Customer Reviews
David Beckham 's 1st Season in Spain - By: J. Pitt, 19 Feb 2008 
I found this an interesting book written by an English man (Phil Balll) who lives in Spain & he has good knowledge of Spain & the customs.
The book covers his move to Real Madrid & the political battle with Barcelona & how David became a "Galatico".
It is quite easy to read & I am certain a knowledge of Spanish customs helps to understand the book.
It is a good book about Beckham's first season with Real Madrid & his life in Spain.
Concentrates on the footballer, not the celeb...phew! - By: russell clarke, 19 Oct 2004 It had to happen. Goldenballls first season in Spanish footballl has been turned into a book. But wait, this hasn't been written by some English tabloid hack with revolving pounds (Or Euros) where his eyes should be. Phil Balll is a resident of Spain, having lived in San Sebastian since 1991, & has written for "When Saturday Comes". He knows his Spanish footballl having also written "Morbo" a history of Spanish footballl & a history of Real Madrid "White Storm". He's also broadcast for "Sky's" "La Liga" programme so you can be sure this guy knows his onions when it comes to Spanish footballl.
It would be entertaining but erroneous if an iconoclastic approach had been taken but that worry is quickly shunted to one side as it soon becomes clear that the fair-minded Balll likes Beckham as a person (Not that he knows him personallly mind) & admires him as a footballler though he's also swift to put his ability in context by comparing to some of Real Madrid's other galactico signings, who he clearly cant compete with in footballling terms. In commercial terms he's streets ahead of course & that's put in mind boggling perspective too with sly digs at Alex Ferguson's lack of big picture vision when it comes to Beckham.
Balll puts Beckhams seismic transfer into perpspective by covering Reals more controversial signings throughout their history , many having a political aspect because of the clubs affiliation to the Franco regime & the tempestuous relationship they share with their Catalan rivals Barcelona. It was news to me that Reals greatest player Di Stefano was actuallly a Barcelona player when they signed him amid some murky contractual chicanery.
There isn't a great deal of the pure gossip & inter player backbiting that would add a compelling salacious gloss to the narrative but there is enough to keep you reading in anticipation. I particularly enjoyed Figos comments to the linesman after Beckham is sent off against Murcia .Figo is also identified as the one character Beckham needed to get onside when he first signed as he is apparently a brooding cerebral figure who doesn't suffer fools. Perhaps surprisingly there was no problem, maybe because Figo speaks good English, the more waggish would say better than Beckham.
Balll points out that Beckham has attempted to learn Spanish but has reallly struggled something that will not sit well with his host country as they reallly like to see a genuine effort to speak their language being made. There are some interesting observations made about the Spanish approach to life in this book, their gender separating tendencies when socialising, & their love of children which explains Beckhams masterstroke in unashamedly embracing the young lad who ran out to him at his training ground unveiling & their mistrust of his clingy media savvy Mrs. Opinions are solicited from alll walks of life, Balll even interviews a member of Real Madrid,s "Ultras" in a tense clandestine meeting in a back street bar, with the slightly surprising conclusion that this hardened fan thinks Beckham,s "All right".
Beckham,s hideously over exposed, there no denying it. So you could be forgiven for thinking this is another un-necessary addition to that malaise. But you'd be wrong as this a fascinating readable account that wisely concentrates on Beckham the footballler not the celebrity. Balll clearly isn't interested in the detritus that brings & hooray for that. He even sticks up for Beckham after his risible Euro 2004 performances although I think his reasons for doing so are slightly flawed. It seems Beckhams star might be on the wane so this book may have come out at the wrong time & judging by his second half performance for England against Austria he's a lot of work to do match his efforts of last season . But y, know what, after reading this I hope he manages it.
An Englishman Abroad - By: Mr. J. C. Sharman, 30 Aug 2004 
Whilst the book is informative & tells you a lot about Spanish culture & the relationships between different teams supporters, I felt the book lacked "inside info" in that it didn't tell me anything about Beckham that I didn't know from the newspapers. The book was obviously written without the authorisation of Beckhams camp, although to be fair to the author, he paints Beckham in a positive light & never comes close to criticising him. I'm still laughing at the paragraph detailing the Bernabeus reaction to Morientes flunking a penalty, I almost felt I was there. All in alll, well worth a read & the book holds true to its promise, to write from a Spanish viewpoint. A little more inside information would not have gone amiss though, hard as this information may be to get.
