To be cynical about David Beckham's latest antics

[Perriwinkle]

Yes, we've heard how absolutely marvellous it is that he's going to be donating the wags he'll earn during his 5 month stint at Paris St Germain to a French children's charity (and don't get me wrong I'm sure it is for the charity) but I really don't swallow this whole altruistic Francis of Assisi line.

I've heard people referring to him as "a real class act" but if he really was a "class act" would he not have done this privately, without the fanfare and circus of a full blown press conference in front of the world's media - which, incidentially, most normal footallers, irrespective of how good they are, never have when they sign for new other clubs. Most seem content to manage with a quick photo opportunity holding up the new club's shirt.

Does this deeply altruistic act have anything to do I wonder, with the fact that his wife has a burgeoning career as a fashion designer and would love to be lauded in Paris and taken into the hearts of the French?

Does it have anything to do with furthering the "Beckham brand"?

Does it have anything to do with wanting a knighthood?

Does it have anything to do with boosting an already planet-sized ego?

Does it have anything to do with Beckham's relentless worldwide charm offensive and the seeming obsessive desire to be adored?

I'd say a resounding yes to all of the above.

Realistically there is a huge personal and financial benefit to be derived by David Beckham from making what is, in reality, the equivalent in relative monetary terms of about a £20 charity donation to your average person.

He used to just sound thick too but yesterday I noticed that an annoying smugness appears to have crept into his voice

[BoneyBackJefferson]

Perriwinkle

All I can really tell from your posts is that you do not like David Beckham.

[LittleEdie]

YABU

[zoobaby]

You could go to a hundred countries where football isn't massively popular (believe it or not, such places do exist). I reckon you'd get people recognising Lord Beckham in at least half those places. His celebrity fame eclipsed his football fame a decade ago.

[MechanicalTheatre]

Perriwinkle to say Beckham is only famous for being famous is a bit off. He's one of the best footballers England has ever produced.

[Perriwinkle]

Whatever that woman, whoever she may be, said, the fact remains that the charity donation was part of a hugely cynical PR exercise, which totally negates any honorable action on David Beckham's part in my view.

It was designed to benefit not just David Beckham personally but also his corporate sponsors; Fly Emirates (who sponsor PSG), the American MLS, and not to mention the Qatar Investment Authority who own Paris St Germain and have ambitions to become involved in MLS in the States, where there are huge untapped markets and resources. They can use Beckam as a broker, for which his palms will be liberally greased.

Do you think that Paris St Germain, a decent competitive football club would have signed an average at best has-been like Beckham for anything other than marketing/commercial/business reasons? The fact he's been signed for 5 months should tell you all you need to know. He'll sell a few shirts, they'll use him to further their ambitions and he'll earn an absolute packet. The charity donation thing just drew further attention to the lucrative, mutually beneficial business union.

Yes, it's all very nice that the charity was a happy beneficiary in all this jiggery pokery but please, don't be fooled by Beckham's true motives.

Football is now an extremely peripheral element of David Beckham's skillset, and has been for many years. It's now just a means to an end.

These days he's like one of those people that are famous but you can't really think what on earth for - a bit like one of the cast members of TOWIE, or Danni Minogue.

Instead of giving him a knighthood perhaps they could make him the Patron Saint of Marketing and PR.

[Southeastdweller]

I'm a subscriber but don't think I'm allowed to copy and paste her column however the gist of dearest India's column was her deploring the terrible meanies on Twitter who accused Beckham of donating the money for P.R reasons and she also thinks that private and public donating shouldn't be a competition.

[TheCarefulLaundress]

back behind paywall now. what pray tell did India say?

[Southeastdweller]

Mumsnet favourite, India Knight, gives her thoughts on it in her column today:

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/comment/columns/indiaknight/article1206410.ece?shareToken=c7acfef3291d06e8a44d2673d4864642

I don't think there's a paywall today.

[Perriwinkle]

Anyway, yes, money good for charity but giving it away infinitely more valuable to the brand than keeping it.

Absolutely spot on Puffpants

[Perriwinkle]

hackmumwhat rubbish, of course they wouldn't. Everyone knows that footballers get paid obscene amounts of money. Why is Beckham any differenet?

The reserve is true here in fact, many other footballers do lots of charity work but because they don't make a big song and dance about it they aren't feted and lauded like Sir/Lord Beckham.

Mario Ballotelli paid for a lot of strangers' petrol the other day and everyone just called him prick for doing it.

Can you imagine if Beckham had done that? The fawning headlines would have had us all reaching for our sick buckets and he'd probably have received notification of his knighthood through the post the following day

[redlac]

£96 for a polyester shirt with his name on the back?? Would anyone ACTUALLY spend that on a football top?? Grown French Men??

What a mad world

[zoobaby]

Here you go Periwinkle, I just saw this and thought of you.

[hackmum]

Perriwinkle: "Would have showed so much more class if he'd made it a condition in his contract not to make it public."

Of course. And then people would say, "It's disgusting - David Beckham earns all that money and he doesn't give a penny of it to charity."

[wannaBe]

I think the fact he came out of the affair unscathed (so to speak) has to do with the fact that his wife, you know, the actual "victim" of said affair, chose to forgive him and to move on with their relationship. Her's is IMO the only opinion that counts really isn't it?

[Mimishimi]

There's an excellent chance he would get taxed 75% on that income anyway. Doubtless donating to charity will reduce that so ye's probably thinking that if he has to giv that money away, he would rather give it to something he thinks is worthwhile than to line the pockets of slimy untrustworthy French bureaucrats...

[BumBiscuits]

Thing is, the tax avoidance aspect isn't relevant.

Say he earns a million quid and 75% of that is taxed. He gets £250k.

If he donates the whole lot to charidee he gets fuck all.

Usually people who avoid paying tax (I'm looking at you, Jimmy Carr) will get £960k of their million.

[ouryve]

I'm pretty sure there's some tax avoidance in his magnaminitnity (made up word, too late to get it right) somewhere.

[prudencesmom]

Is that you Vicky?

[MadameDefarge]

oh fgs what is your problem? he can do what he blooming well wants. get over it.

[MadameDefarge]

oh fgs what is your problem? he can do what he blooming well wants. get over it.

[prudencesmom]

NEWS OF THE SCREWS

[prudencesmom]

I have to say I totally agree with your musings OP, and dont find you to be jealous of the Beckos.
I just wish The News Of The Scews was still on the go, so I could read about all the affairs hes gonna have with the Paris chicks!

[Southeastdweller]

puffpants I think the fact that the Beckham came out of that alleged affair business unscathed speaks volumes about how hugely powerful his P.R team was then, still is.

[gimmecakeandcandy]

Oh him and pushy posh are desperate for that knighthood aren't they!

Doesn't she in particular (although cant stand him either) realise that they'll always be little tits however much they get or titles they get!?!

Urghh

Yanbu!

[Sparklingbrook]

Exactly Puff. Except the 'good looking in photos' bit possibly.