Fergie still scares me, says David Beckham (aged 37½)

Posted Sunday, December 02, 2012 by The Sun

DAVID BECKHAM says Alex Ferguson still frightens the life out of him — even when he is watching Manchester United games on TV.

The ex-England skipper left United in 2003 a few months after Fergie accidentally hit him above the eye when he kicked a boot lying in the dressing room floor.

Despite that incident Beckham has not lost any admiration for his former boss and rates him the No 1 manager in the game.

Fergie will be 71 on New Year’s Eve but shows no sign of slowing down.

And Becks, who last night said goodbye to LA Galaxy after six seasons in America, believes it is the fire in the Scot’s belly which keeps the United boss going in his quest for more silverware. He said: “You can see the aggression in him still.

“It scares me when I watch him on telly. The aggression will never leave him as a manager.

“It’s one of the reasons why he is respected like he is, but he has got that tender side as well — not always, but he does have it.

“Looking at him on the sidelines I think he can go on forever.

“It’s impossible to say that he’s ever going to stop.

“He continues to defy people and continues to defy an age limit in a manager because he’s the best, it’s as simple as that.

“You hear from so many players who have been in his teams about the respect they have for him as a person and as a manager.”

Becks, 37, was speaking in Los Angeles where he played his last game for the Galaxy in the MLS Cup final against Houston Dynamo.

The MLS gambled £22million on making Beckham their marquee signing and the investment has been justified.

Now they are looking to the once great Brazilian midfielder Kaka to take up his mantle at the Galaxy, while Becks may take a 25 per cent ownership of the club as well as continuing his playing career elsewhere.

Tim Leiweke — president of AEG, the company which owns the Galaxy — has had talks with Frank Lampard but says Kaka, 30, is now his man.

Beckham himself was instrumental in putting the deal together and should Kaka join he will link up with Robbie Keane.

The former Spurs striker has proved a hit with 16 goals.

And former LA Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas reckons Keane can play a bigger part as the face of soccer in the States.

Lalas said: “Robbie is not quite at the Beckham or Landon Donovan level, but he has an opportunity to establish himself as an asset to the league because of the way he plays.

“There is a joy that he constantly exhibits that is refreshing when you are comparing him to other players.”

Keane, 32, does not enjoy the celebrity status of Beckham. In fact a caption from a news agency labelled him as “an unidentified fan” in a picture with Becks.

But Keane is happy to take on an ambassadorial role with the MLS, like Becks, and help promote the League.

Keane said: “Players back home think you can come over and just have a jolly and finish your career. But I tell them it’s a lot harder than people think.

“To attract Kaka would be brilliant. He has big shoes to fill because David has been a credit to the game and the organisation.”