Pressure grows for Beckham recall

[kyan]

Henry backs Beckham for England

Henry hailed Beckham as Real Madrid's "most consistent player"
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry believes David Beckham's form for Real Madrid this season warrants an England recall.

Beckham has not played international football since Steve McClaren became head coach after last year's World Cup.

But, with England due to play Brazil on 1 June ahead of a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, Henry told the BBC: "He has never dropped his quality.

"He has been the most consistent player at Real Madrid. Maybe his quality was not appreciated with England before."

England have failed to impress in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign under McClaren, drawing against Macedonia and Israel and losing to Croatia to leave them fourth in Group E.

And Henry said: "What Beckham has done at Real Madrid has been unbelievable.

"I don't want to say anything controversial, because to be the England manager is probably the hardest job in the country and you have to respect Steve McClaren's choice.

"But maybe when David was playing for England, people took him for granted. As soon as he's not playing people call for him to be recalled and that speaks volumes.

"The guy has been magnificent for English football."

Beckham added to the BBC: "Whether the chance will come up to play for England again, who knows.

"I've been so honoured to play and captain my country as many times as I have and everyone knows how I feel about playing for my country.

"If that chance comes, I've always said I'd be ready but let's wait and see."

BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Henry backs Beckham for England

He's been fantastic for Real since he's been recalled, I doubt McClaren will take notice but he should get over himself and recall him, he's done a lot more than Lennon & SWP have done all season.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Beckham in - Lennon out!

[sinoy1]

Best crosser in the game! Pirlo eat your heart out!!!

[Werdna]

No McClaren shouldn't recall Beckham. It wouldn't even be in Beckham's best interest. He is going to the States in the summer and he won't be named in any squads while playing there so effectively he could only play in one or two matches for England in which he wouldn't have anything to gain and a poor performance and he would be crucified.

I hope he wins the league with Madrid and goes off to America...

[russe||]

Recalling Beckham would be a massive step back. If he was still going to be playing top level football for a few years it would make some sense but as he is all but retiring from top level football this summer and isn't getting any younger we are best off sticking with the younger guys.

[LAF]

That would be all good if the young guys were working for you but it just isn't clicking.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

It's better to use Beckham on the right wing and play Gerrard in the centre.Wright-Phillips and Lennon ain't good enough.That leaves Beckham back in the squad if McClaren wants the best for England...Or else he should try out Pennant.

[kyan]

Or Bentley.

LAF is right, it's not as if McClaren is actually using Lennon & co. well so he should revert to the ways that used to work for now until the youngsters are ready.

[Werdna]

Originally Posted by kyan

Or Bentley.

LAF is right, it's not as if McClaren is actually using Lennon & co. well so he should revert to the ways that used to work for now until the youngsters are ready.

No, it's McClaren's job to get them ready...it's his job to make them play as well as they sometimes do at club level.

Too many managers and people in football nowadays think that players should make themselves become world class. It's the managers/coaches...they are supposed to talk to the players, tell them how to improve, explain their errors, make them believe in themselves and take risks...

The Ronaldos, Drogbas, Kakas, Gerrards, Beckhams etc wouldn't be where they are if the didn't have good managers who helped them along.

On the other side there are certainly numerous players who could have been much much better if they had had decent managers...

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Mac: Door still open for Becks

Steve McClaren insists the door is not closed on a possible England recall for David Beckham.

Speaking on the eve of England's B international against Albania, McClaren revealed he would still consider the LA Galaxy-bound midfielder for selection.

The Real Madrid man, impressive for his club in recent months, has not played for England since resigning the national team captaincy following England's World Cup exit last summer.

Beckham has never hidden his desire to make a return for his country, and has now been given added encouragement by McClaren, with the England boss revealing that he is still monitoring the 32-year-old's form.

"I've never said the door is closed for David Beckham," McClaren told the Sun.

"I keep an eye on everybody and David's form has been monitored."

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

McClaren to face sack if comeback of Beckham fails

David Beckham will be named today in Steve McClaren's England squad for a comeback after 10 months in the international wilderness. The England manager has made the decision to bring Beckham back into the fold to lend experience to his depleted squad for their Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia on 6 June.

