Beckham and teammates stand behind manager Eriksson
LONDON: David Beckham has pledged the England team will unite behind coach Sven-Goran Eriksson starting with today's friendly against Ukraine.
The England captain said he and his teammates were fully behind the Swede following the controversy sparked by Eriksson's affair with Football Association secretary Faria Alam.
Beckham, who too has felt the full glare of publicity shone on his private life, said: “It's not a nice situation to be in but all the players respect him and that's all we look at.”
The Real Madrid midfielder said it was time now for England to get on with the job of picking themselves up after their Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat to Portugal and qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.
“We need to play, he needs to manage and we will just get on with it.
“We'll go out on Wednesday night and play as well as we can and try to win the game. That's all we can do.
“I think the manager realises the respect that he's got from the whole team, including me.
“We only care what he does when we meet up with England. That's what we respect him for – the way he is to the players.”
He admitted the knives were out for Eriksson and England if they failed to produce results.
“That's football. If you don't succeed then you're criticised and that's just the way it is.
“If you play well, you enjoy what people say about you. If you don't play well, then you have to accept what's said about you as well.
“You have to be strong enough to take it. I know that I'm strong enough to take it and move on. I'm sure the manager is too after everything that he's been through.”
He conceded England had failed to sparkle in Portugal.
“We were all disappointed after the summer as we felt that we could go a lot further than we did, but it wasn't meant to be. We have to look forward now and look to qualify for the World Cup.”
He insisted after all his own well documented personal problems he would bounce back.
“I've never doubted myself, but there were a few doubts put in my mind.
“However, when you've got a strong family base, like I have – including my parents and my wife's parents – then it's good.
“Of course, I thought about how I felt in the tournament, because I know that what I've been given is a talent – and I know that can't disappear just like that.
“For four games, I didn't perform as well as I can do. I know that. But at the end of the day, I want to put it right and I feel that I've done that over the summer.'' – AFP
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