Martin Samuel's Debate: Would you pick David Beckham in the England team?

When David Beckham was restored to the England team by Steve McClaren, a group of us were debating the issue with Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager. He said that he would still pick him for England on the ground that in important matches, such as international games and European finals, the difference between the teams is often a lone goal, from a set-piece or direct free kick.

Beckham, therefore, always has the potential to be a match-winner. Sadly, more than a year on, it is still the only argument for his inclusion.

What do you think: Should David Beckham be in the England team?

Martin will respond to the best of your comments later in the week, so please leave your thoughts in the comment field below and also cast your vote.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Comments

[Gen]

No I don't think David Beckham should still be in the team. It is quite frankly ridiculous that he is no longer playing in Europe but is playing at a lower level for LA Galaxy but still gets picked for the team.

What also bugs me is we have no alternative when it comes to free kicks and corners either. Beckham takes them all which is just ridiculous. He is not even the best free kick taker in the world as is always claimed since most of his efforts either hit the wall or go sailing over the bar. For me Riquelme is heads and shoulders above Beckham in this department. His technique and record in scoring from free kicks is outstanding. Even on the rare occasion that he doesn't score from a free kick he always works the keeper.

Yes Beckham is a good crosser of a ball but he has no pace, never has really, and now he is even slower than he was. Despite this its amazing to see he can find a burst of speed when a goal is scored. After all we can't have him not in the forefront when it comes to celebrating a goal can we and having his photo taken, even if he is not the goal scorer!

To be honest David Beckham is not the main problem. The whole way the England team selection is conducted, even when it comes to friendlies, gets on my nerves. It seems every other team in the world will call up players to their squad but the difference is that they don't play the same players over and over again.

Hardly any young English players are given a chance to play, even when it comes to a friendly. If they do its no more than 10 minutes as the game comes to an end. You see countries like Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Croatia etc call up young players and PLAY them in friendlies, giving them a chance to play at international level on a regular basis. Its not coming on for 10 minutes or even worse just training with the squad.

This means that when it comes to qualifiers you have back up options in case you lose your first choice players. Take Croatia as an example. They lost Eduardo due to his broken leg. They still qualified at our expense for Euro 08 and went on to do well in the tournament. They didn't win it but at least they were in a position to take part.

I am a Manchester Utd fan but for the life of me I cannot understand why the likes of Young and Agbonlahor from Aston Villa for example have not been given a chance in the squad. They should have been promoted from the under 21's to the senior team ages ago. We are desperate for pace in the side and these two have it in abundance, as well as the ability to score gaols, something we consistently struggle to do.

Now we are on the brink of qualifiers and we have a crisis in midfield. No Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves or Carrick as they are all unavailable through injury. So Bullard has been called up who has never even played in a friendly. I am pleased for him but I think you see my point.

We may get away with it against Andorra on Saturday but I think Croatia will rip us to shreds.

[Dave H]

* The problem is not so much David Beckham, as to the England supporters who follow our team with such unerring devotion all over the globe. They cling to Beckham's past reputation, as an aged Casanova would to conquests of his youth. They utterly adore him, mesmerised by his charm, and like a spurned lover refuse steadfastly to move on.

* As you may have guessed I am in agreement with a majority of those posting comments above, that the end is indeed nigh for David Beckham and England.

*Put simply he is no longer the "main man". The team must now be centred around Steven Gerrard if we are to move forward in International football.

*Liverpool's Gerrard must be provided with a platform upon which he can reproduce his consistently dynamic club form. As Sam Wallace of The Independent remarked 'Gerrard is England's most effective player'.

*Beckham, despite his desire and commitment is no longer able to perform at the highest level. In fact he as much admitted this himself in his decision to join LA Galaxy over AC Milan.

* I am embarassed to admit I myself was seduced at England's friendly against Brazil last May into giving Beckham a standing ovation, just as Capello appears to have been similarly influenced.

* I might add that I did not stand to applaud David Beckham because of an outstanding performance on the pitch, which was in fact distinctly average. It was because I felt almost morally obliged as an England fan to participate in the ovation. It felt as though it would be unpatriotric not to.

* Beckham clearly retains hero status amongst the hardcore English supporters whose devotion to a player conspicuously "over the hill" is illuminating.

