McClaren: Beckham's England Career Not Necessarily Over

• Associated Press, Thursday, February 15, 2007 3:27 PM

Suddenly things just seem to be turning around for L.A. Galaxy-bound David Beckham. Recalled to the Real Madrid first team last weekend, Beckham was instrumental in helping the Merengues win 2-1 at Real Sociedad, scoring once and helping to create the second. Now, England coach Steve McClaren, who dropped the former England captain after he took the reigns from Sven Goran Eriksson last summer, has suggested his England future may not be over.

Asked if the press had "got it wrong" in assuming the England careers of Beckham, and Portsmouth duo David James and Sol Campbell were over, McClaren replied: "Yes, of course, they have...Unless they retire, in international football everyone is under consideration. I don't retire them, they retire themselves and they haven't, David Beckham included."

It's unclear what Beckham's personal prospects are for getting back in the team, but short of returning to his Manchester United form of the late '90s and McClaren's midfield injury situation not improving, McClaren is unlikely to recall him. Beckham, after all, is on his way to MLS at the end of the year, so McClaren, or any England coach for that matter, would be remiss to include a player in his Euro 2008 qualifying squad that's giving up playing at the highest level at the end of this season.

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