Andy Gray's column: I'm betting that Becks will stay put

THEY are fond of bulls in Madrid and to be frank there has been a lot of it spoken about David Beckham this week.

There is nothing surer than, whenever Beckham gets upset after being left out of the United team, everyone jumps to the conclusion that he wants to pack his sombrero and head for sunny Spain.

Everyone that is, except me. OK, he was probably right to be hacked off at being left out of a side while an obviously unfit Veron was picked.

I accept I might be getting this horribly wrong but if the player has anything to do with it I am convinced he will still be a Manchester United player next season.

The only way he will be pulling on a Real Madrid shirt is if United receive an offer they can't refuse from the Spanish giants.

I accept David was beside himself with anger at being left out of a massive game but I refuse to believe he asked his agent to find him a move to another club.

If I am wrong then he must have had a rush of blood to the head and I am sure that when he walks out for United this afternoon, as I am convinced he will do, he will have calmed down.

If he plays well today he will be in the side for the rest of the season and although I don't know what is going through his mind at the moment I don't believe he will want to wave goodbye to these shores.

He has had plenty of spats with Fergie before and they always kiss and make up because at the end of the day Sir Alex is the boss and it is his job to pick the side he believes will win the match. If that means leaving the England captain on the bench, so be it.

Nobody can put forward a sensible argument that Solskjaer did not deserve his place in the side. The only question worth debating is whether Veron, who had just come from injury, merited a place ahead of Beckham.

I would have selected David ahead of Veron but if you look at United's European record the Argentine has played in all the Champions League games if he was available. And when David was left out against Arsenal I knew he would almost certainly start as sub against Real.

Fergie has taken a lot of stick for getting it wrong, but did he? Would United have scored more than four goals if Beckham had started?

I don't think so. Solskjaer was the provider for the first goal and probably should have scored two himself, so they were creating plenty of chances. Becks came on, scored a sensational free-kick and scrambled one over the line that was probably going in anyway. Would David Beckham have stopped any of Ronaldo's goals? I doubt it somehow, so let's not get too carried away, eh!

I know people say big games demand big players but just because you are England captain does not entitle you to automatic selection to a team like United. And I tell you what, if he moved to Real Madrid he will spend a lot more time polishing his backside on the bench - ask Steve McManaman.

He left Liverpool to go to Real because he thought the grass was greener and he has hardly kicked a ball this season. I don't accept Beckham wants to become a bit-part player. He is 28 years old, is the highest-profile player in the country so what would he gain by joining the galaxy of superstars at the Bernebeu?

Experience? Yes. Pots more money to add to his mountain of cash? I doubt it would make much difference. Number One status at the club? Absolutely not!

He also has a young family with one of his kids coming up to school age. Does he really want to uproot them?

If David Beckham instigates a move I would be gobsmacked because, despite the odd frustating moment, he has got all he needs at Old Trafford.

So as far as I am concerned the only way he will be getting on a plane to join Zidane, Figo, Raul, Roberto Carlos and co will be if Real come in with a pounds 35m bid because every player has his price, particularly at the moment when the transfer market is depressed.

In those circumstances I think the club will sell. There will be some fallout and no doubt people will accuse Fergie of forcing the country's top player out. Quite honestly that would be a joke. The fact remains that there is no player on the planet who is bigger than the club he plays for.

I always use Cantona as an example of an Old Trafford legend who caused a storm when he quit. Now he is just a memory.

It doesn't matter who you are, someone always comes along to pick up the baton. Call it fickle if you like but it's a fact.

So the future of England's skipper at Old Trafford is entirely in the hands of the plc but as far as I am concerned Beckham wants to stay - and I refuse to believe anything else unless it comes from David himself.

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