10 Players Sir Alex Ferguson Was Completely Wrong About

5. David Beckham

Sir Alex Ferguson's relationship with David Beckham is infamous and there are a number of well-worn-out tabloid stories that resulted from Beckham's 11-year stay at Old Trafford. Ferguson now-memorably kicked a boot at the midfielder's head in 2003 that ultimately triggered his departure to Real Madrid and while Sir Alex was clearly wrong to do that, he was also wrong to question his dedication and commitment to the game. In the early 2000s, Ferguson and Beckham's relationship started to show signs of wear and tear, particularly when Beckham began to take an interest to other pursuits outside the world of football. Ferguson reflected in 2009: "He was never a problem until he got married. He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time, he was a fantastic young lad. Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing €“ from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part."' Questioning his dedication to the game was surely a harsh criticism. All you have to do is watch replays of his last ever game as a professional footballer to see how much playing football meant to Beckham. After Paris Saint-Germain's 3-1 win over Brest last May, the midfielder left the pitch in tears knowing his playing career was over, having joined the French club earlier that year. Saying "football is only a small part" of his career did Beckham something of a disservice.