Until the morning of transfer deadline day, the winter transfer window had mostly been full of departures from Ligue 1 clubs, but an early morning announcement changed the tide. David Beckham signed a five month deal for Paris Saint Germain bringing not just his wonderful right foot to Ligue 1 but a media storm, a storm that blew through the capital and will continue to blow for the rest of the season.

Everyone has their opinion on Beckham. His footballing legacy goes without question, but “Brand Beckham” is the most important element of his popularity now. Not everyone has the same view on the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy midfielder, so we have gathered the French Football Weekly team together to give their thoughts on Beckham the player, what he can bring to PSG, and what he will ultimately bring to Ligue 1.

 

Only one person to start with – FFW’s second in command and Paris based journalist Jonathan Johnson.

David Beckham’s arrival in Paris is a coup not only for Paris Saint-Germain but also for Ligue 1. After a disappointing last few weeks in terms of the talent lost, Beckham’s arrival maintains the competition’s outside interest whilst boosting the club’s prestige and marketing prowess. That is a good thing for France’s top-flight and Beckham’s arrival, no matter for how short a period, will boost interest in the league. It is sage PR from PSG and Al-Jazeera-owned BeIn Sport who add yet another superstar to represent their flagship team.

On the pitch, however, it is unclear so far exactly where Beckham figures in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. The Italian claimed that the club didn’t need the England international as a player but they obviously wanted him for unrelated reasons, leaving Carletto with no choice. They have worked together before but Beckham was younger then; now at 37 you would think that he will have to play in central midfield where his lack of pace won’t be exposed as often as it would be out wide.

His presence on and off the pitch will be massive because of his considerable experience. He has played with some of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United and Real Madrid, not to mention captained his country and returned from the dead in Major League Soccer to win over a tepid soccer market in the States.

When played he will provide relief for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Christophe Jallet who, at times, shoulder all the leadership responsibilities. On the training ground, he will be expected to nurture the likes of Marco Verratti, Javier Pastore and Lucas Moura and the club will hope that his maturity rubs off on some other unruly members of the team.

His prowess from set-pieces will be an added plus for the side who lack a consistent threat from dead ball situations, given that for as many free-kicks as he will score, Ibra will blaze a number over from good positions.

Ancelotti is unlikely to view him as a deep-lying playmaker because of his age and a lack of guarantee that he will be there past the summer. Instead, Beckham’s quarter-back-like skills from his time in MLS will come to the fore as he enjoys a roaming role that requires little movement but maximises his brilliant vision and superb passing ability. His status as a Champions League winner will also prove invaluable to the team’s chances of making a deep run in Europe.

 

Next up is Igor Mladenovic – based in Paris and a former a season ticket holder before QSI took over, he is a little more sceptical.

Great marketing from Paris Saint Germain, expected to attract a worldwide audience for Ligue 1 games thus benefiting the Al Jazeera-owned BeIN Sport channel whose leadership is also that of PSG. The club shows it can attract a big name whose reputation in Europe goes beyond England all the way to Spain and Italy, where Beckham left a positive impression at both Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Beckham’s discipline will be a positive influence at the club where several high-profile players were sanctioned recently for a lack of commitment at training (Pastore and Lavezzi having notably been fined during the Qatar training camp this winter).

Despite his professionalism and work ethic, Beckham is hardly going to be fit enough to play a big part in the club’s domestic and European campaigns. His recent repositioning towards the centre of midfield means he would be displayed as a complement to Matuidi in defensive midfield, presumably in a role similar to that Ancelotti demanded of Andrea Pirlo in his time at AC Milan.

Another possibility is that Ancelotti tries to accomodate Beckham by supporting him with an additional holding midfielder, possibly Thiago Motta, in a more negative 4-3-2-1 with the two attacking midfield positions disputed between the foursome of Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore, Jérémy Menez and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

All in all the highest probability is that Beckham will only feature in lesser games or come off the bench in games where PSG have a comfortable lead. His experience could also prove useful in the locker room as the Parisians get ready to enter the latter stages of the Champions’ League for the first time in two decades.

 

Ross Mackiewicz is the editor of the excellent 1970 PSG blog – He sees nothing but positives for this move.

