Interview here(This is a four page interview; I have posted the first page. Click on the link above to read the rest.)
Beckham: I would have played for Man United for free
David Beckham speaks exclusively about his future and family with Patrick Barclay.
Walk through the reception area of the David Beckham Academy, an establishment as squeaky-clean yet stylish as the principal's most ardent fan would expect, admire the colourful friezes of children's letters and paintings and you arrive at a gallery of souvenirs.
Framed England shirts from Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, Real Madrid ones bearing the signatures of Zinedine Zidane ('pour tout les enfants'), Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos and an Arsenal one from Thierry Henry gaze down on glass-encased pairs of boots arranged in chronological order. The first were worn by Beckham when he scored a career-boosting goal from the halfway line at Selhurst Park in 1996 and Manchester United's opposition that day (Wimbledon) are a reminder that much has changed since. But one thing has remained constant since the 21-year-old Beckham drifted the ball over a scrambling Neil Sullivan. He passionately wanted to play for Manchester United then - and would like nothing better than to play for them now.
When asked if he could still do a job for the club his father taught him to love, Beckham replied: "I think I could, but it's never going to happen because I have pledged my future to the Galaxy." And then he smiled. "Anyway, I'm not the manager of Manchester United."
It was Beckham's choice of subject. He had invited me to the academy on the morning after England's removal from the European Championship despite Beckham's effort of that beautiful equaliser he had made for Peter Crouch.
He confirmed the project had been originally inspired by the Bobby Charlton Soccer Schools he attended in his youth. Charlton was his father's hero, to the extent that, when David was born, Ted Beckham gave him Robert as a middle name. "Sometimes Victoria and I have a laugh about it. She keeps asking, 'Why was your dad so in love with Bobby Charlton?' and I say 'Remember that video I showed you of him in his prime?' and she says 'OK, I get it'. He'd score wonderful goals - left foot, right foot - and is a man I've always looked up to." Never more so than now, perhaps, for Charlton has a century of England caps and Beckham 99, with the possibility the next manager will decide that the new era should begin without him. Charlton has also been a Manchester United director throughout the management of Alex Ferguson and thereby hangs the tale Beckham was anxious to explore.
"I've just read Sir Bobby's autobiography," he said, "and it was interesting to see what he wrote about me leaving United [for Real Madrid in 2003] because he talked about seeing the contract I was offered by United and the amount of money involved. Well, I didn't see any contract, let alone the 'excellent, generous offer' he was talking about. Whether it was kept back by certain people I don't know. But I can't wait to see Sir Bobby next so I can ask him about it." Would he have stayed if the club had tried as hard to keep him as Charlton's book implied? "I would have played for Man United," he declared, with an expression that verged on the scornful, "for free". So his departure for Madrid was not of his volition? "No. But Man United was the club I always wanted to start my career at and finish my career at."
Love him or hate him, there's no denying that he'll always be a Red Devil at heart.