Beckham hopes to play in 2012 London Olympics
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LONDON, JUL 14 - David Beckham wants to play for Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
The Los Angeles Galaxy and England midfielder would be 37 by the time the Olympics come to London.
"If I'm still playing and I'm still considered to make a difference to the team I'd love to be involved," Beckham said Wednesday during a live Yahoo! video webchat.
A team of English-only soccer players is set to represent Britain. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations won't be part of the team, fearing it would jeopardize their independence and voting rights within FIFA.
Beckham also said that he hopes to end his career at the 2014 World Cup — and score the winner in the final in Brazil.
Beckham was at the World Cup in South Africa as a member of coach Fabio Capello's support staff after being ruled out with an Achilles' tendon injury. Beckham said he has been running for the last 10 days and should be back in action for the Galaxy within two months.
Beckham worries that the England players who flopped at the World Cup — winning just once and going out in the last 16 — could be abused by fans when the new Premier League season starts next month.
"The players know it was disappointing because we didn't perform," Beckham said. "The manager can only do so much, then it has to be down to the players and when the players go on the pitch they know if they don't perform they don't win games."
Beckham, who was hit by an intense public backlash after being sent off at the 1998 World Cup, didn't want the current squad to face a similar fate.
"I hope not, but we do live in a world where that happens," Beckham said. "You do enjoy the good times, but when the bad times come along you have to learn from them, otherwise you just crumble ... in 1998 it was tough and you just have to block it out."
Beckham's appearance on the sideline in South Africa led to suggestions that he could coach England one day.
"It's not a passion of mine to be a manager of a football team," Beckham said. "I'm passionate about the game and being there. I was wearing the suit — so people thought I'd be doing that (coaching)."
Posted on: 2010-07-14 09:11
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