The realisation of a dream for Paris Saint-Germain came to fruition yesterday with the signing of the most recognisable face in the game, David Beckham.

Ever since QSI acquired the majority share of the club in June 2011, before eventually gaining complete control, there has been one man’s name on the tip of their tongue; one man who they have spoken incessantly about and that was Monsieur Becks.

Here they have a club that is growing day by day, week by week and when you compare it as a whole just before QSI took over, to what it is now, it is unrecognisable. The clout has been substantial, no question, but with the exception of the minority of Parisien fans who believe QSI are killing the soul of the club, the vast majority are revelling in this incredible period. If Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva were the layers and icing on the cake, then Beckham is the cherry on top.

Many sceptics out there will question the motives for the move, claiming it is only motivated by exposure and headlines, but so what if it is? You are getting two things with Beckham: exposure as an entity (being the club), like nothing ever seen before; and a player, even at 37 years of age, who can still cut it.  Firstly, Ligue 1 as a whole should celebrate this as much as PSG. This has just drawn many more eyes from all across the globe towards the league. The league is in the best period it has ever been in terms of appeal and PSG are adding to that. You see it in the stands when they play away, the stadiums are packed to the rafters, the attendances are up. Beckham’s arrival is just going to put more bums on those seats and bring in a new generation of fans.

Can he still cut the mustard as a player? Without question. In my wholehearted opinion, he is the best distributor of a football I have ever seen and that has not diminished by age by any means. He has never been blessed with pace nor skills but, my word, in terms of a short and long game, he is still up there. It is not as if Carlo Ancelotti needs to tinker with his team massively to accommodate him; he can quite easily slot him alongside Blaise Matuidi in front of the back four. From there, he can get the ball out wide to the likes of Ezequiel Lavezzi and Jeremy Menez or just put the ball on a sixpence for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The ingredients are there to make the best out of this and as Carlo worked with David before at Milan, he will have a fair idea how to get the best out of the situation.

Celebrate this, Ligue 1 fans, do not look at it with contempt or scepticism. This move is as big for the league as it is for PSG and we should rejoice in it.

On the other side of the coin and a lot more sceptical is Jeremy Smith from the FFW podcast

So, the Beckham circus has moved to PSG. A great move for Brand Beckham, but I am not so convinced it is a good thing for PSG or Ligue 1.

Beckham will move to another major city and keep his ever-smiling wife happy by being close to the boutiques and fashion shows. He will ensure that he continues to monopolise headlines in a manner that, as always, far outweighs his footballing ability (the guy’s been out of contract for a few months now – did it really need to wait until transfer deadline day to make the announcement?) and he is likely to end the season with another league winner’s medal, as ever leeching off teammates far more talented and dedicated than himself. OK, I admit that playing for free is a lovely gesture. Although the cynic in me wonders what share of the shirt sale revenues he will be receiving.

As for PSG and Ligue 1, I am far from convinced. Yes, it will raise the profile of the club and the league. But I don’t think it’s the kind of profile they should want to be developing.

From the branding point of view, I can see the benefits for PSG. They’ll sell shirts, they’ll be heard of further afield, they may get more exposure when Beckham scores the odd free kick every 100 or so attempts (he is not, and never has been, in the same class as Juninho). And the money will come rolling in. But is money really a factor for the Qataris? I think that PSG should be focussing on building a brand starting on the field, and I can’t see that signing a 37-year-old who has been in semi-retirement and clearly not prioritising his football, whatever he says, for the past six years, is a positive statement in this sense.

Similarly, I don’t see how it is such a good thing for Ligue 1. This January has seen a swathe of talented youngsters leave the country, and they are being replaced by an someone whose best years are well behind him. Yes, he’s a name. But is he really any longer a football name? Zlatan is, in those terms, a much bigger name – and I’m sure he’s shifting his fair share of shirts too. Ligue 1 and its fans should be more concerned, and more excited about bringing in up and coming potential world-beaters like Lucas Moura, not fawning over an old clotheshorse whose whole career has been built on style over substance.

