Becks How good was he?

Congrats to David Beckham on his retirement his stature in the media glare and his services to football were second to none and to keep fit at his age and to still be relevant at his age is a testament to his character even amongst all the controversies that he has had on and off the pitch he has come out smiling and a helluva of a lot richer. Amongst all the plaudits he is going to get in the next weeks/months the question is how good a player really was he?

I always felt he was a really good player that was elevated to absolute greatness by certain sections of media because of his fame. He was one of the great dead ball strikers who could cope under pressure when chances came to him. His equalizer for England against Greece which qualified England for the 2002 World Cup being an example. Also a great crosser of a ball which even with a lack of electric pace he always managed to get in his fair set of crosses per match which were paramount to United’s game in the mid to late 90s. He could produce a good pass when he needed to and also a professionalism which was second to none. Anyone who has glowing words for Becks said that he was the hardest worker on the training ground and always the last to leave which would always had positive affect on his teammates.

The few negatives that I have about Beckham are the reason why I don't think he is amongst the greats. He had a tendency to be very petulant in the heat of the moment and the World Cup 1998 incident against Argentina being a prime example of that. He loved being in a centre midfield but he truly excelled in it as he never had the legs for the position to track back and chase and also had the habit of also going for a hail mary pass when the simpler pass was available although in his defence on that he was not the only one who was guilty of that in the England midfield. The final one which I think is the most important is comparing him with his peers and in the case I give his own teammates. I believe Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were better talents than him. Scholes for his range of passing and vision and knowing when to hit the right pass at the right times which I believe Beckham did not do and Keane who was the energy of the team and had the ability to drag United through the tough times even if the rest of the team is struggling a trait that Beckham did not have either.

I do not want to knock Beckham he had a successful career and has been a fantastic ambassador for the game and for his country but I believe that he is a rung below the real special talents that have graced the game in his era.