Football: BECKHAM'S A NAUGHTY BOY

DAVID BECKHAM was told off for not paying attention during his first training session with Real Madrid.

Jorge Valdano, Real's sporting director, had to take Beckham aside for a quiet word.

The England captain had taken off his shirt and shoes and was inspecting his tattoos while Valdano was addressing the players.

Spanish radio reported that Valdano noticed the new Real No.23 was not paying attention and had to break off from what he was saying to tell Becks: "Listen, we're talking here," before taking him aside.

The incident happened in Madrid before Real set off for their pre- season tour to China, with Valdano giving the squad instructions.

It will only serve to underline concern for the England captain, with one of his team-mates saying: "It's like watching a silent film - he says nothing."

He is away from former club Manchester United for the first time in his life, in a foreign country where he does not yet speak the language.

And there are reports that some of his new team-mates are less than pleased to be so far away from Madrid this early in the pre- season.

Some of Beckham's new team-mates are reported to be giving the England star the cold shoulder - and hold him responsible for the need for the money-making trip.

Several, among them Spanish internationals Raul and Helguera, have already gone on record as being dead against the China jaunt.

Some individuals have gone further and are blaming Beckham for their having to go as part of Real Madrid's drive to capitalise on his popularity and increase revenue from the Asian market.

Beckham is already seen as the President's favourite by some members of a squad already at odds with Real supremo Florentino Perez.

It has already been noted by some observers that the player making most effort to guide David is former blue-eyed boy Luis Figo, Perez's first signing at the club - and not his fellow Englishman Steve McManaman.

The squad is already split down the middle after a torrid end-of- season when they landed the Primera Liga title but the players refused to do a second lap of honour of the Bernabeu in protest at a number of grievances. Their moans include:

Announcing the Beckham signature while the league title race was in full swing;

Getting rid of the former coach Vicente del Bosque and bringing in Carlos Queiroz from Beckham's former club;

Organising an Asian tour around Beckham - which had players remonstrating with the President at the league title celebration dinner and chanting "China, China" in unison.

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