WENGER AWAITS BECKHAM ARRIVAL
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopes the youngsters in his squad will learn a thing or two from having former England captain David Beckham around the training ground.
The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, who still has a family home in Hertfordshire, is set to use the Gunners' complex at London Colney to keep up his fitness levels during the Major League Soccer close season. The 32-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar needs one more international appearance to reach a landmark 100 caps, and hopes to be picked by new England boss Fabio Capello for his first friendly against Switzerland at Wembley in February.
Wenger believes the time will be well spent. "He will come in January to practise with us, occasionally with the first team or the reserves," the Arsenal manager confirmed. "He can always give good advice and we will help him to keep fit. The youngsters will look up to him, of course."
Wenger is glad to see Beckham back doing what he does best on the field, and praised the player's "mental strength". The Arsenal manager revealed he had even "considered signing" the midfielder himself - but accepted "for years he was at Manchester United and it was impossible."
Wenger reflected: "I admire how strong Beckham has been mentally through his career because he went through some tough times. "I respect the fact that he has always loved football and he has always shown respect for his managers even when he was dropped. He didn't come out in a silly way, a spoilt way.
"Also, he has always delivered when it was expected of him, he has shown toughness. "When he had to score the free-kick in the last minute against Greece, in the crucial World Cup qualifier in October 2001, he put it in the net. It is a sign of mental strength." -
Wenger urges Diarra and co to follow Beckham's lead
David Beckham was once a thorn in the side of Arsène Wenger but the manager now sees him as a role model for Arsenal's young players. Wenger has confirmed that Beckham, the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, will work at Arsenal's London Colney training ground next month "occasionally with the first team or the reserves" to maintain his fitness now that the Major League Soccer season is over.
They have usually been in opposite corners - one of Beckham's finest moments came in his performance for Manchester United against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final, a game that United won 2-1 en route to the Treble - but Wenger has the highest regard for him. Yesterday it was clear that one of the virtues he felt Beckham had always shown resonates with the times. "He has always shown respect for his manager, even when he was dropped," said Wenger. "He didn't come out in a silly way, in a spoilt way." Wenger wants several of his Arsenal players, in particular Lassana Diarra, to heed the example.
He struggled to conceal his exasperation with Diarra. Although he appears ready to allow Jens Lehmann to leave for Borussia Dortmund in search of regular first-team football to increase his chances of starting for Germany in the European Championship next summer, he will not be dictated to by Diarra.
The 22-year-old France international moved to Arsenal on August 31, from Chelsea, but chose the morning of the Premier League meeting with his former club two weeks ago to announce that he wanted a transfer. The Carling Cup has not been enough for him; a mere four Premier League starts have eaten away at his patience.
Wenger chose to remind Diarra, and any of the other young players in his squad who believe that they should be making quicker progress, that nowhere else in the game would they be afforded such a platform. "You tell me one club in the world of our size who gives a chance to the young players like we do," he said. "At our club, young players are in paradise. Usually you have to wait until 26, 27 to get a chance at a big club. You go to Real Madrid, you go to Milan, when do the young players play?"
Diarra, coveted by a host of clubs including Tottenham and Lyon, is in the squad but Wenger wants him to digest a few home truths. "When you sign a contract, nobody puts a gun to your head," he said. "Nobody forced me to sign [my contract]. I am 58. I have never said, once I'd signed a contract, 'Listen, I have a difficult patch at the moment, I want to go'.
"I cannot understand that people are surprised that there is competition at big clubs. If you change for another big club you have the same competition again. I understand the frustrations of players who don't play but at the end of the day I will do what is best for the club. That is my first responsibility. We are not in a kindergarten, we are in a job for men. It is a job for strong people, and those who stay strong always come out. Diarra has the talent to be at a big club - he belongs to a big club. He doesn't play at the moment but if he continues to fight he will play." -
how come AW look so stern???