Beattie BBC article.

[Saint Garrett]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21522712

 

James Beattie: England cliques, near misses & five-hour commutes

 

By Phil Cartwright

BBC North West Sport

Only Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry prevented Southampton's James Beattie from winning the Premier League's Golden Boot in 2003.

On that basis, few could argue against him being handed a first England cap in February of that year.

But within nine months of starting the infamous 3-1 defeat by Australia, when coach Sven-Goran Eriksson replaced his entire starting line-up at half-time, Beattie's England career was over.

The emergence of a teenage Wayne Rooney restricted his chances of partnering the prolific Michael Owen on a more regular basis.

So too, Beattie admits, did his participation in a television documentary following the national team in the months leading up to Euro 2004.

 

But he also thinks some of his England team-mates could have helped his cause as well.

"I can remember certain situations in matches where I should have been set up for goals and people were a little bit greedy and had shots themselves," Beattie told BBC North West Sport.

"A few other players have touched on it that, at that point, it was quite cliquey in the England setup.

"I also remember doing a documentary called 'Three Lions' and it was when the England players were all thinking about going on strike [after Rio Ferdinand was banned by the Football Association for missing a drugs test].

"I did a little bit in my bedroom and that was aired, and I never played for England after that.

"I didn't say anything controversial or out of order. I think it was just the fact that I'd done it after being in the team meeting, I don't know.

"Personally, I don't think I was really given a fair chance. I was still only a young lad then and I thought that, if given the right opportunity, I could have progressed my career internationally and gone on to bigger and better things."

 

He said of his first call-up: "It just sort of happened. I can't remember how I was feeling at the time.

"I was obviously delighted, but I was on such a crest of a wave at that point that I thought it was what happened when you were doing well.

"Now, looking back on it, I think 'wow'.

"To make my England debut in front of my parents and my now-wife, even though we lost to Australia, and to make four further appearances was an amazing experience."

A decade on, via Everton, Sheffield United, Stoke, Rangers and Blackpool, the 35-year-old finds himself back in his native Lancashire and in the middle of a relegation battle as player-coach of struggling Accrington Stanley.

After spending much of his 17-year playing career at the top level, you would think turning out in League Two would be far from appealing for Beattie - and you would be wrong.

He said: "This is grass roots football. At Exeter recently, there must have been 50 Accrington fans that travelled however many hours on a cold Friday night to watch us there. For me, that's what being a football fan is all about.

"It puts a smile on my face getting up every morning, knowing I'm going to be training with the boys. It's just a love of football. I can't see my life without it at the moment."

 

Released by the Blades at the end of the 2011-12 season and without a goal for almost three years, he found himself struggling to find employment.

Numerous rejections led to him swapping his base in the north west for a return to the south coast, but a call from an old friend in November ensured his playing days were not at an end.

Beattie and Leam Richardson were apprentices together at Blackburn during the mid-1990s and the newly-appointed Accrington manager gave him a route back into the game.

"I still wanted to play desperately and I thought I had a lot to offer," said Beattie, who is the most experienced player in a young Stanley squad. "It was just that nobody was willing to give me that chance.

"It's a bit of a come down I suppose, from everybody wanting you to everybody saying 'you haven't played and we don't know how fit you are'.

"Leam got the manager's position and he asked if I wanted to come in and do a bit of coaching as well.

"To play in a relaxed atmosphere and to be around a friendly face, who I knew was going to look after me - it was an easy decision.

"It's one hell of a commute! It takes about five hours for me to drive up here, but that's the way it is. Leam looks after me with time off so it's a good relationship in that way.

"I do a little bit of coaching. Leam takes the training sessions, with me just being there and contributing vocally. I'll maybe take some of the lads at the end of training for a shooting session, but mainly I'm just trying to work mentally with the guys and try to toughen them up a bit.

"That's the side of coaching I enjoy and I would like to do something on in the future."

 

James Beattie: Career statistics

 

Apps Goals

Statistics correct to 8 March, 2013

Blackburn (1996-98) 8 0

 

Southampton (1998-2005) 233 76

 

Everton (2005-07) 86 15

 

Sheff Utd (2007-09) 65 34

 

Stoke City (2009-10) 40 9

 

Rangers (2010-11) 10 0

 

Blackpool (2011) 9 0

 

Sheff Utd (2012) 19 0

 

Accrington (2012-) 18 6

 

England (2003) 5 0

[Barry Sanchez]

In short **** other than at Southampton.

