Fortune finds favour with Ferguson
While Sir Alex Ferguson was never going to allow a personality clash to affect his team selection, once Beckham was no longer the pivotal figure at United, there was little doubt he would eventually find himself heading through the exit door.
In saying his farewells, Beckham joins a long list of talents who have become surplus to Ferguson’s requirements, starting with Norman Whiteside, through to Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis and latterly Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole.
Fortune is one of the players who will be asked to fill the void this season, and while the South African does not have a negative word to say about Beckham, he does acknowledge Ferguson’s ruthless team selection.
“If you don’t perform you are not going to play, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“No matter what the circumstances, the manager will put the best 11 players out on the pitch. If you play well you will get the job.”
Having previously played in the city Beckham now calls home, albeit with Madrid’s second club Atletico, Fortune is well placed to assess the likely impact his former team-mate.
And Fortune is convinced he will make it, and could even return to England a better player.
“He is playing for the best club in Spain without a doubt and will have so many world class players around him. But it’s not just about how David will benefit, it’s good for Real they have got him.”
Fortune is more interested in making the most of his own career, which has been blighted by injuries so far. The 26-year-old missed the start of last season with an Achilles problem he suffered with South Africa during the World Cup, which eventually required an operation.
He returned in November and played an integral part in helping United get their title drive back on track, only to suffer a broken leg in the victory over Liverpool at Anfield which kept him out until the end of March.
Ferguson was confident enough in Fortune’s ability to offer him a four-year contract at the end of last season, which the midfielder has now signed.
He was also part of the starting line-up for Tuesday night’s 4-0 drubbing of Celtic in Seattle.
He has even sorted out the wrangle which forced him to miss South Africa’s prestigious friendly with England in Durban last May as a productive campaign beckons.
Originally omitted from the South Africa squad, Fortune was eventually drafted in at short notice by Jomo Sono, who himself had been put in charge of the team only days before the game.
David Beckham will make his Primera Liga debut at home to Real Betis on August 31.
The sixth “Galactico” (mega-star) at the Spanish champions following his move to Madrid, he gets a home baptism at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium against the Seville-based outfit.
The classic fixture between Ronaldinho’s Barcelona and Beckham’s Real Madrid at the Nou Camp will be on December 7.
Ronaldinho is expected to play for Barcelona in their friendly against Leicester at the Walkers Stadium on Friday, August 8.
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