David Beckham: I'm no quitter
(The Sun)
Updated: 2004-09-13 15:02

David Beckham is in no mood to give up his England place.

Beckham responded to mounting criticism following two unconvincing World Cup performances by delivering a trademark free-kick goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Numancia.

It was his first free-kick strike at the Bernabeu and he said: “I am always confident in my own ability even if other people aren’t.

“All I can do is carry on playing and enjoying my football and proving people wrong. I don’t feel my career is ending.

“My recent performances have not been as good but I don’t think it stretches over the number of years that people say.

“I played really well against Ukraine and then a couple of weeks later I’m called a has-been.

“That is the way life is. Whether I think it’s fair or not doesn’t matter because people will have their say anyway.

“If you have a bad game then you are not the player you were. It’s total nonsense really.”

Beckham, 29, refuses to cave in to his critics and insisted: “I am not feeling the tension.

“I don’t play football to make people who criticise me happy. I play football because I love it and criticism comes with that.

“There is always pressure when you play for England and Real Madrid so I am used to it.

“If the manager thinks I am not playing great football then he is not going to listen to anyone else.”

England boss Sven Goran Eriksson listened to the critics before dropping keeper David James after his nightmare in the 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Austria.

And midfielder Beckham admitted the same could happen to him against Wales next month.

He shrugged: “If you are going to accept the praise then you have to take the flak.

“Sometimes it gets a bit personal but I can handle it. I’m strong enough.”

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