Manchester United coach Mike Phelan has discussed Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to drop David Beckham for the club’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid at Old Trafford in 2003.
The two European giants went head to head in the quarter-finals of the competition 17 years ago. And Beckham was benched, before coming on to score a brace.
United went up against Real determined to make the Champions League semi-finals for a second year in a row.
They had gone out of the competition via the away goals rule to Bayer Leverkusen the previous year and Sir Alex Ferguson was determined to steer his side through to the last four again.
United met Real at Old Trafford trailing 3-1 from the first leg. Luis Figo opened the scoring at the Bernabeu with Raul netting twice before Ruud van Nistelrooy snatched an away goal.
And, sensationally, Beckham was benched for the decisive match.
His relationship with Ferguson had become strained. The 44-year-old was seen by the Scot as being egotistical and the legendary former United manager had infamously - and accidentally - kicked a boost in his No 7’s direction months before.
Phelan, though, has told the Guardian that Ferguson dropping Beckham was nothing personal.
“You don’t just pick the starting XI, you map out how you want the game to unfold,” he said.
“From Sir Alex’s point of view his decision-making was around who could influence the game when and where.”
Beckham scored twice after coming on and Phelan continued: “Obviously, that’s a big call on a player like David.
“Psychologically, looking back it got the reaction the manager wanted – David coming off the bench when he did influenced the moment.
“He had the ability to do that. This is what great players do. They show you what they’ve got, be it in five or 50 minutes."
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