Ferguson Threatens to Drop Beckham

Such have been the superhuman qualities attributed to David Beckham since Saturday that it was tempting to wonder whether he joined his Manchester United colleagues on their flight to Athens yesterday or flew on his own alongside their plane, dressed in a red cape and blue tights.

Beckham-mania has undeniably reached new heights, but with every high there inevitably comes a low and one was duly provided here last night. That it came from Sir Alex Ferguson was wholly unexpected but, sure enough, in an extraordinary statement of intent the United manager revealed that he planned to drop England's captain from tonight's Group G encounter with Olympiakos because, among other things, Beckham might need bringing "back down to earth".

Although seasoned United-watchers will know better than to take him totally at his word, knowing this could be one of his cunning ruses, Ferguson has clearly been embittered by the media's coverage of England's qualification for the World Cup and, in particular, the adulation going Beckham's way.

The manager spent the weekend in Paris, where his horse Rock of Gibraltar won the Group One Grand Criterium at Longchamp, and he returned on Monday to find the Sun calling for Beckham to be knighted and the midfielder being lauded as the world's best player.

"You [the media] have gone completely over the top, as usual," seethed Ferguson. "You people don't give a damn about us. It's all about selling papers.The whole thing has gone too far. You don't have to pick up the pieces, pick a team and get your players back down to earth.

"David always wants to play but, as it stands, I will probably put him on the bench. I don't think he will play and my instinct is to leave him out. Physically and mentally it's the whole thing, tiredness and the whole England media circus."

If any evidence was needed that Beckham's popularity has soared to unprecedented heights, it was provided by the bun-fight of photographers trying to snap him at Manchester airport yesterday morning, prompting one security official to ask if the Beatles had flown in.

The sight of a middle-aged woman touching Beckham's arm, then kneeling on the floor and kissing where he had been standing, told another story and a similar scrum, this time of Greek cameramen, ensued five hours later in Athens.

Yet it could never be said that Beckham, in good times or bad, has allowed being under the microscope to harm his performances, and the fatigue argument is somewhat nullified by the fact that he is regarded at Old Trafford as the club's fittest player.

"I didn't watch England because I was at the races getting some sanity in my life but, from what I hear, David produced a hell of an effort," said Ferguson. "I have to look at his freshness. If it's true he ran 16 kilometres on Saturday, it's amazing. But there is only so much you can get out of one player. And, strange as it may seem, we have more than one player."

It is a valid point, although in front of 70,000-odd partisan Greeks at the Olympic stadium Ferguson might need Beckham if his players are to become the first side to beat Olympiakos at home in the Champions League.

What is clear is that the Greek champions will be more than happy to see Beckham rested, axed or whatever description is applied - so long as he does not play. "Is it really true?" the Olympiakos coach Takis Lemonis asked. "For me, Beckham would be the first name on their team sheet."

Ferguson will once again emphasize the need for his players to begin reproducing their domestic form on the continental stage. In four years Olympiakos have qualified from the opening phase on only one occasion but their home form is formidable, and United have won on only one of their last 10 European excursions.

Beckham or no Beckham, it is time to buck the trend.

• Manchester United's captain Roy Keane has agreed a deal for his autobiography, which will be co-written with the former Irish international turned sports writer Eamonn Dunphy, to be published by Penguin next autumn.

Manchester United (probable, 4-1-4-1): Barthez; G Neville, Brown, Blanc, Silvestre; Keane; Beckham/Solskjaer, Veron, Scholes, Giggs; Van Nistelrooy.

Referee: G Cesari (Italy).