- Sir Alex Ferguson has shed light on his infamous encounter with David Beckham
- The Scot claimed his injury was ‘stage managed’ after a boot kicked at him
- click here to listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Kicking Off’
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed David Beckham ‘faked’ his eye injury after infamously kicking the ex-England captain in 2003.
The pair were swamped in a row after Man United’s FA Cup fifth round draw with Arsenal in the 2002-03 season – which they lost 2-0 – with Beckham incurring the wrath of his boss after an investigation to the locker room.
Ferguson then launched a boot at Beckham, with the midfielder later suffering an eye injury in training, but Ferguson claimed it ‘wasn’t worth a stitch’ as he played down the incident.
In Beckham’s Netflix documentary, Ferguson recalled: ‘I kicked his head. I mean, honestly, it was an absolute freak.”
Asked about the photos showing Beckham’s injury, he added: ‘Yes, I’m not going to talk about that. All I’m saying is I think that was staged. It wasn’t even worth a stitch.’
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed David Beckham’s eye injury during infamous 2003 row was ‘staged’
The legendary Scot said the injury ‘wasn’t worth a damn’ after he famously launched a boot at the ex-England captain (R)
Beckham recalls seeing his ‘smoking’ boss in the dressing room and revealed he vowed to infuriate him further on top of the result – which led to the boot being launched on him.
‘We walked into the dressing room and the boss is furious. I can see it in his face,” said the former Real Madrid and LA Galaxy man.
‘And when you see the boss’s face like that, you don’t want to be around him. It’s a face no one can make, believe me.’
After claiming the coach was ‘blinding and blinding’, he added: ‘I went back to the boss and said ‘no’ and then swore. I said the f-word. And then I saw him change, and I thought, “s***, I really shouldn’t have said that.” I think I said the f-word too many times.”
Beckham revealed he earned his boss’s wrath after swearing at him following their FA Cup exit at the hands of Arsenal
Beckham also spoke of his sadness at having to leave United for Real Madrid the following season. He said he begged to stay at Old Trafford.
He said he asked, “Can I speak to the boss?” before being told, “No, he doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Beckham added: “And I said, ‘I need to talk to the boss, I need to know that this is really what he wants,’ and I begged not to go. I couldn’t get in touch with the boss. Have I ever wanted to leave Man United? No never.
‘It was my home. My relationship with the boss was always special. We had our moments, but I still loved him.”
Ferguson said their relationship was “at an impasse.”
The documentary also revealed that Beckham’s relationship with Victoria Beckham caused further tension between the player and Ferguson
“There was no point in me telling David, ‘I’m selling you,'” he added. The decision was made, it was better that he go. He didn’t have to go. He could have stayed if he wanted. I think he knew it was the right time.”
The same documentary also revealed that Beckham’s relationship with then Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham added tension to his relationship with Ferguson.
Former teammate Paul Scholes said: “His relationship with Victoria let the manager down. He thought it affected his football.”
Meanwhile, fellow Red Devils icon Paul Ince revealed how Ferguson did background checks on his players’ love lives because he wanted them to have a ‘stable’ relationship.
‘Sir Alex liked that you were stable. He looked at your background. I didn’t want you partying every night,” Ince said.
When asked about their relationship, Ferguson admitted: “(Beckham) has changed, there’s no doubt about that – and all the media and celebrity attention was different than I wanted.”
