Should Beckham Be Allowed To Be In The Squad For South Africa?

[Jockstar]

Personally i dont care as I'm Scottish. But i thought I'd ask those who actually support England. Thoughts and views please lads

[bkkjames]

Unlike his predecessor, Capello is large enough of a character / smart enough to decide who does and doesn't belong in the team.

Personally, I think DB offers something different than the Lennon's / Wright-Phillips and may come in handy. So yes for me.

[Jockstar]

Unlike his predecessor, Capello is large enough of a character / smart enough to decide who does and doesn't belong in the team.

Personally, I think DB offers something different than the Lennon's / Wright-Phillips and may come in handy. So yes for me.

No one has voted yes yet.

[nev]

silly question i voted yes he is still one of the best right midfielders in the game,second to no one crossing the ball excellent free kick taker a proven match winner.

you need players like him to win the worldcup he might not start games but as a impact player he can come on and change a game.

[angiud]

Personally i dont care as I'm Italian. But when he played with AC Milan was not so bad...

[rixalex]

Voted yes too, but i think that says more about England's other wingers than it does him. Nobody has shown themselves capable of delivering balls into the box like he can.

If he's good enough for Milan, he's good enough for us!

BTW - anyone understand how he managed to get man of the match against Belarus? I heard something about Bryan Robson making the decision - is it really one man who gets to decide?

[redrus]

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why on earth he would not be "allowed" to go....

redrus

[rixalex]

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why on earth he would not be "allowed" to go....

redrus

Mutton Chop sideburns might be a reason.

[redrus]

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why on earth he would not be "allowed" to go....

redrus

Mutton Chop sideburns might be a reason.

He has so copied off me, again....!

redrus

[rixalex]

BTW - anyone understand how he managed to get man of the match against Belarus? I heard something about Bryan Robson making the decision - is it really one man who gets to decide?

To answer my own question...

It in fact was Steve Bruce, not Robson who gave it - so yes, it is one man's decision - and the reason he's giving is basically that "the game was a dull affair until he stepped on the pitch, his passing was class and he lit up the pitch".

Not sure if i'd go quite that far but he did make an impact. Still, in my opinion, bean-pole boy should really have got it.

[Macclad]

I've voted yes for him to be included.

Cant see him starting many games but he can come on with about 20 minutes to go to freshen things up.He's still the best crosser of a dead ball which gives the team another option.

But he'll definitely best be used as an impact player just like Crouch should be.

[mrbojangles]

silly question i voted yes he is still one of the best right midfielders in the game,second to no one crossing the ball excellent free kick taker a proven match winner.

you need players like him to win the worldcup he might not start games but as a impact player he can come on and change a game.

Bladdy heck nev, we agree on something

[rixalex]

But he'll definitely best be used as an impact player just like Crouch should be.

With Crouch's record for England, i can't help wondering why in some people's eyes he's still only worthy of being a sub.

Put it this way, surely he brings more to the table than Heskey?

[jasreeve17]

Heskey is crap; but for England he always plays well - links up the play, flicks on, creates space for other, falls over like a ballerina...

I voted yes, but we'll have to see closer to the time how he is playing. This is an excellent manager and he'll make the correct choice when it needs to be made.

[mrtoad]

Personally i dont care as I'm Scottish. But i thought I'd ask those who actually support England. Thoughts and views please lads

Jockstar, do you have a secret Beckham fetish? Is it that new beard that is getting you going?

If he is fit enough and playing well for his club (European one) then he is probably worth including as a squad player, which is what I think Capello will do. However, with that stupid <deleted> beard, I think he should be dropped all together.

As for Crouch, no reason why he should not be going to South Africa his record is pretty good. Heskey on the other hand brings little in my opinion, and is generally found out at the highest level -just watch which channels he runs into when he plays the good teams.

[rixalex]

As for Crouch, no reason why he should not be going to South Africa his record is pretty good.

Yep. Although i'm not a great fan of tall lanky strikers cos they look so loafing and clumsy with their high centre of gravity, they do add a whole new dimension to the attack, especially on set-pieces and corners, that can create extra headaches for the opposition.

And to be fair to Crouchy, he actually isn't at all loafing or clumsy. In fact his touch is at times pretty impressive. Down to earth sort of bloke too.

[Jockstar]

BTW - anyone understand how he managed to get man of the match against Belarus? I heard something about Bryan Robson making the decision - is it really one man who gets to decide?

To answer my own question...

It in fact was Steve Bruce, not Robson who gave it - so yes, it is one man's decision - and the reason he's giving is basically that "the game was a dull affair until he stepped on the pitch, his passing was class and he lit up the pitch".

Not sure if i'd go quite that far but he did make an impact. Still, in my opinion, bean-pole boy should really have got it.

Bruce defends choosing Beckham

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has defended his decision to name former Manchester United team-mate David Beckham as England's man of the match against Belarus.

Beckham: Winning the "nobel peace prize" of man of the match awards.

Bruce, working on the game as a television pundit, handed Beckham the award after he came off the bench to play his part in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory at Wembley.

One newspaper columnist later described the decision as "grotesque'', while England boss Fabio Capello likened it to Barack Obama receiving the Nobel Peace prize just months into his term as American president.

