Football: Beckham unlikely to play in Australia

Superstar footballer reportedly tells one club owner it was too far away for him to be able to manage his businesses

SYDNEY: Australia’s chances of luring David Beckham Down Under appear to be over, with the superstar footballer reportedly telling one club owner it was too far away for him to be able to manage his businesses. Speculation about the 37-year-old heading to Australia’s A-League ran hot last month after Football Federation Australia said it had been approached by his representatives. The news sparked keen interest from several domestic clubs, with Perth Glory reportedly tabling a package worth almost $2m for him to join them for a 10-match guest stint. “I asked him about coming to Australia,” Glory owner Tony Sage told the Football Federation Australia website. “He looked me in the eye and basically said, that would be nice, but it’s too far away from my businesses.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2012.