Manchester United icon David Beckham recently voiced his disapproval of certain current players, accusing them of showing disrespect towards the club`s supporters. He drew comparisons between the present squad and past iterations of the team he played for.
Beckham, a key figure for United from 1992 to 2003, notably winning the UEFA Champions League under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999, refrained from naming specific players or detailing their actions. However, he contrasted the current United side with the cohesive unit of Paris Saint-Germain, who recently reached the Champions League final.
Speaking during an alternative broadcast of the Champions League final, Beckham praised PSG: “Their philosophy has changed and they all stuck with it and I think that they`ve created a team that are together. They are together as a team, every individual, every player is running for every [player] and that`s what you want. When you`re a fan of a club, that`s what you want to see and that`s … not what we see at Manchester United. You`re not seeing that.”
When asked if his criticism targeted the club`s management or the players, Beckham clarified that his remarks were directed at the latter.
“It`s tough times but I don`t like seeing some of the things that are going on at the club,” he added. “On the pitch is what counts but in all honesty, I`m seeing a lot of things that are not on the pitch that are not okay in my eyes, as a fan and as a lover of Manchester United.”
He further contrasted the current players with the team from his era, suggesting his generation demonstrated greater respect for the fanbase.
“I`m talking about sometimes the way players are acting,” Beckham stated. “You have to represent the badge and that`s what it`s about and I`ve seen a lot of things where players are not acting in the right manner. We were a part of a team that was so well-mannered. We understood what it meant to play for Manchester United. We understood what the badge meant. Wherever we traveled, whether it was in Europe, whether it was in Asia, you respected the fans. You respect the fans. You respect the fans, you respect the fact that they`re turning up, paying money and wanting you to sign and take pictures. You respect that. I don`t see that. I`m not saying it`s all of the players. I`m saying it`s one or two that are disrespecting that and I don`t like that.”
This comes after a challenging season for United, finishing 16th in the Premier League – their lowest position ever – and missing out on European qualification for the upcoming campaign. Their season concluded with a Europa League final defeat and a post-season tour of Asia that included a loss to the ASEAN All-Stars before a final win against Hong Kong`s national team.
Benedict Kingsley 
Adrian Whitmore