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Real coach in a fix over Figo-Becks combo
Kunming City, July 27: Real Madrid`s new coach Carlos Queiroz, trying to fit right-sided midfielders David Beckham and Luis Figo into the same team, says he hopes the team`s current tour of Asia will help solve the puzzle.
Kunming City, July 27: Real Madrid's new coach Carlos Queiroz, trying to fit right-sided midfielders David Beckham and Luis Figo into the same team, says he hopes the team's current tour of Asia will help solve the puzzle.
David Beckham is slowing getting used to life among the superstars of Real Madrid as he joined the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo and Raul for their second training session on Saturday (July 26) in Kunming.
Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, who spent a year with Beckham as assistant coach at Manchester United before following him to Real, sought to defuse media speculation that a battle for the right side of midfield could evolve between Beckham and Figo.
As director of one of the most impressive collections of individual talent ever assembled, Queiroz faces intense pressure to get results. His predecessor Vicente del Bosque was dismissed despite leading Real to their 29th Spanish league title last season.
The addition of Beckham to a star-studded squad has spawned speculation about how Real's dream cast will work and live together. And the Figo-Beckham relationship is one of its most curious sub-plots.
On the field, they have similar qualities. Off it, they share a common language to build on. Figo is one of the few Real players who speaks solid English, while Beckham's Spanish is currently limited to a few phrases.
One of China's leading sport tabloids, Titan Sports, explored the subject on Saturday in a cover story entitled, "Friends and Rivals." It featured two sharply contrasting photos from Friday: One of the two gazing seriously at each other during their first practice session together, and another of them laughing while strolling side by side out of a dining hall, Figo's arm wrapped around Beckham's shoulder.
Beckham got much involved in the match practice and helped Argentinian midfielder Esteban Cambiasso to score one of the goals for the yellow team. Figo was playing in the opposite side and Beckham tried to deliver his trade mark crosses for his team-mates. He battled hard for the ball and learned a few tricks from the likes of Zidane and Ronaldo.
The practice was quickly disturbed by a fan who invaded the pitch before being held by security staff. Real will stay in the Yunman province in southern China for a week before a friendly against a Chinese select team on Saturday (August 2) in Beijing.
At a news conference, Spanish midfielder Jose Maria Gutierrez, commonly known as 'Guti', said the team of 'galacticos', as the Spanish media call them, has a great future ahead.
"Apart from being great players they are great people and when it comes to the team, there are no superstars. I think we are a group and if we all give our best and do things right, with all these stars it would be difficult to beat us."
One answer to the line-up dilemma would be to switch Figo to the left flank, the position he played when Queiroz coached the Portuguese youth side and Sporting Lisbon.
The Portuguese international frequently switches wings for Real and is considered much more versatile than Beckham. The eloquent English speaker was in characteristically philosophical form when asked about his mission.
"When we have great players, fantastic people and our responsibility is always about inspiration, excitement, it's all about imagination and try to find with work the right solutions," Queiroz told reporters. "The problem is, in training, coaching, when you don't have good players -- that is a nightmare."
Real fever has hit China in the weeks leading up to their arrival, jumpstarted by Beckham's move from Manchester United for a fee worth up to 35 million euros ($40.21 million US) but is not only the England captain who is catching the attention of the Chinese fans.
"I'm waiting for an autograph from Raul, I don't know how to express my feelings now, but I love everything in him, I love the way he looks, his skills as a soccer player, and his character," said a young woman sporting the shirts her favourite player wears for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.
Bureau Report
On the field, they have similar qualities. Off it, they share a common language to build on. Figo is one of the few Real players who speaks solid English, while Beckham's Spanish is currently limited to a few phrases.
One of China's leading sport tabloids, Titan Sports, explored the subject on Saturday in a cover story entitled, "Friends and Rivals." It featured two sharply contrasting photos from Friday: One of the two gazing seriously at each other during their first practice session together, and another of them laughing while strolling side by side out of a dining hall, Figo's arm wrapped around Beckham's shoulder.
Beckham got much involved in the match practice and helped Argentinian midfielder Esteban Cambiasso to score one of the goals for the yellow team. Figo was playing in the opposite side and Beckham tried to deliver his trade mark crosses for his team-mates. He battled hard for the ball and learned a few tricks from the likes of Zidane and Ronaldo.
The practice was quickly disturbed by a fan who invaded the pitch before being held by security staff. Real will stay in the Yunman province in southern China for a week before a friendly against a Chinese select team on Saturday (August 2) in Beijing.
At a news conference, Spanish midfielder Jose Maria Gutierrez, commonly known as 'Guti', said the team of 'galacticos', as the Spanish media call them, has a great future ahead.
"Apart from being great players they are great people and when it comes to the team, there are no superstars. I think we are a group and if we all give our best and do things right, with all these stars it would be difficult to beat us."
One answer to the line-up dilemma would be to switch Figo to the left flank, the position he played when Queiroz coached the Portuguese youth side and Sporting Lisbon.
The Portuguese international frequently switches wings for Real and is considered much more versatile than Beckham. The eloquent English speaker was in characteristically philosophical form when asked about his mission.
"When we have great players, fantastic people and our responsibility is always about inspiration, excitement, it's all about imagination and try to find with work the right solutions," Queiroz told reporters. "The problem is, in training, coaching, when you don't have good players -- that is a nightmare."
Real fever has hit China in the weeks leading up to their arrival, jumpstarted by Beckham's move from Manchester United for a fee worth up to 35 million euros ($40.21 million US) but is not only the England captain who is catching the attention of the Chinese fans.
"I'm waiting for an autograph from Raul, I don't know how to express my feelings now, but I love everything in him, I love the way he looks, his skills as a soccer player, and his character," said a young woman sporting the shirts her favourite player wears for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.
Bureau Report