Becks want to get selected for Team GB on 'merit', not as 'shirt seller or stadium filler'

London, May 19(ANI): Former Manchester United captain David Beckham has urged Stuart Pearce to pick him only on merit for the Great Britain football team for the London Olympics, rather than for his glamour quotient.

Beckham said it was disrespectful when people claim that he would get selected in the GB team for other than footballing reasons like selling merchandise, or getting stadiums filled.

"Any time I have been asked about shirt sales and filling stadiums, I've never said it is disrespectful but it's the kind of question I have felt is," The Independent quoted Beckham, as saying

Beckham said he is proud of his career, of being part of the London bid, and would be proud to play at the Olympics.

"Throughout my career I've been pretty successful. I've played for some pretty big teams. I've played for my country quite a few times and for managers without sentiment," Beckham said.

"That's one of the things when you play for Sir Alex Ferguson, Fabio Capello and Sven Goran Eriksson, the managers I have played under - they don't pick players because they want to fill a stadium with people or to sell shirts," he added.

"I'm very proud of the fact and I have always found it an honour that people want to buy my shirt, that fans turn up to watch the team I am playing in or to see myself. I've always found that a huge honour," he said.

Beckham further added: "No, I don't want to be picked on a shirt sale or a stadium filler. I want to be picked because of what I can bring to the team. It's a thing that has happened all the way through my career and I don't want that to change." (ANI)