[VectisSaint]

Nice story. It really backs up what I thought about England during the Beckham/Neville/SGE era, unless you were in their clique you never stood a chance. Wayne Bridge was treated badly in his early England days, you could see players avoiding passing to him on the pitch even when it was the most obvious thing to do. Its still why I really get ****ed off when people fawn over Beckham so much, saying how great he was for the England team, when the reality is that together with some of his cronies he was part of the reason why an era when England had a reasonable amount of talent, they did not perform to their expectations. Well done JB though for continuing to want to play football at whatever level, nice to see a true sportsman doing it for the right reasons and not worrying about whether he has to pay tax or not like some egos do.

[Barry Sanchez]

So Beckham and Gary Neville did not pass it to a defender as he was not in their clique? Thats a tad sifferent from a footballer in a position selfishly trying to score when he should of passed it, that never goes on in a game does it?

 

Christ alive.....................

[chocco boxo]

I always thought him and Philips would really help kick us on!

[Dimond Geezer]

I remember watching that game a getting frustrated at the number of times that passes could have been put to Beatts, (not just setting up shots, but during the general run of the game). and he didn't get it. On one occasion I remember Beckham had the ball left midfield-ish, Beatts going down the middle un-marked & Beckham decided to try the Hollywood pass to someone on the right wing, possibly Neville, surprisingly in got cut-out, I was shouting all sorts of profanities at the tv. He never got a fair crack for England.

[Barry Sanchez]

Was Beattie better than Owen, Rooney etc etc, no he had a couple of good seasons thats all.

[110_Persaint]

The difference his goals, not to mention his hand in others' goals, have made to our history are immeasurable in size and scope. For the younger generation like me, a Saints legend.

[alpine_saint]

I remember watching that game a getting frustrated at the number of times that passes could have been put to Beatts, (not just setting up shots, but during the general run of the game). and he didn't get it. On one occasion I remember Beckham had the ball left midfield-ish, Beatts going down the middle un-marked & Beckham decided to try the Hollywood pass to someone on the right wing, possibly Neville, surprisingly in got cut-out, I was shouting all sorts of profanities at the tv. He never got a fair crack for England.

 

Yep, I remember that too. I think it was the same game when he started a run clear through to goal only to see Lampard try a 40-yarder (that obviously, knowing Lampard for England, ended up in Row Z)

 

What really surprises me is that VectisSaint believes that era was particularly bad for the England clique. To me, its just as bad now under Hodgson.

[Andre]

Legend.

[Lord Duckhunter]

No where near good enough to play for England.

 

Doubt if it was cliques, this interview in his bedroom or any other sort of nonsense, just that he wasn't a good enough player. Contrast SRL's touch, football brain, professionalism and attitude to his, and you can see why one was washed up at 27 and ones playing regularly in the Premiership in his 30's.

[110_Persaint]

No where near good enough to play for England.

 

Doubt if it was cliques, this interview in his bedroom or any other sort of nonsense, just that he wasn't a good enough player. Contrast SRL's touch, football brain, professionalism and attitude to his, and you can see why one was washed up at 27 and ones playing regularly in the Premiership in his 30's.

 

I'd take Beattie in his prime over SRL right now. Beattie used to score on off-days when the whole team was playing crap. He'd come up with something out of nothing, long-range shots, bullet headers, delightful lobs, cheeky finishes etc. that would lift the team up and get us back into games. He rarely, rarely, rarely missed golden opportunities (like ones SRL missed this season, Arsenal away, WBA away, etc.)

[The9]

No where near good enough to play for England.

 

he wasn't a good enough player. Contrast SRL's touch, football brain, professionalism and attitude to his, and you can see why one was washed up at 27 and ones playing regularly in the Premiership in his 30's.

 

Beattie so far has played approximately ten times more Premier League matches than Lambert, and Lambert is also unlikely to get another 300 Prem appearances to ever match Beattie's total, so I'm struggling to see how Lambert is coming out of this looking the better player.

 

In terms of their relative skills, I'd give the edge on touch and overall attitude to Lambert, and the edge on mobility and pace (due to his relative youth) to Beattie. There's not much in it regarding finishing ability, long range shooting, free-kicks or heading, and I disagree that Lambert is "more professional" than Beattie was once he'd matured and got to his peak fitness under Strachan - at least directly relating to football, you're always more likely to get people in their early/mid 20s being more "socially active" than 30-somethings. They also have similar styles with the exception of Beattie's ability to get in the box more and Lambert's superiority in holding the ball up, and I don't think there's much in it regarding football brain.

 

But then with the exception of the period when he was superfit and was always where he was meant to be and working his guts out to close down up front with Ormerod, Beattie was mostly a useless donkey anyway. Saints under Strachan was the full court press ten years before its time.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Sorry, I just didn't rate him particularly highly.

 

I think the standard is better now, and I think he'd struggle.

