David Beckham must fancy life as a UN peacekeeper.
The former Manchester United man must be thinking that he would like a life where he brings two warring factions together as he looked to reunite his former manager with one of his legendary ex-team-mates.
Last week Beckham announced that he and Alex Ferguson were reuniting for a special charity game at Old Trafford next month with Ferguson taking charge of a British and Ireland XI, while Carlo Ancelotti will be in the dugout for the World XI that they will face on November 14th.
It all sounds good fun and the proceeds from the game are going to charity as well so it’s unlikely that any players will turn down the offer to walk out at Old Trafford.
Well all except one Irishman it seems.
Beckham was hoping that he could use the game as an opportunity to bring Roy Keane and Ferguson together and try and perhaps thaw the Arctic conditions between both men that have developed over the last few years.
But it looks as though Ireland’s play off for Euro 2016 – if we get there – have scuppered the whole deal.
Beckham has revealed that the Corkman already committed to Ireland being in a play off the same weekend in November that the game is being held at Old Trafford,
‘We have asked Roy but obviously he is on international duty. ‘That is part of the problem with some of the other players we wanted to play. We have to pick a weekend where we felt we would get a lot of support and 3pm on Saturday does not happen very often. We have asked Roy but unfortunately he is tied up.’
It might be disappointing for Manchester United fans but at least Keano and Martin O’Neill are confidence of our play off chances.
We can just imagine the phonecall to Roy from Beckham though.
