Brooklyn Beckham's former coach reveals 'strange dynamic' with parents Sir David & Victoria with 'seen the anxiety' admission made amid public feud

Brooklyn, who is the eldest of the four Beckham children, spent time in the academy system at QPR when 14 years of age. Tony McCool worked with the youngster there - with his CV also including stints at Norwich and Bradford City.

He has seen Beckham junior spark lively debate with an Instagram post in which he lifted the lid of life inside one of the most iconic families on the planet. He has faced backlash from some for speaking out, criticising his mother and father in the process, but others have expressed sympathy at the many uncomfortable situations that Brooklyn and Co have found themselves forced into.

Discussing his experiences with the Beckhams, McCool has said in a LinkedIn post: “Brooklyn Beckham getting piled on. But I felt sorry for the lad. I did see some bizarre carry on as his football coach at QPR & certainly seen the anxiety.

“He might have got this situation wrong, I'm not on either side because I don't know them & his parents were always polite to me. But I did witness myself a strange dynamic which is impossible for us to judge and predict how we would navigate it, both as parents and as a young person.

“My short window into that life left me some funny stories, also some sad ones and I realised how tough it must have been for the lad. Yet I coached many lads of famous parents, mostly well-known footballers.

“But this spell was on another serious level. It would make a good chapter in my book. What it did do was open my eyes. Being a super wealthy & famous doesn't always lead to happiness.

“It's hard to sympathise or empathise because most of us will never know. But being flanked by permanent security at 14, plus the many other things I seen made me realise I shouldn't judge because I haven't walked a mile in them shoes, or his parents to be fair.

“I am sure they will close ranks and resolve their differences. I hope so. (& David thanks for paying me back that £6).”

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Brooklyn also enjoyed short spells with Chelsea, Manchester United and Fulham before joining brothers Romeo and Cruz at Arsenal. He severed ties with the Gunners when no professional terms were tabled.

Alternative careers have been sought since then, but bonds with David and Victoria have been broken along the way. Brooklyn has now given his side of the story, with a lengthy social media post seeing him open with: “I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.

“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.

“Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always come out.”

Brooklyn, who is married to Nicola Peltz, accused his parents of trying to ruin his marriage. He also sought to explain why he was not present at the 50th birthday celebrations of Manchester United legend and current Inter Miami co-owner, David.

He said: “We still travelled to London for my dad's birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner. When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasn't invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all.”

He concluded with: “My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations.

“We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show ‘our perfect family!’ But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.

“The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”

David has briefly addressed his son’s comments during an appearance on CBS Mornings, saying: “I’ve been able to use my platform and my following for Unicef and it’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children. 

“I’ve tried to do the same. I’ve tried to do the same with my children to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So that’s what I try to teach my kids. But you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”