 

Slightly more balanced than Jeremy’s take is Matthew Richards from Le Petit Carré

Let’s look at this move from Beckham’s point of view; it’s a no-brainer. I’m no OK! gossip columnist but even I know Paris is a pretty solid base of operations for promoting a ‘global brand’ such as the fashion-inclined Beckham’s. We know about the Mrs’ desire to stay in LA to give their children a steadier upbringing, but I’m sure the capital is more than a head turner for her personal aspirations as well as her husband’s.

That aside, in terms of the more important football part of this, Becks must see this as one last golden opportunity to cement a footballing legacy. And you know what I say? Fair play to the man. If PSG manage to achieve the extremely achievable and collect the league title this year, that will make it Beckham’s 10th domestic league title in his 4th country. Whether you think he’s ‘talented’ or not, that’s an impressive accolade. The reality is that his role in such an achievement may well just be winking at Parisian girls while strutting around for 50-60 minutes a game, but I can guarantee you that won’t be his aim in all this. We all know ‘Goldenballs’ can be competitive, and he is without a doubt a fabulous professional. A couple of good performances and in my opinion he could settle into a more regular role for the side. Don’t get me wrong, I’m under no illusions that he’ll be a catalyst in PSG’s title-winning season but there is one thing he could do and do well; feed Ibrahimovic’s ego.

Several people have been critical of Ancelotti’s ‘everything through Ibra’ approach and with just cause. They’ve looked one-dimensional at times, and less than capable of cracking some more sturdy defences. With that said, if the approach is Ibra over all then having Beckham sitting deep and pinging 40-yard balls into his path will most certainly keep the Swede and the crowds in Parc des Princes happy. The former Manchester United midfielder has certainly not lost his vision or his quality of delivery, so such a task is more than feasible. The negative side to this is obviously that Becks may and probably will become a burden to his side, something that I’m sure the already hard working Blaise Matuidi would be delighted to hear.

Whatever his role in the up and coming weeks this move is good for two things; shirt sales and Monsieur Beckham himself. Sometimes in football you have to take a more cynical outlook and just say that in this day and age money and self importance rule over all.

 

Back to the PSG fan view point with Goal.com’s Nicholas McGee

The capture of Beckham is a coup for Paris Saint-Germain and for French football in general. In a month where a number of Ligue 1’s top stars have left the country for pastures new, the arrival of a global megastar will undoubtedly boost the league’s profile and increase the capital club’s already bloated revenues.

David Beckham is more than just a footballer, he is a world-renowned brand who attracts sponsorship and brings in massive amounts in merchandise revenue; expect sales of PSG shirts to sky-rocket in the coming weeks. Financially it is a move that makes perfect sense for the Parisians, however from a footballing perspective it is one that perhaps comes a year too late.

PSG unsuccessfully tried to secure Beckham’s services last term, and now it is difficult to see where a 37-year-old who spent the best part of the last decade in the MLS will fit into a midfield that has already been replenished by the additions of Lucas Moura, Marco Verratti and – further forward – Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Still, it is refreshing to see that Beckham has the ambition to compete for more silverware; PSG could complete a domestic league and cup double, and while it is unlikely that they will win the Champions League, it would not be a surprise to see them reach the last four.

Furthermore, while Beckham’s powers have certainly begun to wane in the recent times, he still possesses one of the best deliveries in world football and will be a more than useful threat from set-pieces for les-rouges-et-bleus.

Beckham’s signing should help bring some of romance back to the French game, and by the end of the season, the Manchester United and England legend could well have a few more medals to add to his already substantial collection.

 

Just like Beckham, Football Ramble writer Theo Benneworth is an Englishman living in France. What does Theo think of the situation?

Since my arrival in France, many a Frenchman has spoken to me – sometimes jokingly, sometimes less so – about the positive and negative impacts of les Anglais retiring to France. These conversations were at the forefront of my mind as I watched the press conference confirming David Beckham as a Paris Saint Germain player on Thursday evening.

Having signed a 5-month contract to the end of June, this may or may not be Beckham’s pre-retirement contract before he finally hangs up his boots. One certainty is that he arrives at PSG as Ligue 1’s oldest outfield player- a fact of which he was made aware by a cheeky journalist during his introduction to the media. But what will ‘Becks’ actually bring to French football?

