David Beckham former England, Manchester United and Real Madrid icon, kicked off his Presidency at his football club Inter Miami on March 1.
“It has become more a reality as the days pass by,” said David, 44, who joined my home City club Preston North End in the mid-nineties, on loan.
“It’s so exciting,” said David, ahead of Inter Miami playing his former club Los Angeles Galaxy at the Inter Miami CF Stadium, on March 14.
Wife Victoria and eldest son Brooklyn were present at Inter Miami FC’s MLS game against Los Angeles FC on March 1, staged at the LA FC’s Banc of California stadium.
“I want to be able to create a legacy that my children can turn around in 20 years and say, ‘My dad built this club’,” said President David.
Author of David Beckham – In At The Deep End published in 2008, I befriended him during a short spell on loan at Deepdale from Manchester United in 1995, making five appearances for North End.
“I was shocked going on loan to Preston – I thought it was the end of my career at United,” said David.
It was Sir Alex Ferguson who reassured David, aged 19, shipping him out on loan to Preston, then in the old Third Division, was to toughen him up.
David was introduced to the Preston players, by gaffer Gary Peters, who said: “This is David Beckham, here on a month’s loan from Manchester United – he’ll be taking all our free-kicks and corners from now on.”
Beck’s didn’t have it all his own way at Deepdale – he had to take his own kit home on match days to wash!
David, who wore a PNE Town Ender t-shirt, took players out to socialise while at Deepdale, and had no airs and graces, enjoying his time at the club.
Being part of the Academy at United, David said of Inter Miami FC: “The plan of my dream is to create a state-of-the art Academy and bring kids through, like we did at United.
“That will make us so proud. We were a unique group of kids at United, all coming in during 1992 and very successful. “Successful because of the players we came in with, including Roy Keane and Eric Cantona as well as manager Alex Ferguson.
“That’s where my experience comes in. I understand the Academies.
“The biggest lesson is I’m more persistent than I thought I was – and more stubborn than my wife thinks,” quipped David, who has appointed CONCACAF Champions League twice-winner Diego Alonso as manager.
Inter Miami will play their first two seasons in Fort Lauderdale, until work is completed on the 25,000-seater Miami Freedom Park, costing $750m.
