~ Beckham: Is it the end of an era? ~. Review on David Beckham

Football players don't have to send C.V.s through the post when they want to change their job, they just open their mouths. Which means that David Beckham's recent utterances regarding life as a substitute at Real Madrid can be interpreted as a plea for fresh employment.

Certainly Newcastle United, who were interested last summer, seem to be listening. But, for Beckham, maybe there is only one United. And they don't play in black and white. The former England captain appears to have his heart set on a move back to Manchester United.

Take, for example, Beckham's revised view on his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson. "I have known Ferguson since I was 12 years old and we have had one or two problems in that time," he said. "Maybe he didn't want me to leave." Then listen to his take on his social life in Madrid. Surely that must be better than a night on the town in Manchester? "I have friends but we don't go out together enough," added Beckham

This may come as a surprise to many of you but there is also a footballer called David Beckham. This David Beckham is not to be confused with the Beckham range of commodities, the Beckham Advertising and Marketing Corporation, the Beckham World Travel Consortium, BeckSpice Music Inc, Beckham Hair and Nail Products Ltd, the Beckham Foundation for Sick Children or Beck and Call Communications.

This David Beckham is to be considered entirely separate from the model father, male model, model husband and role model of the same name. This David Beckham really does kick a ball for a living. He does it pretty well, too.

Beckham seems to have made a clumsy attempt at making his peace with Ferguson over the past few days but the United boss remains a stumbling block. Though some of his players have questioned Ferguson's decision to sell Beckham, the manager himself never doubted he was right. He believes his current side has a better balance, greater versatility and - crucially - more pace now that Cristiano Ronaldo has made the position on the right side of midfield his own.

However, his status as a modern football icon is on the wane and only this month he was dropped as the face of the Police sunglasses range after six years. It has certainly been a difficult few months for a man once considered sport's most valuable property. After years of calling the shots in his career he now finds that the boot is on the other foot: discarded by England and relegated to the bench at the Bernabau.

It is this pragmatic approach that has formed the basis of Real's solid start to the season and, crucially, Capello sees little likelihood of being able to incorporate Beckham in the system. Even if he wanted to.

In England the Premiership's more ambitious managers watch with interest, including Bolton's Sam Allardyce. Certainly there is work for Beckham in England if he wants it. But could he stomach life at the Reebok Stadium - just 20 miles down the road from Old Trafford? Or could he really give his all to Newcastle's haphazard efforts at the wrong end of the Premiership table?

Beckham the Ball Bender is not the prototype Real player.

He does not fit the tried, trusted and historic profile of the Identikit Madrid footballer on which the legend of the club has been built.

Virtually every Real player from Puskas, Gento and Di Stefano in the golden age of the Fifties to Ronaldo, Zidane and Raul today has been blessed with the ability to take on and run past an opponent with the ball at feet.

That quality is expected even of the defenders. What could be more simple? Except that Beckham does not have that facility. He has a magical wand of a right foot with which to arc his crosses and curl his free-kicks.

Beckham seems to have made a clumsy attempt at making his peace with Ferguson over the past few days but the United boss remains a stumbling block. Though some of his players have questioned Ferguson's decision to sell Beckham, the manager himself never doubted he was right. He believes his current side has a better balance, greater versatility and - crucially - more pace now that Cristiano Ronaldo has made the position on the right side of midfield his own.