Beckham regrets Fergie bust-up over Man Utd exit
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Real Madrid star David Beckham admits he hasn't spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson since he left Manchester United.
Becks told the Mirror: "I haven't spoken to him since I left United. We were both at the funeral of Jimmy Davis but it wasn't the right place to talk about things.
"I had been at Real Madrid for a few months by then. He hadn't rung me or sent me a message or anything prior to that.
"At the funeral, he said 'how are things over there?' To be honest, I wasn't in the right frame of mind because of Jimmy's funeral but that is the only thing that has ever been said.
"I didn't really think that was his way of trying to start things again. But I don't know. I just wish it had been done the day after I signed for Real Madrid.
"I would have liked confirmation that I wouldn't be playing for him again. From him.
"I still feel a sadness about the way it deteriorated. I wish it could have been different.
"The one thing I wish I had done is try to get in touch with him that summer when the chief executive, Peter Kenyon, said that I should go.
"I wish I had spoken to the manager even if he had said he thought it was time for me to leave.
"That would have been fine. I would have liked a phone call from him just to say 'Good luck and thanks for everything'.
"The last game I played for him was at Goodison Park against Everton, we had won the League and everyone was celebrating.
"I was part of that midfield of Beckham, Keane, Scholes and Giggs that worked so well together and I scored one of United's goals that day. I never thought for one minute that I wouldn't be playing for Man United the year after.
"But I don't think he could handle the idea that he had lost control of me.
"I was in my car once, near the Trafford Centre on the outskirts of Manchester, when he rang me on my mobile phone.
"He was shouting at me and asking why I was in Barcelona. I told him I was in Manchester.
"He said a friend of his had just phoned him to say I was sitting opposite him at Barcelona airport. I told him I was outside the Trafford Centre. He shouted 'don't f***ing lie to me' down the phone'.
"I still wouldn't have a problem playing for him again because he was such a big influence on my career and he was a father figure to me.
"I don't think that will ever happen but I would like to think there might come a time when we are on friendlier terms, when there might be a dialogue between us. I had so many happy times there that I could never forget them. It would be great to be like that but he is stubborn and I am stubborn and that's life. Maybe that's just the way the manager has always been. I know he was like that with other players.
"But I still can't help wishing it had ended differently. It seemed needless to do it like that. I was a kid when I joined United and perhaps that's why I felt it should have been different with me.
"But I suppose everyone has got their ways of moving on and that is Sir Alex's."
Becks told the Mirror: "I haven't spoken to him since I left United. We were both at the funeral of Jimmy Davis but it wasn't the right place to talk about things.
"I had been at Real Madrid for a few months by then. He hadn't rung me or sent me a message or anything prior to that.
"At the funeral, he said 'how are things over there?' To be honest, I wasn't in the right frame of mind because of Jimmy's funeral but that is the only thing that has ever been said.
"I didn't really think that was his way of trying to start things again. But I don't know. I just wish it had been done the day after I signed for Real Madrid.
"I would have liked confirmation that I wouldn't be playing for him again. From him.
"I still feel a sadness about the way it deteriorated. I wish it could have been different.
"The one thing I wish I had done is try to get in touch with him that summer when the chief executive, Peter Kenyon, said that I should go.
"I wish I had spoken to the manager even if he had said he thought it was time for me to leave.
"That would have been fine. I would have liked a phone call from him just to say 'Good luck and thanks for everything'.
"The last game I played for him was at Goodison Park against Everton, we had won the League and everyone was celebrating.
"I was part of that midfield of Beckham, Keane, Scholes and Giggs that worked so well together and I scored one of United's goals that day. I never thought for one minute that I wouldn't be playing for Man United the year after.
"But I don't think he could handle the idea that he had lost control of me.
"I was in my car once, near the Trafford Centre on the outskirts of Manchester, when he rang me on my mobile phone.
"He was shouting at me and asking why I was in Barcelona. I told him I was in Manchester.
"He said a friend of his had just phoned him to say I was sitting opposite him at Barcelona airport. I told him I was outside the Trafford Centre. He shouted 'don't f***ing lie to me' down the phone'.
"I still wouldn't have a problem playing for him again because he was such a big influence on my career and he was a father figure to me.
"I don't think that will ever happen but I would like to think there might come a time when we are on friendlier terms, when there might be a dialogue between us. I had so many happy times there that I could never forget them. It would be great to be like that but he is stubborn and I am stubborn and that's life. Maybe that's just the way the manager has always been. I know he was like that with other players.
"But I still can't help wishing it had ended differently. It seemed needless to do it like that. I was a kid when I joined United and perhaps that's why I felt it should have been different with me.
"But I suppose everyone has got their ways of moving on and that is Sir Alex's."
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