Brand Beckham for hire in China

Becks in Paris, Becks in China. His guns are for hire. 

David Beckham is the biggest star in the world. I challenge you to think of anyone, even the biggest Hollywood star, that has a swoon factor for both sexes that he has - and in such diverse cultures.

America or China, they can't get enough of him.

Big in the east, big in the west, even big in Budapest, to quote Chas and Dave.

Brand Beckham is pure gold to a nation or corporation wanting to promote their lot and he was for hire again this week.

The client couldn't have been bigger: China. I’m certain I watched an ad for Becks at Sainsbury’s leading upto the feature in the news.

The former England skipper arrived amid competing paparazzi and the closest attentions of crazed fans. Chinese kids mobbed him like the Beatles were back in the 60’s.

He had a kickaround in his suit and passed the ball around in a pedestrian manner not dissimilar to his years as an LA Galaxy midfielder.

He also denied he was there to put the sheen on a sport tainted by corruption. He was there, he said, to promote the Beautiful Game – using the Brand, a sheening commodity that hangs limpet like to his body.

Becks can talk about something as abstract as his brand, yet says noodles are his favourite Chinese dish.

But that’s Beckham for you. Noodles is also his favourite Italian dish too. Infact, one man’s noodles is another man’s lockshen.

But whatever the shape of his pasta, Beckham's for hire and the world wants his stardust.

Beckham: rumours of a move to Milan are about more than England

This comes from Jonny's I Told You So file! I wrote this on the 17th October 2008, and hinted that Becks' move to Europe was about an escape route from MLS, not keeping fit during the America's off-season, as was reported at the time. This is my piece (unedited) from October:
The growing battle for David Beckham's signature in the January transfer window has more at stake than just the England midfielder's fitness.

Becks needs a return to Europe to compete for his England place. The tabloids ask "how can he truly remain competitive and matchfit playing in LA?" Milan remain in the boxseat to capture him on a three-month loan deal.

It's just that his loan switch will be about more than a new lease of Life with the Lions.

It's also about Major League Soccer's fight for survival and its future in a competitive market through an economic downturn.

While Becks rises like a Phoenix from the ashes, Major League Soccer is foundering. It's losing its vision.

Having managed Beckham's LA Galaxy, Ruud Gullit's comments about MLS crystallise the reasons why the former England skipper needs to come home.

Gullit, who lasted nine months in LA suggested there's a conspiracy among other American sports to keep soccer down, and that no amount of David Beckhams can turn it into a major sport in the U.S.

"I think they are afraid of football because it is so popular everywhere around the world," Gullit told Reuters. "I think they will just control it so it doesn't become more popular than their American sports."

Gullit said that as a result, Beckham is fighting an uphill battle to sell soccer to U.S. fans.
"So it is very hard for him," Gullit said. "They will never allow that, and in some ways I can understand it as well.

"I have my doubts if they really want to make it popular. Some sports have already had a bit of a dive, so they don't want American football to become less popular, or basketball or baseball."

The truth is Beckham thought the door was closed on big time football long before it was. Losing his place in Capello's Real Madrid team co-incided with McClaren's insistence that he wasn't part of England's plans.

We all know what happened next: a recalled Becks-inspired Real won the Primera Liga and McClaren fell to the overwhelming clamour to bring Becks back. The fly in the ointment was he'd already signed for Hollywood.

Beckham is one of the fittest players of the modern era. The end of his career is not in sight, and his value to any team is obvious; he's good support for a creative partner in midfield and he remains the setpiece meister!

You could see why Manchester City were the early favourites. Abu Dhabi Babby wants to mark his arrival with a big New Year Splurge, and he's one of only a few people who could afford Beckham's wages.

But as Thierry Henry articulated in his time at Arsenal, a modern team wins titles with the strength of its subs bench.
Could there be a better sub to lift the crowd and trigger an equaliser from a set-piece?

So no surprise that big name suitors like Milan are chasing his signature (or with Beckham, his autograph).

Will one of the big boys back home tempt him home?

With Beckham, impossible is nothing.