From: The Associated Press
By ROBERT MILLWARD
If David Beckham can score on his surprise return to Real Madrid's lineup, why not a recall for England ? His move to the Los Angeles Galaxy is months away, and England is in trouble in qualifying for the 2008 European Championship.
England coach Steve McClaren still hasn't worked out his best midfield and there's every chance the English (2-1-1), who already trail Croatia (3-0-1) and Russia (2-0-2), will slip behind Israel (2-1-1) and Macedonia (2-2-1) after qualifying resumes on March 24. Only two teams advance from each group.
Judging by England's performance in last week's 1-0 loss to visiting Spain in an exhibition game, McClaren has big problems. So why not swallow his pride and recall the free kick specialist who has played 94 times for England _ 57 as captain?
Don't bet on it.
The problem for Beckham is that McClaren is not the sort of coach who can admit he was wrong. The England coach also believes he has plenty of reasons not to bring him back.
Despite his free kick equalizer in Saturday's 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, Beckham had been out of the loop for six games _ since about the time he announced his five-year deal with the Galaxy, a deal said to be worth about $50 million.
A move to Los Angeles puts Beckham 5,500 miles out of McClaren's range and effectively with little chance of playing again for England.
Madrid coach Fabio Capello said he wouldn't select the English midfielder, partly because of his form and partly because of the distractions of his big money move to Major League Soccer. Eventually he relented and Beckham rewarded him with a comeback goal.
How England could do with a free kick goal against Israel.
Beckham's last England goal was at the World Cup in the second round against Ecuador, when he curled a free kick over the wall and inside the near post for the only goal of the game.
Six days later, however, his England career seemingly came to an end.
Nursing ankle and Achilles' tendon injuries, he was taken out in the second half and sat tearfully watching his teammates lose a penalty-kick shootout to Portugal in the World Cup quarterfinals. That was July 1 and McClaren, who took over from Sven-Goran Eriksson after the World Cup, immediately made it clear that the Real Madrid star was not part of his England plans.
McClaren didn't see Beckham fitting in with Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves and Joe Cole in the England midfield and preferred natural wingers who dribble past defenders, which Beckham doesn't do.
Hargreaves and Cole have been sidelined for several months, and McClaren still won't pick Beckham.
The England coach says he has not 'shut the door' on the former captain, but refuses to say whether he has widened it a little.
Even with the problems currently surrounding the England team, McClaren would be unhappy by Beckham's lack of game time for Madrid and alarmed at the media melee that a recall to the national lineup inevitably would create.
McClaren has also been at pains to create his own team rather than the one handed down by Eriksson, who regarded Beckham as his trusted captain.
Capello now says that Beckham is well integrated to the Madrid lineup and he is happy with him. But Beckham would have to virtually play every game for the Spanish club between now and March 24 and score or create several more goals if he were to stand any chance to get back in the England lineup for the Euro 2008 qualifying games against Israel and Andorra.
Even if he did play all those game and score those goals, that still might not satisfy McClaren.
West Ham winger Matthew Etherington is reportedly receiving ongoing help for a gambling addiction at the Sporting Chance clinic.