So Steve McClaren’s little jaunt to La-La land wasn’t just a short holiday on the FA’s expense account as the England manager has named David Beckham in what could be his final squad for our last Euro 2008 qualifying game against Croatia.
Becks has made a comeback of Hollywood proportions to make it back into McClaren’s thoughts as he desperately tries to fulfill his dream of making it to a 100 England caps. But the irony is that he could come up one short.
Beckham is currently on 97 caps with two games to play, including a friendly against Austria, taking him to 99 before England’s fate is decided. If we don’t qualify it’s unlikely the new regime will look at an ageing, injury prone player seeing his career out in the US.
It seems a bit unfair – would anyone deny the prodigal son the chance to go a ton up, even if it’s only a cameo appearance in a future friendly?
Click through for full details of the squad
John Terry is definitely out with an injury that even he can’t comeback from in time and with Rio Ferdinand suspended for the Croatia game, England could face a defensive crisis.
There’s better news on the defensive flanks with both Micah Richards and Ashley Cole being declared fit after respective knee and ankle injuries. Otherwise, the squad is:
Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa)
Defenders: Richards (Man City), P Neville (Everton), Brown (Man Utd), Campbell (Portsmouth), Lescott (Everton), A Cole (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Shorey (Reading)
Midfielders: Beckham (LA Galaxy), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Bentley (Blackburn), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Barry (Aston Villa), J Cole (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Young (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Owen (Newcastle), Rooney (Man Utd), Crouch (Liverpool), Smith (Newcastle), Defoe (Tottenham)