Oh Captain, My Captain

To quote Walt Whitman is an honor. To quote him to discuss Sir David is blasphemous...but then again, here at AzzurriDreams, we can do whatever we want. Feyenoord and I talked about the 'news' that David Beckham is no longer the captain of England and has been omitted from McClaren's first match next week. Then we realized, unless you are metrosexual with a David Fetish or the English Press, this is really not news worthy anywhere else in the world. Who cares, when was the last time he played a full 90 and earned it for England?

I believe that due to his exhaustion, at always needing to be next to a camera and to make sure his wife does not eat too many tic tacs, he can now focus on playing club ball. For the remaining part of his career, he can dazzle us, for once in a long time, by just hustling and playing football. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but it could happen. Yeah, and England will play the short ball.

England need to rejuvenate itself, its image and hopefully qualify out of a very difficult group for the Euros. So like I have mentioned quite often in the last few weeks, go young, go different, and don't play five in the midfield. This is good change and only the beginning to make this his own team. McClaren and I have been speaking and he has hired me as a virtual assistant. If you are reading this, Steve, you are getting tired, very tired(I need tickets, I need tickets).

David Beckham's plight is like all players at this phase of their career. They cannot all be like Fabio Cannavaro, still excelling(I kid Feyenoord, that has grown tired of my allusions to the 4-time World Champions at any opportunity). They start to fade because their bodies change and the natural progression of the next generation of players that are coming in. They retire from International Play and let the youth take over. It will be difficult for Sir David to let go of the limelight. Unfortunately, even the great ones become carted off us last weeks news.

That is the unfortunate plight of the footballer, to still connect with fans long after their magic has passed. David Beckham's right foot has lit up many a stadium and will do for a little while longer. But to have his mug all over the soccer press and websites, today, I felt sorry for him because I was sadder to see the Swedish-Savant go then this guy. But I know not all is lost, I will get to heckle him when he comes to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Can you imagine him on the same bench with Landon and how much abuse(I mean friendly fan banter) the AzzurriDreams Staff will welcome him to this country with.

Azzurri Dreams