Captain Beckham to lead England

David Beckham has been named England captain for Sunday's friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

Beckham has been rewarded with the armband by manager Fabio Capello following his recent return to form and fitness.

The LA Galaxy midfielder set up John Terry's goal in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the United States on Wednesday - his 101st England appearance - and becomes Capello's fourth captain in as many matches after Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.

"People will always question whether I can still play at this level but I want to carry on. I am not ready to stop playing for my country," said Beckham.

"I have a few more wrinkles now but I still feel I can do what I did 10 years ago. I was happy with my performance against France in March, my first game under Fabio Capello, and it was the same against the United States the other night. I was happy to set up the opening goal."

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David Beckham Scores From 60 yards. (Video)

The MLS football competition continues on in the United States - marked mainly by a series of competitive but uninspiring games.

I know that playoffs are an American-thing, I guess it supposed to "add excitment" by keeping more teams in with a chance of winning - but a league where 8 of 14 teams progress to a knockout competition is a poor idea.

Last season you needed 38 points from 30 games to "reach the playoffs" and that's a total that some teams reached after 20 games. No wonder the regular season seems to drag on with little real interest.

So it takes something out of the ordinary to get "Sock-ker" on the US news - and this 60 yard goal from David Beckham did it - for about 20 seconds.



It's a good long distance chip to score - but honestly - it's another sign of the woeful level of domestic football in the US. I hope that you're enjoying the lifestyle David - because you're rapidly becoming a sideshow.

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Sheffield Utd lose again - Beckham media mania

Two things catch my eye in the news today - and unfortunately both are probably things that I'd rather didn't get so much coverage.

I see that yet another Sheffield United legal appeal has failed today with the High Court not allowing the Blades "leave to appeal".

I know relegation was hard on Sheffield Utd, but I really don't have much sympathy for the case for compensation - or the original appeal.

Why not? Because despite the convoluted transfer wranglings going on at West Ham - all that really happened is the West Ham got access to a couple of players and then had to go out and win games on the pitch.

Frankly I don't see any difference between these transfers and the usual loan player scheme that has hit the Premier League and Football league over the last two seasons.

There was no rigging of players or fixing of games - and Sheffield United had plenty of time during the season to win enough points so as not to finish 18th and get relegated. They knew what the decision was and the only reason they're appealing now is that they finished 18th.

If the Premier League had announced that they were deducting points from West Ham - so that Sheffield United thought they were safe - and then later on changed their minds then I'd understand the appeal.

But this is bollocks - give it up guys.

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The other "big event" was the hype around David Beckham's arrival in the United States.

Screaming fans, over-hyped publicity, it's a "made for reality TV" situation that unfortunately has almost no chance of living up to the hysteria and so will inevitiably result is disappointment and more negative headlines in the US.

Victoria seems to love the idea of being a US media queen though - and there seems little doubt that her wants and needs were a big part of his decision to play football in the US - which probably says it all - BRAND BECKHAM HYPE - here we come.

It is good to see that ticket sales for his games are huge - I understand the first league opponents the "New York Red Bulls" (has advertising in the US gone mad?) have sold triple their normal number of tickets ...

... but really what are these people expecting to see and will they be happy if he plays a solid game in midfield holding the ball with a couple of good touches - as you might expect in a new player arriving at a side? Don't you beleive it !!

Still - I guess it's one way to make money out of football - and football is a business these days - but you know it's going to be a huge "SO WHAT?!" inside a month.

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Beckham finishes at Real Madrid with La Liga title.

Real Madrid 3-1 Real Mallorca

I'm not a huge David Beckham fan - but I've been impressed with the way he's handled himself since the last World Cup and I can say that I was pleased to see Real Madrid clinch the La Liga title on the final day.

Beckham didn't actually have much influence on proceedings today, as he was substituted off midway through the second half with Real Madrid still 0-1 down after they fell behind when Fernando Varela broke the offside trap to score on 17 minutes.

His replacement was Arsenal loan player Jose Antonio Reyes who immediately scored with his first touch, to ease the panic that was running through the home side.

Then in the 80th minute Mahamadou Diarra's downward header trickled over the line after a double deflection off goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya and defender Basinas before Reyes curled in a delightful third goal from the edge of the area with about 5 minutes left.

(As a Gooner I can hope that will raise his standing in Spain and lift his value - as Arsenal look for a buyer for the homesick Spaniard)

But in the end today was not about Reyes, it was about Real Madrid finally claiming some silverware after four long seasons, and sending off Beckham and Brazillian left-back Roberto Carlos in style.

The scenes of celebration at the final whistle spoke volumes for the depth of feeling at the club - for both the achievement - and the quality of the departing players.

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David Beckham back in for England v Brazil

BECKHAM BACK FOR ENGLAND

Steve McClaren has denied being panicked into handing David Beckham an England recall, revealing he would have brought the former captain back two months ago had it not been for an untimely knee injury.

McClaren named Beckham in his 26-man squad for next week's friendly against Brazil and the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia five days later. Although the decision had been widely expected, it has still come as something of a shock given McClaren's very public axing of the 32-year-old immediately after he succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson as coach.

McClaren has admitted he made the decision to resurrect Beckham's international career after the friendly defeat to Spain at Old Trafford in February.

"It is not a panic measure, we have thought about it long and hard," said McClaren. "After the Spain game, we looked at the situation and re-assessed where we were because that get-together and game were such a big disappointment.

"We were looking at the possibility of changing things around, so David came into our thinking and reckoning then. We were monitoring his progress and he was under consideration for the Israel game but unfortunately, he got injured." McClaren continued.

The former Manchester United stars place in the starting line-ups against Brazil and Estonia is now virtually certain, even if the coach is unrepentant about the original decision to drop him.

A number of alternatives to replacing Beckham on the right have been looked at, including Steven Gerrard and Aaron Lennon, who is almost certain to withdraw from McClaren's squad with the knee injury he sustained against Albania on Friday, but none have come close to filling the void.

Beckham is joined in the squad by uncapped youngster David Bentley, as well as Reading left-back Nicky Shorey. Wayne Rooney's absence just makes it all the more of a relief for McClaren that Michael Owen is getting back to full fitness again after finally recovering from the cruciate ligament injury he suffered at the World Cup.

And, with Alan Smith available for the first time during his reign and Joe Cole for only the second, McClaren feels there is a freshness about his squad that can trigger an immediate upturn in fortune.

England Squad : Robinson (Tottenham), Carson (Liverpool), Green (West Ham), P Neville (Everton), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham), Shorey (Reading), Beckham (Real Madrid), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Owen (Newcastle), Smith (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham).

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