Not only will Beckham be back in the squad but he also has a chance of starting either the friendly against Brazil on Friday or the match in Tallinn in his familiar position on the right side of midfield. Aaron Lennon is the man most likely to have to adapt and he looks set to start on the left side of midfield - where McClaren picked him to start last night for an England B international against Albania at Turf Moor.

Having told Beckham in August that he was moving "in a new direction", McClaren has drastically realigned himself. The senior England players are understood to have been prepared for Beckham's return even though there is not a consensus among the coaching staff that it is the right move. While the merits of the decision will be debated, the Football Association could not have wished for a more widely anticipated return for England to the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.

McClaren will announce his squad this lunchtime and hold a press conference in the North-east in which he will explain his reasons for picking Beckham again. There is no doubt that if the experiment fails, and England do not take three points in Estonia, it will be McClaren who pays with his job. And even if Beckham's return coincides with two England victories there is no certainty that he will be in the next squad to face Israel at Wembley on 8 September. He is due to play at home for the Los Angeles Galaxy against the Colorado Rapids that day.

The Major League Soccer season ends in November which, should Beckham still have a chance of playing at Euro 2008, would make a loan back to a Premiership side a tempting option.

McClaren will have noticed yesterday that the prospect of a return for Beckham was given a mixed reception among the radio phone-ins and television pundits. Calls for the reinstatement of Beckham were first raised by sections of the England support after the defeat to Croatia although most supporters would agree that he is not likely to be the cure for all the team's problems.

While the decision may be regarded in some quarters as a serious U-turn by McClaren, the England manager has reasoned that the players who have been brought in since Beckham's last cap have not excelled. Tottenham's Lennon, by far the most exciting right-wing prospect, has been restricted by a knee injury, since the World Cup. Shaun Wright-Phillips has not established himself as a fixture in the Chelsea team although he has ended the season well. On the basis of form, Beckham is simply the better bet.

Having failed to persuade Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement, Beckham would seem to be the next best option for McClaren. The midfielder's impact on Real Madrid's renaissance this season is a matter of some debate: he has played three of the club's past 10 league matches although his performance against Recreativo Huelva at the weekend, which Real won 3-2 in the last minute, has seen him hailed in Spain as the club's saviour. Real are second to Barcelona on goal difference with three games to play.

The 32-year-old will be officially told the news this morning and will play for Real Madrid against Deportivo La Coruña this evening as the Spanish title race goes down to the wire. The England squad meet on Monday although the FA has given no details yet of its schedule for the week leading up to the match at Wembley.

What McClaren will be able to rely upon is Beckham's loyalty and no hint of the disillusionment that the former England captain felt at being cut by the new manager when he took over in August. While the custom for Beckham when he was captain was to give a pre-match press conference the day before England games, he is not expected to have any more contact with the media than would be expected of any member of the squad.

As the anticipation around Beckham's call-up gathered yesterday, the Real manager Fabio Capello said that he believed the player deserved his place in the England squad. Having told Beckham in January that he would not play for Real again in the aftermath of his £128m deal with the LA Galaxy, Capello is well placed to discuss the merits of recalling the player.

"I don't understand how a player of this level isn't always in the international squad," the Italian said. "I spoke to Beckham about it and he told me that he still doesn't know if he's in or not. We are all waiting to find out but he going to have to wait a little longer. I think David has never been as good as he is right now both physically and mentally and I've told him so.

"This international week comes at a bad time for us. It means we are going to be without Beckham for about 15 days if he's called up but we will just have to deal with it," Capello added.

Source: The Independent

[jec1]

This is like Clemens coming back to the Yankees, Such Greatness but then does Becks still have it.

I've said it before, I want Ingerland to succeed but the coach has to Go.

[kyan]

Beckham definitely still has it, just look at Capello's comments... he's not a longterm option as some here have stated, but in the short-term he's still a fantastic player.

Problem is I'm in 2 minds now if TAL's article is true, I think I'd rather see McClaren go than Beckham re-succeed with the NT.