In a revealing new ITV documentary examining the pressures of fame, Brooklyn Beckham's former football coach has opened up about his concerns for the young man who grew up under an intense public microscope. Anthony McCool, who coached the aspiring chef when he was part of Queen's Park Rangers at age 14, shared poignant reflections on Brooklyn's childhood and personality.
Coach's Emotional Reflections on Brooklyn's Upbringing
Anthony McCool spoke candidly about his time working with Brooklyn Beckham in the documentary Beckham v Beckham: The Price Of Fame?, describing the 26-year-old as initially very quiet and withdrawn. "Brooklyn was just very quiet, didn't really look you in the eye at first. That took quite some time, but very polite," McCool recalled, painting a picture of a reserved young man navigating extraordinary circumstances.
The 'Crackers' Incident That Highlighted His Unique Life
McCool shared a particularly telling anecdote that illustrated just how different Brooklyn's childhood was from that of his peers. He remembered an incident where, upon hearing that Brooklyn hadn't brought a drink to practice, his security guard immediately produced "a crate of Lucozade" for him. This unusual response caused laughter among those present, but McCool noticed Brooklyn's reaction.
"But I kind of caught Brooklyn and looked at him and thought: 'Wow, this life is crackers.' He probably thought everyone was laughing at him and that's what made me quite sad," McCool revealed. The coach expressed genuine concern about Brooklyn's emotional state, noting that he "would worry me because we never saw any kind of either massively high emotion or massively low... he was almost like he was in this daze... and I think he was embarrassed at times."
Context of Recent Family Tensions
These revelations come against the backdrop of recent public family tensions. Earlier this month, Brooklyn Beckham launched a blistering social media attack against his parents, football icon David Beckham and Spice Girls star Victoria Beckham. In his statement, he accused them of "controlling" his life and targeting his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
The 26-year-old made it clear he has no interest in reconciliation with his family, which includes siblings Romeo, Cruz, and Harper. Among his grievances, he cited his mother's "inappropriate" behaviour at his 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz. McCool acknowledged that while he understood David and Victoria were "trying to do the right thing," the documentary explores the complex dynamics of raising children in the public eye.
Parallel Documentary Examinations
ITV is not the only broadcaster delving into the Beckham family dynamics. Channel 4 has released its own documentary, Beckham: Family At War – Untold, featuring expert analysis of the situation. During this programme, well-being coach Josh Connolly suggested that "within any dysfunctional family system, the scapegoat child is the one, often, that's willing to speak the truth," adding that in such family setups it becomes "easier to point at one individual and make them the problem."
Additional Revelations and Withdrawals
The documentary revelations coincide with other developments in the ongoing Beckham family narrative. Brooklyn's ex-girlfriend, Hana Cross, reportedly pulled out of a planned tell-all interview in which she intended to describe him as the "black sheep" of the family. According to a source speaking to the Daily Mail, "There were problems with him and the family even back then."
The source added: "Hana wanted to tell her story but she had some heavy messages from the Brooklyn side warning her about being indiscreet, so she thought better of it." This suggests ongoing efforts to manage the narrative surrounding the family's private matters.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Loos, who was previously linked to David Beckham, claimed she feels "validated" following Brooklyn's recent statements about his parents. These interconnected revelations paint a complex picture of a family navigating the challenges of extraordinary fame across generations.
The documentary and surrounding commentary raise important questions about the impact of celebrity upbringing on children's development and emotional wellbeing. As McCool's reflections demonstrate, even well-intentioned parenting can create unique challenges when conducted under constant public scrutiny.