 

All SRL lacks is a bit of pace. Plenty of experts have said he'd be playing for a top 4 club with that, which says to me that his football ability is top class. Beattie's pure ability (particularly his first touch) was nowhere near the standard of SRL's and that's why once the initial flush of youth had faded he slipped down the leagues.

 

I lost count of the number of times I came home cursing Beattie to my Mrs. Maybe he was my Guly or Fox, but I just didn't rate the guy.

[110_Persaint]

Sorry, I just didn't rate him particularly highly.

 

I think the standard is better now, and I think he'd struggle.

 

All SRL lacks is a bit of pace. Plenty of experts have said he'd be playing for a top 4 club with that, which says to me that his football ability is top class. Beattie's pure ability (particularly his first touch) was nowhere near the standard of SRL's and that's why once the initial flush of youth had faded he slipped down the leagues.

 

I lost count of the number of times I came home cursing Beattie to my Mrs. Maybe he was my Guly or Fox, but I just didn't rate the guy.

[aintforever]

Sorry, I just didn't rate him particularly highly.

 

I think the standard is better now, and I think he'd struggle.

 

All SRL lacks is a bit of pace. Plenty of experts have said he'd be playing for a top 4 club with that, which says to me that his football ability is top class. Beattie's pure ability (particularly his first touch) was nowhere near the standard of SRL's and that's why once the initial flush of youth had faded he slipped down the leagues.

 

I lost count of the number of times I came home cursing Beattie to my Mrs. Maybe he was my Guly or Fox, but I just didn't rate the guy.

 

What a load of crap. Beattie was superb in his prime, you don't get that many goals in the Premier League by luck.

[scotty]

Sorry, I just didn't rate him particularly highly.

 

I think the standard is better now, and I think he'd struggle.

 

All SRL lacks is a bit of pace. Plenty of experts have said he'd be playing for a top 4 club with that, which says to me that his football ability is top class. Beattie's pure ability (particularly his first touch) was nowhere near the standard of SRL's and that's why once the initial flush of youth had faded he slipped down the leagues.

 

I lost count of the number of times I came home cursing Beattie to my Mrs. Maybe he was my Guly or Fox, but I just didn't rate the guy.

 

Dont apologise, I always thought he was monumentally overrated. He had one good season with us when Strachan kicked him up the arse, other than that he always seemed to think he was a hell of a lot better than he actually was. And I'd take Lambert as he is now over Beattie in his prime, in a heartbeat.

[Saint Garrett]

Loved him. One of my child legends. Scored some great goals and was pivotal in some great seasons.

[La BoIS Saint]

Loved watching Beatts take penalties. The way he walked away, turned around and bang it was in the back of the net. Brilliant.

[Bucks Saint]

In short **** other than at Southampton.

 

Er, apart from being prolific in his first stint at the Blades. Yes ok in the Championship but look the goals to games - that is class

[Bensfcno1]

 

Some great memories there! we need a new Pahars, Marsden and Ormerod to compliment SRL! agree with other comment that BT at his best was probably better then Ricky!

[FloridaMarlin]

Beatts once said that even in his prime, he hardly ever went into a game what he would want to describe himself as 100% fit.

In fact, he reckoned that in all his time in the Premier League with Saints, he was fully fit - without the effect of a knock from a previous game, twinges in muscles, pain in his ankle - in about a quarter of his games.

[Crab Lungs]

Nice story. It really backs up what I thought about England during the Beckham/Neville/SGE era, unless you were in their clique you never stood a chance. Wayne Bridge was treated badly in his early England days, you could see players avoiding passing to him on the pitch even when it was the most obvious thing to do. Its still why I really get ****ed off when people fawn over Beckham so much, saying how great he was for the England team, when the reality is that together with some of his cronies he was part of the reason why an era when England had a reasonable amount of talent, they did not perform to their expectations. Well done JB though for continuing to want to play football at whatever level, nice to see a true sportsman doing it for the right reasons and not worrying about whether he has to pay tax or not like some egos do.

 

Spot on. I remember watching Beatts at Old Trafford and the team just ignored him. Utter tw4ts. But they'd pass away to that useless turd Heskey, oh yes..

[John Boy Saint]

Nice story. It really backs up what I thought about England during the Beckham/Neville/SGE era, unless you were in their clique you never stood a chance. Wayne Bridge was treated badly in his early England days, you could see players avoiding passing to him on the pitch even when it was the most obvious thing to do. Its still why I really get ****ed off when people fawn over Beckham so much, saying how great he was for the England team, when the reality is that together with some of his cronies he was part of the reason why an era when England had a reasonable amount of talent, they did not perform to their expectations. Well done JB though for continuing to want to play football at whatever level, nice to see a true sportsman doing it for the right reasons and not worrying about whether he has to pay tax or not like some egos do.