However, Bruce was unrepentant when questioned on the topic today.

"It's incredible," he said. "I have never known such a carry-on. When I was in the stadium, he came on to the pitch and let's be fair, for 50 minutes, it was dull, boring, uninteresting. That's the way I looked at it.

"David Beckham comes on to the scene, the whole stadium in unison rises to him and I thought, 'Blooming heck! Wow! Fantastic! Now Dave, what have you got?'

"For me, for the 35, 40 minutes, he lit up Wembley, the way his attitude was, and I suppose that's why Mr Capello keeps picking him to go into the squad, to do something like that for him. Maybe he can't do it for 90 minutes. However, for me, he had an impact. That's the way I saw it, that's the way I called it.''

[Macclad]

But he'll definitely best be used as an impact player just like Crouch should be.

With Crouch's record for England, i can't help wondering why in some people's eyes he's still only worthy of being a sub.

Put it this way, surely he brings more to the table than Heskey?

Nothing against Crouch,I just think our main striker,Rooney,plays a lot better alongside Heskey.

In Euro 2004 Heskey was abysmal and I thought that was the end of his England career but the fact that he's back just shows the lack of choices we've got up front.

And talking about lack of options.....what about the goalkeepers ?.....Calamity James no.1 .....possibly Robinson should be given another chance as he did OK in the 2006 World Cup and just lost his confidence after his howler against Croatia a couple of years ago........Shilton or Seaman coming out of retirement ?

But maybe thats for another thread,eh !

So Beckham squad no.23 for South Africa.....if he gets rid of that beard ?

[mrbojangles]

So Beckham squad no.23 for South Africa.....if he gets rid of that beard ?

That ain't no beard. Where I live they have real beards

[nev]

silly question i voted yes he is still one of the best right midfielders in the game,second to no one crossing the ball excellent free kick taker a proven match winner.

you need players like him to win the worldcup he might not start games but as a impact player he can come on and change a game.

Bladdy heck nev, we agree on something

Glad you agree mate imho i think england have a great chance to win the world cup we have a very strong squad and a great manager we just need a bit of luck!

[MSingh]

BTW - anyone understand how he managed to get man of the match against Belarus? I heard something about Bryan Robson making the decision - is it really one man who gets to decide?

To answer my own question...

It in fact was Steve Bruce, not Robson who gave it - so yes, it is one man's decision - and the reason he's giving is basically that "the game was a dull affair until he stepped on the pitch, his passing was class and he lit up the pitch".

Not sure if i'd go quite that far but he did make an impact. Still, in my opinion, bean-pole boy should really have got it.

I watched the Re Run the other night Rix & he actually did not put a Foot wrong, at all..

No misplaced passes, excellent positioning, he's a top Player..

The reason i thought they'd given it to hi m & not Crouch was teh fact that the Sponsors would rather meet Beckham over Crocuh, that was the only logical explanation to me..

But to answer the Poll, i'm not voting as it doesn't have my answer..

It's a long time between now & then & i'm not sure if the Milan Loan Move oin January is officila yet & that would mean a lot one way or the other but ultimately, this is Capello's decision & whatever the Guy decides, i'll back him 110%, for sure, as he knows best.

[rixalex]

we have a very strong squad

Not sure i agree with this.

There are two fundamental areas in which i think we fall short: goalkeepers and strikers. The bit inbetween i guess is ok though. Enough to win a World Cup? Have my doubts....

[MSingh]

we have a very strong squad

Not sure i agree with this.

There are two fundamental areas in which i think we fall short: goalkeepers and strikers. The bit inbetween i guess is ok though. Enough to win a World Cup? Have my doubts....

Don't forget the Centre Backs...

[rixalex]

Don't forget the Centre Backs...

Think we should be ok in that department, providing Rio stays off smoking that dodgy shit.

[nev]

we have a very strong squad

Not sure i agree with this.

There are two fundamental areas in which i think we fall short: goalkeepers and strikers. The bit inbetween i guess is ok though. Enough to win a World Cup? Have my doubts....

mate agree about keepers but striker wise i think we will be ok we have scored lots of goals in qualifying,rooney defoe crouch bent,(maybe owen if he gets going at united)can all score goals.

midleild we are very strong and i can see hargreaves now he is back for united forcing his way in the squad.

[rixalex]

i think we will be ok we have scored lots of goals in qualifying,rooney defoe crouch bent,(maybe owen if he gets going at united)can all score goals.

With the exception of Rooney though, would say any of those names are world class?

And with regards Rooney, fantastic though he is, he's not what i consider to be an out and out striker - he's not the sort to poach goals. The out and out striker might be less talented and hard-working than Rooney, but they can do a job, and an important one at that too. Not sure we have that sort of player - of world class quality anyway.

We did score a lot in qualifying but then again that was against a lot of crap teams, so i wouldn't read too much into that myself.

[EastSaxCol]

Well of course he should, as he's one of the only two players that England have who can actually think for themselves and utilise a footballing brain (the other being Rooney). Beckham is absolutely essential in making things happen when the rest have run out of ideas.

But that wont change the one area in which England will be found wanting, vis-a-vis, their lack of mid-field creatitivity.