A relocation nightmare

By Jason Moore JUST recently I've been watching those relocation programmes on TV; you know a family wants to move abroad to have a better life. Sometimes, it's an absolute disaster other times, it all works out well. I thought of these programmes when I read the latest account of David Beckham's life in Spain; freelance photographers are making his family's life a nightmare in Madrid and he is considering moving. Little has gone right for the England captain since he decided to move to Spain two years ago. His performance on the pitch has been pretty awful and off the pitch there have been widespread allegations that he wasn't faithful to his wife. The Real Madrid fans are not impressed and a major clear-out is expected to take place with Beckham top of the list of candidates earmarked for the boot. I think Beckham has plenty in common with the people who appear on these relocation programmes. I don't think he knew too much about Spain when he decided to leave Manchester and I think he knew little about Real Madrid. His wife didn't want to leave Britain which has led to claims that she was not too impressed with his change of club. So Beckham at the end of this season will probably return to Britain like so many other people who have tried a new life in the sun and failed. He failed because the first thing he should have done is to sit down with his wife and discuss the move; the second thing would be to have learnt Spanish, he has problems communicating in English let alone Spanish, and thirdly he should have concentrated on his football. He will become the latest English player who has moved abroad and failed miserably. The ones who have been successful, David Platt, Gary Lineker and Steve McManaman have one thing in common; they learnt the language before their moves to Spain and Italy. Manchester is not Madrid, and the two places are as different as Boddingtons and San Miguel.