PaulTheHammer wrote:To me this smacks of the message "Grown men don't cry".
I completely and utterly disagree with you. I want to see players who give a damn to be honest and there were a few this World Cup who I felt casually strolled their way through. Rooney made a mistake in his sending off, a big one BUT he is a player that cares about the shirt he is wearing. Everything he does, is passionate and for a cause. Sure he made a mistake but we know why, because he was frustrated at playing a solo role and that he was desperate for more help, so he could aid his country. I'm proud of Rooney and I will defend him to the very end because he showed passion and fought for everything he could fight for, for us, for England.
Now you are on Beckham's back for doing the same but expressing it differently and for what, because he's a "ladyboy" or something like that? For me the guy showed passion, a different kind of passion but passion nevertheless. From the moment he got injured, he knew damn well that he would play no further part in that game and beyond. All he could do was sit and watch in frustration / desperation, powerless to do anything. Can you imagine how much that must have driven him crazy? He was exasperated and no doubt frustated with himself too for getting injured. He showed that he was desperate to do something for the Three Lions and then cried because he couldn't. That is passion but a different type that doesn't probably appeal to the "men" amongst us.
Nope. You haven't grasped my point at all. I have no problem with Beckham being emotional. In fact I have no problem with any man, woman, child, dog, cat etc being emotional in public, in private or on the moon fro that matter.
My point is very simple. After the emotion of the moment subsides, brush yourself off and get your head back into the game. Becks looked utterly defeated for the rest of the match. If you are going to take on the role of captain, then it is imperative that you resume the role asap after such a tragic incident, whether you're on the field or off. I think Becks has been, by and large, a very dignified representative of his country's national team. Particularly I commend him for the way he picked himself up and quietly and strongly fought his way to the top after his sending off against Argentina in '98. But I'm afraid I don't agree with his despondence in this situation. I just don't.
I welcome people to disagree with me. Absolute fair play. Understand these points though. I'm talking about David Beckham's role in this one match exclusively. I haven't mentioned or made reference to any other player; Lamps, Rooney etc. Stop trying to suggest that I'm condemning the whole team for lack of passion. Secondly, I'm not calling into question anybody's 'manliness'. That's an absurd notion that I do not espouse. When Beck's came off and broke down, I fwlt terrible for the man. What despair he must have felt. However, as captain, he needed to put that aside after a while and get his head back into the game. I feel strogly about that. i sympathize that his role as captain ended in such a way, I really do, but I stand by my opinion.
We've spent too much time on this now, so that's all I'm going to post on the subject. Sorry if I have offended you. Such is life, to each their own.