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Beckham: I'm Not Quitting As Captain
A dogged David Beckham has angrily hit back at calls for him to step down as captain of the England football team.And his under-fire boss, Sven Goran Eriksson, also insisted he had no plans to resign as coach after the team's heatbreaking defeat to Portugal on penalties.
Beckham missed the first penalty after extra time, with the team eventually losing 6-5 in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals and calls had been mounting for a change at the top in the team.
But asked if he could still rally his troops, the Real Madrid player's normal smile dropped as he replied: "Do you think I can inspire the team as I did in the past?
"I'm England captain. I will not be resigning my position.
"I am proud to be England captain. I love to be playing football and I am England captain."
Beckham admitted a tiring season with his Spanish team may have left him a bit jaded, but that any fatigue would be washed away by the adrenalin felt during big games.
Talk of quitting his post was just as decisively batted away by Eriksson, who pointed out that he had only lost three competitive matches in more than three years of management.
He said: "I have no plans to go. I want to stay, of course I want to stay."
Eriksson also admitted to having a chat with match referee Urs Meier in the official's dressing room after match about Sol Campbell's late disallowed goal.
But he said he wanted that conversation to remain between the two men.
A dogged David Beckham has angrily hit back at calls for him to step down as captain of the England football team.And his under-fire boss, Sven Goran Eriksson, also insisted he had no plans to resign as coach after the team's heatbreaking defeat to Portugal on penalties.
Beckham missed the first penalty after extra time, with the team eventually losing 6-5 in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals and calls had been mounting for a change at the top in the team.
But asked if he could still rally his troops, the Real Madrid player's normal smile dropped as he replied: "Do you think I can inspire the team as I did in the past?
"I'm England captain. I will not be resigning my position.
"I am proud to be England captain. I love to be playing football and I am England captain."
Beckham admitted a tiring season with his Spanish team may have left him a bit jaded, but that any fatigue would be washed away by the adrenalin felt during big games.
Talk of quitting his post was just as decisively batted away by Eriksson, who pointed out that he had only lost three competitive matches in more than three years of management.
He said: "I have no plans to go. I want to stay, of course I want to stay."
Eriksson also admitted to having a chat with match referee Urs Meier in the official's dressing room after match about Sol Campbell's late disallowed goal.
But he said he wanted that conversation to remain between the two men.
