KUNMING, China, 31 July 2003 — England captain David Beckham wants to put all the hoopla surrounding his transfer to Real Madrid behind him and just concentrate on playing football, he said at his first news conference in China yesterday.
“I’m just looking forward to playing football,” Beckham told reporters ahead of his debut on Saturday in Beijing versus the Dragon Team, a select squad of Chinese professionals. Beckham, who joined Real for 35 million euro ($40.40 million) from Manchester United on July 1, has drawn the crowds to the club’s training sessions in the southwest of the country.
Asked if Real had signed him for money or football reasons the midfielder said: “I don’t know whether you think any different, but as far as I’m concerned it’s football.”
Beckham played down reports he had chosen the number 23 shirt because it belonged to basketball great Michael Jordan.
“...they (the media) made a comparison of the 23 and Michael Jordan. But the No. 23 was offered to me and, you know, I took it. I was offered two numbers of which I chose the No. 23.”
Beckham has grabbed the spotlight since joining Real’s constellation of stars, although some pundits have doubts over whether he will sparkle amongst the likes of Ronaldo and Raul.
He has to prove he merits a regular place in a team stacked with world class players like Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo.
At the Tuodong Stadium in Kunming on Tuesday, where 20,000 fans paid between 180 and 780 yuan ($22-94) to watch a practice match between Real’s first team and the reserves, Beckham played in his natural position on the right flank.
Figo, who has mostly featured on the right for Real since he joined them from rivals Barcelona, played on the left wing in the latest sign that new coach Carlos Queiroz may switch the Portuguese star to make room for the England midfielder. Real mania has taken hold in China but the team has caught its share of bad publicity in the early stages of their promotional swing through the Far East. The club has stranded hundreds of paying, rain-drenched fans at practices and even government officials at banquets due to a string of scheduling foul-ups blamed on misunderstandings with local organizers.
The Chinese soccer tabloid Balls Weekly said 29,000 tickets were sold for Tuesday’s practice match, which was watched by China’s former coach Bora Milutinovic.
Sunderland Accept Villa
Bid for Sorensen
In London, Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is likely to join Aston Villa after the clubs agreed a 2.25 million pounds ($3.64 million) fee yesterday.
The 27-year-old Denmark international is discussing personal terms with both premier league clubs.
Sunderland said in a statement: “Certain aspects of the transfer are quite complex and for this reason we are still in discussions. Sorensen, who has 25 caps, dislocated his elbow last October and was out of action for three months. Villa manager David O’Leary, obviously not happy with last season’s first-choice, Finn Peter Enckelman, was unsuccessful in his bid to lure England goalkeeper Paul Robinson from Leeds United last month despite agreeing a fee with the club.