On the pitch, only time will tell. Beckham is respected for his clean living and dedication to maintaining his fitness levels. The 37-year-old says that he still feels as fit as when he was 21 – and having followed up a successful final season in LA with a period training with Arsenal, Beckham reckons he’ll be match fit within a few weeks. Ligue 1 is renowned for its physicality, but the player is no stranger to this aspect of the game.

Beckham will bring his experience and professionalism to a squad which includes many youngsters. He has experienced the biggest competitions, which should be useful as PSG attack the next stage of the Champion’s League. He’s also used to dealing with strong characters and big egos, which will prove invaluable when faced with the likes of Ménez and Ibrahimovic (with whom he will surely be sharing freekick duties!).

Off-field, the value of ‘brand Beckham’ is beyond doubt. Number 32 shirts will fly off the shelves like hotcakes, while the fact that Beckham and PSG will donate his entire salary to a Parisian children’s charity will do no harm to either party’s public image.

In addition, at the end of a January transfer window during which Ligue 1 has bid adieu to many of its biggest names, the arrival of an international superstar like D-Beck – regardless of his age – has provided a welcome boost to French football. Beckham stated that he hopes to contribute to the growth of PSG and Ligue 1, and the likes of France boss Didier Deschamps and Saint Etienne manager Christophe Galtier are already on record as saying that the transfer will have a positive effect on the French game – both domestically and from an international standpoint.

From a personal point of view, I am intrigued how and where Beckham will fit into the PSG line-up. After all, when he looked set to join PSG a year ago, he would have been arguably the stand-out player. 12 months later, with the squad now littered with world-class talent, he has been described as ‘the cherry on what is already a very ample cake’. From a non-PSG point of view, one could also bemoan this as yet enough example of the rich getting richer, and of the growing gap between Paris and their rivals.

Setting aside the cynicism, however, I am simply pleased to see Beckham follow in the footsteps of Josephs Cole and Barton and increasing the British presence in Ligue 1.

 

Thank you to everyone for their opinions on the Beckham move. The last word goes to me (Andrew Gibney). There are a few different angles to look at this move. From a PSG point of view it has very little risk attached; the team get a vastly experienced player, a player able to pass on his years of experience to the younger players like Verratti and Moura etc. Beckham as always will be a perfect ambassador for the club and for the league and can only surely be a positive influence on everyone that comes in contact with him.

From a footballing view point the move makes no sense whatsoever. PSG have moved beyond token signings and have no need for Beckham on the pitch. Lucas Moura, Jeremy Menez, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore are far beyond Beckham in current footballing ability and mobility and in no way should these players gain less playing time because of the Beckham move. In a more central area there is nothing that Beckham can add that Blaise Matuidi, Clement Chantome or Thiago Motta can’t bring. You will mainly see Beckham playing the last 10-15 minutes of a game and throwing in a cross or tw;, he will end up scoring a couple of goals at the end of a 3-0 or 4-0 win, and his play will be lauded around the world.

The main thing for PSG is that interest in the club is at an all-time high. TV station beIN Sport will have all the Beckham exclusives. L’Equipe and France Football will run as much press as possible. The global interest will grow and of course that is a great thing for PSG. Not sure whether it is a good thing in the long run for the league, however. Similar to La Liga, does anyone care about many of the teams outside of Barcelona and Real Madrid? Not really.

One aspect that I wanted to mention is the positive effect it could have on our website. Personally I am cynical of the move, but professionally I am delighted. Now interest in a Ligue 1 team will be at an all-time high. Hopefully that will lead to more English-language coverage of the league and PSG’s games, having a spin off effect on their opponents and the league as a whole gaining more interest.

My hope is that the demand for English-language coverage will grow and that French Football Weekly will be at the forefront to provide that high level of insight. The league goes far beyond PSG and David Beckham and hopefully higher interest from the media in that will lead to higher interest in the other Ligue 1 teams as well. Increased interest brings a larger need for English language content.

Everyone at FFW wishes David Beckham all the best for the next five months. Let’s readdress this issue once the Englishman leaves the Parisian club.