Seconded

 

There was without a tight little clique, another to suffer the same was Wayne Bridge, he was in a couple of games where as soon as he was on the pitch absolutely chuff all went left except when someone forgot their mate wasn't there.

[scotty]

Seconded

 

There was without a tight little clique, another to suffer the same was Wayne Bridge, he was in a couple of games where as soon as he was on the pitch absolutely chuff all went left except when someone forgot their mate wasn't there.

 

Lets not forget MLT, who got booed for not getting his leg broken in order to win a free kick instead of a throw in 20 yards from the England goal line. And iirc, the only England player to come within sniffing distance of scoring, with a trademark long-range dipping volley that beat the keeper and skimmed the bar.

[The Majestic Channon]

Lets not forget MLT, who got booed for not getting his leg broken in order to win a free kick instead of a throw in 20 yards from the England goal line. And iirc, the only England player to come within sniffing distance of scoring, with a trademark long-range dipping volley that beat the keeper and skimmed the bar.

 

I remember that,and it would have possibly been the best goal ever scored at wembley, i also remember he very nearly scored with a header.

re: the tackle, i remember thinking how he bottled it, it was no worse a tackle than a run of the mill taclke imo.

 

[scotty]

I remember that,and it would have possibly been the best goal ever scored at wembley, i also remember he very nearly scored with a header.

re: the tackle, i remember thinking how he bottled it, it was no worse a tackle than a run of the mill taclke imo.

 

[/b]

 

 

We might be thinking of different tackles? The one I recall was deep in our own half with nobody within passing distance, and he jumped out of the way of a really nasty lunge right on the byline, in a position where keeping the ball in play at the expense of an injury would have been pointless. And yeh, that long-ranger would have been one hell of a goal, dont remember the header tbh.

[The Majestic Channon]

We might be thinking of different tackles? The one I recall was deep in our own half with nobody within passing distance, and he jumped out of the way of a really nasty lunge right on the byline, in a position where keeping the ball in play at the expense of an injury would have been pointless. And yeh, that long-ranger would have been one hell of a goal, dont remember the header tbh.

 

We are thinking of the same tackle as i distinctly remember the boo'ing ,and yes it was in deep in our half in the left back position. Anyway, matt was very unfairly made a scapegoat for that game by some journalists

[melmacian_saint]

Was it just me that found Beattie to come very good when we moved to St-Mary's?

 

He always seemed inconsistent at the Dell, but the move to SMS definitely brought the best out of him. Looked such a great forward player, with a good level at every aspect of his game. Finishing, set pieces, passing, pace....

 

Legend for what he did for us IMO. How dependent we were on his good form showed the moment he left us.

[david in sweden]

A rather humble contribution from James, but quite a good read nevertheless.

 

Interestingly, it seems that " getting into" the England team isn't enough - if your face doesn't fit !

[david in sweden]

Was it just me that found Beattie to come very good when we moved to St-Mary's?

 

He always seemed inconsistent at the Dell, but the move to SMS definitely brought the best out of him. Looked such a great forward player, with a good level at every aspect of his game. Finishing, set pieces, passing, pace....Legend for what he did for us IMO. How dependent we were on his good form showed the moment he left us.

 

I think the removal to SMS was a bit of a coincidence.

 

James didn't have a very auspicious start to his career, and did very little for almost three seasons, and not until he started getting service from Anders Svensson, and the tireless help from Brett Ormerod ..did his career really flourished.

 

It's fair to say that without others' selfless creativity and a lot of assists, few strikers will have great success - (though there are a few exceptions), JB did best when he got the service he needed.

[Mr Saints]

Under Strachan his work rate was unbelievable and scoring 23 goals in the top flight merits and England call up IMO. Welbeck and Carroll have never got near that never will. Shame he thought he was bigger than the club towards the end.

[Barry Sanchez]

He only scored over 20 goals in one season, hardly prolific and too boot he was fat and lazy. Poor attitude and thought he was better than he was.

[Saint Garrett]

He only scored over 20 goals in one season, hardly prolific and too boot he was fat and lazy. Poor attitude and thought he was better than he was.

 

[Barry Sanchez]

Poor wind up merchant or massive ****?

 

Neither is great is it.

 

Why, I dont rate him as highly as others, its called an opinion, he was **** at every other club he went to, ask a Rangers or Everton fan what they think of him, had a good 18 months and got a good payday out of it but was **** after that.

[Barry Sanchez]

 

Ah the old facepalm, like kryptonite to Superman, you win.......................