Toshack fears Beckham may not be Real deal

John Toshack has written off David Beckham’s chances of making it in Spain as a central midfielder.

The former Liverpool striker was unimpressed after watching Beckham in action for Real Madrid in their 2-1 Super Cup defeat to Real Mallorca in Palma last night and after dismissing his hopes of excelling in a central berth, he hinted the England skipper might even struggle to get a place in the side.

By his own admission, Beckham has hardly set the world on fire since completing his £25million move from Manchester United this summer.

The 28-year-old enjoyed moderate success on the pre-season tour of Asia but was given a zero rating for his performance in last week’s friendly with Valencia and lasted just 55 minutes of last night’s encounter.

Despite being given the central role so often denied him at Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson, Beckham often seemed to be no more than a holding player, picking the ball up off defenders, then laying it off to one of his illustrious team-mates.

Only twice was Beckham meaningfully involved in an attacking sense, once to set up Luis Figo’s opener and again late in the first half when he released Ronaldo with an excellent crossfield pass.

However, Carlos Quieroz’s decision to ‘sacrifice’ Beckham in favour of Claude Makelele’s superior ball-winning skills, plus the decision to let Figo take almost all the corners and Roberto Carlos all the free-kicks, indicates that he may struggle to impose himself at Real.

And Toshack, who has carved out a successful coaching career in Spain with Real Madrid and Real Sociedad and is now a respected TV pundit, feels if he is to become a success, it will not be where he played last night.

“At the highest level, David is limited in that position,” he said.

“He might be able to slip in and out for 20 minutes depending on the state of the game but his only form of contributing to this team would be on the right and you would think Quieroz would know that.

“He was at Old Trafford with Sir Alex Ferguson last year and I don’t recall Beckham playing many times in central midfield. Unless he has got people behind him covering his back and putting the work in, he is going to have difficulty in that position.

“I am not surprised he is finding it tough, it is bound to take him time to adapt. The Spanish league is a hard league and they play through the middle a lot.”

It was always thought Real would find some way of slotting Beckham into their playing pattern but less than a week before the club starts it defence of the Spanish League title against Real Betis at the Bernabeu, the reality is that they have not.

Makelele’s arrival last night just proved how desperately Real require a couple of holding midfielders to bolster their galaxy of offensive stars.

It leaves Quieroz with one more galactico than he has actually a place for, which leaves Beckham at risk from the axe, especially if England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson invokes the FIFA four-day rule and pulls his skipper out of Real’s meeting with Villarreal on September 3.

“It is generally accepted in Spain that Madrid needed strengthening in other areas of the pitch,” said Toshack.

“The defensive situation is alarming and with the Makelele situation unresolved they need a holding midfield player as well.

“Madrid have been used to playing with two pivotal midfield players supporting Figo, Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo and I still think that is their best way of playing. Where does that leave Beckham, you tell me?”