Capello’s Beckham snub is spot on
Last updated 11:23, Wednesday, 19 November 2008
FABIO CAPELLO’S determination not to let sentiment cloud reasoned, hard-headed judgement is turning England into a team of winners.
Qualifying victories over Belarus, Kazakhstan, Croatia and Andorra means we’re feared again across the globe and put the nation on course for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Capello has stripped away the culture of complacency and instilled confidence and self belief into the team which faces Germany in a friendly tonight.
The hardline Italian has also ensured that players are picked on their current form rather than their reputation and banned all talk about the past in his quest to end 44 years of World Cup misery.
That kind of tough, uncompromising approach has thrown David Beckham’s England career into jeopardy and threatened his dream of matching 1966 captain Bobby Moore’s record of 108 caps.
We should be glad that the LA Galaxy star is not in Capello’s squad tonight – because it’s a sign that England are being propelled into a bright new era.
Despite the string of withdrawals, Beckham won’t be missed by England.
His last four appearances have come off the bench and he has become nothing more than a celebrity substitute, brought on in the fag-end of games when the outcome is already decided.
Beckham has served his country with distinction, but he must have known that moving to America and joining LA Galaxy, who have endured a hugely-disappointing season in the MLS, would seriously damage his international career.
He’s more likely to be spotted shopping with wife Posh, coming out of a swanky restaurant with Hollywood A-Listers like Tom Cruise or watching basketball these days.
Capello is rightly looking to the future by calling up Chelsea's Michael Mancienne and his Under-21 colleagues Joe Hart, Micah Richards and Gabriel Agbonlahor, as well as young Cumbrian Scott Carson.
Beckham has now reached the end of his shelf life – and not even a move to AC Milan should be allowed to resurrect his international career.
