"I'm not saying that in America they won't get to the highest level - it will take time and it will happen - but with five months off during the season I personally can't do that."

Beckham, who has 107 England caps, needs to remain fit to keep his place in England squad as he bids to surpass Bobby Moore's outfield record of 108 caps.

"I know how (England coach) Fabio Capello works," said Beckham. "If you're good enough and working hard enough, you'll be in the team no matter where you are or where you're playing.

"You should not be given England caps lightly, they're very precious. People have questioned that in the last few games I've played in which is quite unbelievable considering I'm on 107 caps.

"To be up there with Bobby Moore is an incredible thing. If I end up equalling the record, I'd be even more honoured but at the moment I take each game as it comes."

Capello - a former coach of AC Milan - said on Saturday: "I put [Beckham] in the squad when he played with LA and if he plays for AC Milan it is possible he will be in the squad.

"Beckham's record is not important for me - I decide the squad to win a game, not for the record."

And Beckham, who began Saturday's news conference by addressing the assembled media with a few words in Italian, admitted: "I needed to be able to be playing top-flight football to keep myself fit, to keep myself in contention for other things that are going on."

The first game Beckham could potentially play for Milan is their away match against Roma on 11 January.

"I wouldn't have taken this opportunity if I didn't think I could help the team," said Beckham.

"It's not about anything else apart from the football. I've come here to play with some of the best players in the world.

"To be able to step on to the training field with Kaka, (Andrea) Pirlo, (Paolo) Maldini, Ronaldinho - there's so many players that I've always watched and played against but never played with.

"There's some great players out there and I don't expect to walk in on the first day and be starting in the team, it doesn't happen like that.

"I'm going to work hard in training, I'm going to get my fitness - because I need to - and then once I'm fit, hopefully I can get some time in the team, and hopefully help.

"I know there's quite a few injuries at the moment," he added, referring to a lengthy injury list that includes the likes of Kaka, Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Mathieu Flamini.

Beckham, who will wear the number 32 shirt, is especially keen to line up alongside 40-year-old defender Maldini.

"What is great about AC Milan is the history of the club, that's what makes great clubs," said the Englishman. "Who better to represent the club than Maldini?

"He's still playing at top level. That just shows the club's amazing structure, amazing beliefs in players whether they're young or old. As long as they're talented it doesn't matter.

"I've played against him and know how good he is. Now to play with him, well it's a huge honour.

"I love the history behind great teams, I've said it before. I loved playing for Manchester United.
They will always be the team that gave me my start, gave me the chance to win so many trophies.

"I fell in love with Real Madrid too and now that I've seen AC Milan, I'm already falling in love.

"It's going to be hard to leave but I'm going to have a great time here I hope."

Earlier on Saturday Milan suggested they would consider signing Beckham on loan again in 2010 if his two-month spell goes well.

"We hope Beckham leaves an indelible mark," said chief executive Adriano Galliani. "Next year we could repeat the experience, maybe for longer."

Galliani had previously hinted that Beckham may want to spend more than two months in Serie A but the chief executive played down the speculation.

"David Beckham will stay with Milan up to 9 March. The last match is Milan v Atalanta on 8 March. I don't want to delude anyone," he said.

"He will be here with us for nine Serie A games and will also play some friendlies.

"We will then consider whether to include him or not in our Uefa Cup squad because eventually he would only be able to play up to the first and second leg of the last 16 of the competition.

"We will make this decision by the end of January."

Prior to his official unveiling Beckham had a medical at a private clinic.

Source: BBC

No charges in Beckham theft claim


The former housekeepers of David and Victoria Beckham will not face charges over allegations they stole property from the couple and tried to sell it.
Eric Emmett, 55 and his wife June, 56, from Nazeing, Essex, who worked at the mansion in Hertfordshire, were arrested on suspicion of theft on 10 October.
Their son Gareth was also arrested and they were all released on bail.
Hertfordshire Police said on Wednesday no further action had been taken against the three people arrested.
Police were called when memorabilia belonging to the former England captain and his wife apparently appeared on the ebay auction website.
After his arrest Mr Emmett said the allegations against him, his wife and son, relating to the Beckhams' mansion in Sawbridgeworth were "fabricated nonsense".
Source:BBC sport

Beckham set for Rangers friendly


BBC Sports. The former England captain has agreed a short-term loan move to the Italian giants, who have struck a deal to play a friendly at Ibrox.
The 33-year-old, who plays for US side LA Galaxy, will join up with AC Milan on 7 January in a bid to stay fit during the MLS close-season.
"We are excited about it," said Rangers captain Barry Ferguson.
"It will be great for the young kids to see some of the superstars in football like Beckham, Kaka and Ronaldinho."
Beckham starred in an Ibrox friendly back in 1994, when Manchester United were 1-0 losers, while he was in the England team that won 2-0 in a Euro 2000 play-off match at Hampden.
Beckham has also sampled the atmosphere at Celtic Park, having played for a winning Manchester United side in Tom Boyd's 2001 testimonial.
Seven-time European champions AC Milan, who are currently fourth in Serie A, are involved in the Uefa Cup this season, having suffered a poor domestic campaign last term.
 

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