* Furthermiore it appears that Beckham is similarly worshipped by the administrators at the FA Headquarters in Soho Square.
He undoubtedly brings the sponsors in after all. No wonder Capello's judgement has been swayed.

* Sadly Beckham is clearly now more of a liability than an asset. Witness the recent friendly against the Czech Republic.

* Not only did he give the ball away for the first goal, his indiscipline in trying to atone for this error led directly to the exposure of the right side of England's defence.

Perhaps I am being too harsh. Maybe Beckham was jet-lagged. However there is only one conclusion for the long term future of the England team. Its time to move on. Gerrard or David Bentley to take the free-kicks, England to probably lose on penalties.

[Kit_P]

In my opinion, despite being a great footballer for England over the past 11 or so years, it is time for Beckham to be dropped from the international side. This is not because I don't rate Beckham as a player though. His talent from dead ball situations and his under-rated defending help make him, arguably the best England player to play in the 21st century. But his time is at an end- his fitness (or at any rate his pace and influence in matches) has declined since leaving for America- and there are simply too many younger alternatives for Fabio Capello to pick. David Bentley, Ashley Young, Theo Walcott and a resurgent Shaun Wright-Phillips are all players that deserve to be placed higher in the pecking order than Beckham for a place on the right wing of England's midfield. This is not to mention Joe Cole, undoubtedly the best winger in English fooball right now, who I would pick on the left of midfield. In short, Beckam should retire now, whilst still at the top- as there is no way that Capello should include him in an England squad after this weekend.

[Matt Jackson]

I'm not an avid footy fan but it does seem to me that a high percentage of the goals England score come from crosses or passes supplied by Mr Beckham. No brainer!

[Rob T]

No, Beckham shouldn't be in the team, Capello is right. He has not done much in an England shirt in last 2 yrs and so someone else - like Bentley should be given a chance to impress. We've got to stop relying on Beckham all the time - it only makes England look desperate. Time for the younger plaers to step up to the plate and come of age. Now is the time for them to do this not in 2 yrs time. Beckham was a great servant to England - this cannot be underestimated or forgotten but it's time to move on and give youth a chance. Capello has recognised this, and the fact that England do need to move on. It's refreshing for an England manager to go with form players rather than top names all the time. Less of the Crapello and alittle more respect for the current England manager woudn't go amiss. His C.V is vitually without equal. He knows what he's doing and SHOULD ( I stress should) get us to the nxt WC. This though isn't a given. The players have to work harder and REALLY want to be at the nxt WC not just thinking of the nxt Prem game or photo shoot - else we're damned.

[James Mainwaring]

David Beckam should not be in the England squad full stop!! He has not been the same player since he received a boot in the face from Sir Alex, with exception to half a season at the end or his tenure at the Bernabeu. Wenger is correct in that he has the ability to provide the winning touch, but for far too long he has constricted the play of the England team. Lacking a true left sided midfield since....I don't know when, is bad enough, but having an ineffectual right wing too is just simple managerial ignorance. If you look back to Man Utd team of the nineties, you will see Beckham making glorious runs onto the ball, flicks, and magnificent running goals. In sport when you lose that yard of pace, you're never the same player, same applies to Michael Owen. In David Bentley we have a terrific up and coming right midfielder, watching him last season, he was in a different class to others at Ewood, hence his departure. Remember Wenger got him wrong and I believe the same with Beckham. Playing the US just adds insult to injury, keep presenting those MTV gongs Mr. Beckham because that's the only silverware you will see these days.....in/out of the England squad.

[James McIlwraith]

Beckham's set pieces are still important to Englands all round game. With few goalscorers someone who is able to put the ball in the right place consistantly is vital. Its true he is older and maybe should come off the bench but he still adds a different dynamic to the team. We should be talking about the fact that Lamps and Gerrard can't play together and that it has to be a holding and attacking midfielder. keep it simple and don't contradict the system by having two simular players playing in the middle.

