Sir Alex Ferguson book: David Beckham had to leave Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson says David Beckham had to leave Manchester United because the former England captain thought he was "bigger than the manager".
"The minute a Manchester United player thought he was
bigger than the manager, he had to go," he wrote. "David thought he was
bigger than Alex Ferguson."That was the death knell for him."Ferguson also said he had concerns about Beckham's
celebrity lifestyle, following the player's marriage to Victoria Adams, a
member of the pop group the Spice Girls."David was the only player I managed who chose to be
famous, who made it his mission to be known outside the game," wrote
Ferguson. "I felt uncomfortable with the celebrity aspect of his life."Beckham, who won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups
and one Champions League crown during his United career, was eventually
sold to Real Madrid for £25m in the summer of 2003.
“It doesn't matter whether it's Alex
Ferguson or Pete the Plumber. The authority is what counts. You cannot
have a player taking over the dressing room. Many tried ”
He helped the Spanish giants win
La Liga before moving to the United States, where he guided LA Galaxy
to victory in the MLS Cup.
Ferguson retired from management in May, ending one of the most successful managerial reigns in British history.
During his 26 years in charge at Old Trafford, he won 38 trophies and managed some of the biggest names in football, like Beckham, Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Peter Schmeichel, Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.