Becks to get 100th cap

Filed in archive England on March 6, 2008

England manager fabio Capello has given a big hint that David Beckham could feature in the friendly in Paris on the 26th of this month.

"There is a strong possibility that he will be selected", he told members of the England Supporters club.

He continued,

"It is very important to choose someone for the World Cup qualifiers, which start in September. But I have to know the man, not only the player. It must be not only a big player but a symbol - a good player, a good man, who represents the England team in every situation."

No prizes for guessing who he was talking about there.

On a personal level I am delighted that Becks is likely to get his 100th cap. I think he has been a great performer and role model for England and thoroughly deserves to join the exclusive group of players who have reached that milestone.

What I would ask, however, is what is different now from the first squad Capello picked?

I have been really impressed with Fabio Capello since he took over, and whilst I whole heartedly disagreed with his decision to leave Beckham out against Switzerland I was comfortable in the knowledge that this was a man who knew his own mind and knew exactly what he was doing.

The reasons he gave for leaving Beckham out were sound. He hadn't played for a long time and he was very short of match fitness. Now he has done a bit of pre-season training in the US and played in a couple of exhibition type friendlies. Surely he is not in a much better state now than he was then?

I have two feelings about the Beckham situation. Firstly, he deserves his 100th cap. Secondly, at 32, playing in the MLS, he is unlikely to be the future of the England team, and should probably not gain his 101st cap.

Wouldn't it have been better for Capello to give him the cap at Wembley in the Switzerland game, let him get the ovation he deserves and then look to the future? Instead, it looks as though he will play in a much more high profile friendly, and seems to be part of Capello's future plans.

For the first time I find myself questionning Capello's thought process.

What do you think? Is Becks part of the future?