[Allan Price]

I have in years gone by been an admirer of David Beckham but believe he has not been worthy of his England place for at least the last 2 years. Even his supporters concede that his talent continues to diminish and offer the justification for his inclusion that he is the best we've got at set pieces. This in itself is debatable, but our obsession with this has implications for the overall strategy employed by the team. If our main hope of scoring derives from the possibility of winning a corner or a free kick then this has serious connotations for our entire approach to attacking football and is necessarily limiting our ambitions. The recent track record of Beckham et al has hardly been inspirational while the likes of Bentley impress in the Premier League on a consistent basis. Give them their head and let him and others develop at international level and say thanks and goodbye to David Beckham

[Carl Montgomery]

If Beckham is too dumb to say I resign from International Football-the Manager too blind to see what just about what every fairly knowledgeably person sees, then his(manager) ulterior motive is to let England fail at the highest level. If he called it a day at 33, then surely he must know above all else when your day has come. Beckham would be no good to man nor beast come the World Cup.

[chris G]

He should be in the squad, team is a different matter. With the decline of Owen (who again I would have in the squad not team) our goalscoring threat comes from midfield. We need to get lampard and gerrard into a system where they can both push forward (not leaving gerrard on a wing). The only system that makes sense is 4-3-3, in that system becks plays either side of the holding midfielder, (legs gone for wide right in front3) and lampard and gerrard are better than him now without question. 4-4-2 only makes sense if Rooney had developed into our best player and was scoring regularly and he hasn't, he can be a 'team player' wide left where I suspect we'll now see him for manu. Ashton plays centre forward every time, no, not a WestHam or Crewe fan!

[Peter]

To mount a World Cup bid we need at least 2 international quality players for each position. Beckham and Bentley fulfill that requirement. You should be concentrating on other areas - we don't have goalkeeper or a left-winger and only one striker. Letting goals in has become more of problem than scoring them. I can only think that the continued obsession with Beckham is less about football and more about selling newspapers.

[Bnice]

yes; I would also proceed to Make him Captain

[Bill]

Ah, Beckham, the great polariser. One assumes Capello isn't blind or idiotic and therefore he can see what we see. Namely an aging athlete well past his best doing his best, and failing, to recapture past glories. So why does he keep picking him? Can it really be that after all this time there is still no one else? That despite all the hope and hype SWP, Bentley, Lennon et al are simply not up to the job. I fear so, and what a sad indictment that is on the state of our game.

[Stuzer]

Beckham's got some left in the tank, but it is essential we bring back Shearer too. If Beckham can stand still and deliver pinpoint passes to him, he could stand still and nod them into the net. Still probably more effective than Heskey, Crouch and Owen put together. In fact, I wonder if there is any chance of sobering up Gazza?

As an aside, looking at his photo, is Martin Samuel turning into Andy Fordham? Now there's an athlete (proven by the fact he wears trainers on the oche).

[Matt Nicolson]

Do any of you advocating his continued selection actually watch him play for England? Have you been watching for the last 7 years? Have you seen the rubbish he plays with and against in America?

Pride. Passion. Dead ball delivery. These are the 3 main arguments that the delusional masses of Beckham fans cite to justify his selection.

So proud to be England captain that he limped into 3 major tournaments unfit, bottled tackles (Brazil, 2002) and showed the leadership qualities of a wet sheet. Beckham may have been proud to have been England captain, but his pride allied to his massive ego meant that he provided nothing, NOTHING, to England when it really mattered because his body would not let him. What a guy.

And his passion? What passion he showed for the England cause when rightly dropped by Steve McClaren after an abysmal World Cup (remember that anyone?) when he signed for an English club and fought his way back into the squad.... er no, I mean he sulked and pensioned himself off to the League One standard of the MLS. When the going got tough, with the sycophant Sven gone and with him finally being judged on performance rather than commercial value, Beckham got going.

And the dead balls? Can anyone confirm that penalties are dead balls?

Ill finish with this simple fact. During the now "greatest performance by anyone, anywhere, ever" (tm) Beckham covered most of the pitch. He played out of position, left the right flank consistently and showed absolutely no regard for the hole his absence on he right caused. This is all forgotten because of the free kick (one in twenty was it?) But he still does it now, he still neglects his position to chase more personal glory, to play more pointless Hollywood balls. He did it in the recent friendly against the Czechs, standing (not running) on the left wing, leaving Wes Brown helpless to defend a cross that resulted in a goal.

And when he does get the ball, he does not beat people, he does not look short to build play, he just bangs it long. You'll say he never did beat people, on the contrary he used to have the legs to run around people and cross from dangerous positions. Now he just loops it into the box. And who is he crossing to? Rooney, Defoe, Joe Cole? What's the point? And crossing it from the half way line? That's not crossing, that's a long ball. I thought that "hoofing" it was the tactics of the 1990's Wimbledon and the current day Liverpool side.

