Capello forces out 'too old' Beckham
Source: Agencies |
August 13, 2010, Friday
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ENGLAND manager Fabio Capello has effectively signalled the end of former captain David Beckham's international career and will hand him a farewell appearance in a friendly at Wembley Stadium later this year.
Ahead of Wednesday night's 2-1 friendly win over Hungary at Wembley, Capello told ITV Sport the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, England's most capped outfield player with 115 appearances, was "probably a bit too old" to play for England again at the age of 35.
"Thank you, David," added Capello who used the former Manchester United player as part of his backroom staff at the recent World Cup.
Capello told a news conference after the match that he had a very good relationship with Beckham, but had not actually told him directly of his decision.
"Did I phone him before I went on television?" Capello asked. "No. I think I will speak with him. We tried to speak with him. But I think David knows he has no future with the international team because we have to change. We tried to speak with him.
"We have to look for new young players, this evening you saw new players who can play on the right and left wings.
"So I hope David will be OK to come and play his last game here at Wembley in the next friendly game to come and wave bye-bye to the crowd."
Asked if he would consider him for England's upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers which start next month, Capello replied, "No, no. We have to change it."
Beckham, who played in three World Cups for England but missed the World Cup campaign in South Africa through injury, has not played since rupturing his Achilles tendon while on loan at AC Milan in March.
He has always been adamant he would never quit international football and he repeated his stance in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
"I've always said I won't retire from playing for my country," Beckham said. "If I never get picked again or whether I get picked again for one more game or 10 more games I'll be available. There's a lot of good young players coming through for England but I'm available."
September return
Beckham said he had set himself a mid-September return from injury.
"The doctor said October 1 but I hope it can be a few weeks before that," he said. "I'll know personally when I'm right.
"It's made me miss it like I missed soccer when I was 20 years old and I couldn't wait to get back to training. It's made me realize how much I love the game again and how much I missed playing," added Beckham.
Beckham made his international debut in 1996 against Moldova and is England's second most capped player behind goalkeeper Peter Shilton who played 125 matches.
Beckham's spokesman Simon Oliveira said the player isn't calling it quits. "There has been no discussion of retirement," Oliveira said. "He will always be available for his country, when fit and if needed he will be there."
England captain Steven Gerrard said he expects Beckham to bounce back, just as he did after being dropped following the 2006 World Cup.
"I'm sure that if he hears that news, it'll drive him on and he'll try to prove people wrong and try to get back in the set-up because I know he loves playing for England," Gerrard said. "He's had some fantastic performances, some fantastic goals, memories. If he has played his last game, he'll certainly be missed because, both on and off the pitch, he's a great guy."
Ahead of Wednesday night's 2-1 friendly win over Hungary at Wembley, Capello told ITV Sport the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, England's most capped outfield player with 115 appearances, was "probably a bit too old" to play for England again at the age of 35.
"Thank you, David," added Capello who used the former Manchester United player as part of his backroom staff at the recent World Cup.
Capello told a news conference after the match that he had a very good relationship with Beckham, but had not actually told him directly of his decision.
"Did I phone him before I went on television?" Capello asked. "No. I think I will speak with him. We tried to speak with him. But I think David knows he has no future with the international team because we have to change. We tried to speak with him.
"We have to look for new young players, this evening you saw new players who can play on the right and left wings.
"So I hope David will be OK to come and play his last game here at Wembley in the next friendly game to come and wave bye-bye to the crowd."
Asked if he would consider him for England's upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers which start next month, Capello replied, "No, no. We have to change it."
Beckham, who played in three World Cups for England but missed the World Cup campaign in South Africa through injury, has not played since rupturing his Achilles tendon while on loan at AC Milan in March.
He has always been adamant he would never quit international football and he repeated his stance in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
"I've always said I won't retire from playing for my country," Beckham said. "If I never get picked again or whether I get picked again for one more game or 10 more games I'll be available. There's a lot of good young players coming through for England but I'm available."
September return
Beckham said he had set himself a mid-September return from injury.
"The doctor said October 1 but I hope it can be a few weeks before that," he said. "I'll know personally when I'm right.
"It's made me miss it like I missed soccer when I was 20 years old and I couldn't wait to get back to training. It's made me realize how much I love the game again and how much I missed playing," added Beckham.
Beckham made his international debut in 1996 against Moldova and is England's second most capped player behind goalkeeper Peter Shilton who played 125 matches.
Beckham's spokesman Simon Oliveira said the player isn't calling it quits. "There has been no discussion of retirement," Oliveira said. "He will always be available for his country, when fit and if needed he will be there."
England captain Steven Gerrard said he expects Beckham to bounce back, just as he did after being dropped following the 2006 World Cup.
"I'm sure that if he hears that news, it'll drive him on and he'll try to prove people wrong and try to get back in the set-up because I know he loves playing for England," Gerrard said. "He's had some fantastic performances, some fantastic goals, memories. If he has played his last game, he'll certainly be missed because, both on and off the pitch, he's a great guy."
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