The argument that Bentley, Young and Wright-Phillips are not ready is insulting to supposedly the best league in the world. Are you not embarrassed that someone who plays in the MLS represents our national side? For you Beckham fans, I doubt if he played pub standard football (he nearly does by the way!) that you would have him out of the side. Good God I had hoped for so much more from Capello.

[Howard_b]

Given the lack of alternatives Beckham should play against Croatia as part of a five man midfield. He has the experience for the big occasion and consistently demonstrates a genuine pride in wearing the 3 lions - something conspicuously absent in recent England performances. The chance is always there that a goal will result from one of his crosses or dead ball situations.

It would, however, be disappointing if he played against Andorra. Surely a fixture to nurture England's potential shock troops in the form of Bentley and Walcott.

Croatia have a natural guile that flummoxed Steve McClaren (not difficult, admittedly) and easily dealt with the predictability of England's play. It is time for Mr. Capello to show similar flair in the first true yardstick of his England tenure.

[Stuart Dawson]

I do not think anybody would deny Beckham his place in English footballing history. My concern is that his selection could undermine the developement of the younger players at this level. Is there too much sentiment for our footballing history? I feel the point of picking a football team is to pick the best team to beat the opposition, this may not be the best players but if this includes Beckham then he is in. Of course this, like everything in football is only my opinion

[Danny]

Beckham is still in the top 23 english players. maybe not a starter but definately on the bench. the rest of the wingers (J.Cole exception) fail to deliever dangerous crosses all too often...Bentley, S.W.P and Lennon cannot deliever a cross between that Becxkham could do with his left foot. As a sub in our last qualifier his class showed through when suppling Crouch. Everyone loves Deco, Scholes etc... while he is not as good as those..those players dont have pace either....if the rest of the team is fast Beckham doesn't need to be. Time will tell if Walcott and Young can replace him.

[paul]

Mark - brilliant.

[derek]

becks isn't the problem. finding 4 (or 5 or 3) midfielders that play well together is. it's clear that over the last 4 years, lampard, gerrard, cole (the only england midfielder with both pace and creativity) and anybody else don't play well together. it was evident in the world cup and in euro qualifying.

swp, bentley, barry or anyone you can think of aren't really any better than beckham, so i can see why capello would opt for experience over those 3. with that said it's time to give younger (or just different) players a chance.

england needs someone who can control, create and distribute - carrick, hargreaves and walcott are just as worthy too - but don't focus just on beckham as the problem - the entire midfield is the problem.

[John Nugent]

Beckham remains in the team until a worthy successor is found. He has been declining for some 6 or 7 years now, but still remains the best man for his position. The England shirt is his until next summer at least, but he won't make the finals if England qualify.

[goodearlyball]

anyone who thinks beckham should still be playing for England hasn't watched beckham ovef the last 4 years.

It's pathetic the way people still defend him. england don't deserve to qualify for major tournements when they still pick semi retired has beens who only play just to get publicity for themselves

[james]

simonk,what planet are you on,seriously.Thats the sort of brainless hyperbole that we had to listen to about Beckham for years.How does a player who NEVER once produced a world class display in over 10 years and 5 international tournaments against a fellow heavyweight nation of football or in a big quarter,semi or final aquire "sporting legend" status?I really wish people in this country who have no knowledge or feel for our sport and its history would stop making ridiculous claims around extremely limited and lightweight players such as Beckham.Owen is the only english member of the "golden generation" who got anywhere near proving he was up to it facing the best in the biggest games and hes been unceremoniously dumped so its without question time to say bye bye to "becks".

[Ranvir Singh]

the fact this question is being asked tragically highlights the dire straits of English football.
Beckham (nice chap) was never a great but limited talent (apart from crossing a ball what else did he do?). At least in the past we had footballers of decent quality continually coming through the ranks. Now? All those hoping for a major tournament win are blinded by patriotism, English footballers are rubbish. The best we can hope for is a Greek style Euro win, heck we'll take anything!

[reuben anderson]

Yes, he'd be in my squad and on the bench.
We need Beckham when we're a goal down with 15minutes to play, the opposition has pulled all 10 behind the ball and there's no space, and the only chance of a goal is a corner or free kick.

He's an option, a highly specific card to play if needed.