Beckham: 100th cap or not

[Easy 10]

I was there when he made his debut for Man U, and I want to be there when he gets his 100th England cap, so YES!!

You soppy git

 

[Voice of Reason]

Wot easy 10 said - should be consigned to history. Adios and thanks.

New manager and hoefully new ideas. Witness the Keegan bollox at Newcastle - he'll be gone next.

Stop massaging ego's and get on with developing a cup winning side Mr Capello - which shouldn't include any celeb's who haven't played a proper game for 6 months or more.

Move on.

 

[fatbadger]

I want the best and fittest 11 playing, whether they've got one cap or 99.

 

[Easy 10]

43 for and 6 againast. Christ, unbelievable. I feel like Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men.

 

[MattBackHome]

The England team should be comprised of the footballers who look best when photographed in black and white wearing only a pair of very tight pants. We need style and panache and Becks provides it in spades. David James is also a shoo-in in my book due to his knowing smile and piercing stare.

 

[Marshy]

Its a NO from me.

Id be pretty f***ed of if i was SWP, Lennon or Bentley if Beckham played.
The emergence of Ashley Young should mean Joe Cole switches sides also.
We have 4 or 5 better options than Beckham for the right side of midfield role, id even rather Gerrard played there.

 

[Silent Bob]

I'm torn really, in a lot of ways I agree with Easy 10. But also I think if you don't select Beckham it immediately becomes about Beckham again, people won't shut up about him. Whereas if you give him his 100th cap people (possibly including Beckham) may think it's a nice bookend to his career and let him get on with his Hollywood retirement and inevitable conversion to scientology in peace.

I think the best way to get rid of Beckham is probably to give him his moment...

 

[Titanic]

43 for and 6 againast. Christ, unbelievable. I feel like Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men.

Now the Magnificent 7

 

[Easy 10]

ANOTHER moment for Beckham then.

He can retire on 100 caps, and then we can all look forward to BECKHAM THE MOVIE
Brad Pitt plays the legendary global icon, Hilary Swank plays his bug-eyed anorexic wife, Robert di Niro as the Italian manager with the love-hate relationship with his superstar player. Pure BOX OFFICE as ever for the Great Man. It'll happen, you know.

 

[Easy 10]

Now the Magnificent 7

The enlightened 7

 

[Silent Bob]

ANOTHER moment for Beckham then.

He can retire on 100 caps, and then we can all look forward to BECKHAM THE MOVIE
Brad Pitt plays the legendary global icon, Hilary Swank plays his bug-eyed anorexic wife, Robert di Niro as the Italian manager with the love-hate relationship with his superstar player. Pure BOX OFFICE as ever for the Great Man. It'll happen, you know.

Probably. The problem is if he's not given his Hollywood ending can you see the Beckham talk going away, with several more friendlies in the near future?

 

[Easy 10]

Probably. The problem is if he's not given his Hollywood ending can you see the Beckham talk going away, with several more friendlies in the near future?

And thats now the criteria for winning England caps is it ?
Sadly I think you are right. We'll get another David Beckham Show next week with it being all about HIM, just to get it out the way so we can get then on with the serious business of building a team that'll hopefully take us to South Africa.

We need to hit the ground running with these qualifiers - only the top team in the group goes through to the Finals. This certainly won't help, but as you say, perhaps we should just get it out the way.

I still don't agree with it though.

 

[NMH]

Sorry, I thought I did that as well - its there if you read it.

I read it, it was a side-note to a load of other stuff that was wrong. If you'd JUST said about that (match fitness), you might have been right.

Pele to Brazil and maradona to Argentina - those were collosal players who at times almost single-handedly WON things for their countries (although perhaps stretching a point to say they'd get a game now). Whats Beckham done for England compared with those two? Popped in an equaliser against Greece after the rest of the team had contrived to f*** it up twice, to scrape us into the 2002 World Cup. Then what ? Every major tournament when we've needed a collossus such as the legends you mention, Beckham has been HUGELY conspicuous in his absence. He's not alone in that, but please don't try to tell me he is like some mythical being who's very presence exudes an aura of greatness - he ain't THAT good fella.

As with Pele and Maradonna, their often over-rated countries LOST games and tournaments with them in the team, but they stood out in those teams and were rarely at fault. Occasionally, they saved their pisspoor team. In OUR piss-poor international side, Beckham has also done that.

Giving him his hundred caps will appeal to Beckhams vanity (as the match will of course be all about him), and it will satisy the misty-eyed fans who want to say "I was there" and pretend they've seen a legend. But it'll do f***-all for the England team in the short term OR the long - and thats all I give a shit about.

You don't even know if he's below the par of ANY player ready to fill his position, so apparently your opinion is based on "his vanity" - which as an England player, I have never seen manifested in his performances.

On the basis of his present recent competitive matchplay / preparation, he doesn't exactly pick himself, and a new broom might want to sweep clean straight away, but on merit - there's not one player from previous squads that suggests he's more suitable - and that includes Rooney and Gerrard.

 

[NMH]

The hundred-cap campaign IS one of vanity. Its just so contrived. I can see the aftershave range now - the "Becks 100" - costs a f***ing fortune, looks great in the bottle, but then when you actually need it, it absolutely stinks the place out.

I want to see the new England manager stamping his authority, using friendlies as proper preperation, and actually building us a TEAM - starting with a fully functioning midfield. Beckham should not be part of that - whether he's on 99 caps or 199. Cold hearted ? Perhaps. I just think I have other priorities.

So obviously you are looking at the MEDIA outlook and the 'Boy's Own Annual' peripherals, and NOT at his football ability or possible attributes for the team.
The media don't win games, and they don't pick the team. They don't play on the pitch and make pinpoint crosses from 45 yards, get in the right positions, marshall the team on the pitch, ar make runs down the wing, or take corners that actually make it far enough for someone to put the ball in the net. Never mind the 'big 100', that's just a happy-sappy round number, no more important than 74, 87, 63, 99.

I'm not saying "play him for sure", but I object to BOTH the hubbub and hoohah reasons to either play the guy or NOT to play the guy. And so far, you have embodied and exemplified one of those viewpoints - very little of it based on realities, but most of it based on opinion.

"Building a team" I agree about, but does that mean taking every previous England player out of the equation?
No, of course it doesn't, but the aftershave, and the media, they shouldn't effect anything of team selecting.

 

[Titanic]

... They don't play on the pitch and make pinpoint crosses from 45 yards, get in the right positions, marshall the team on the pitch, ar make runs down the wing, or take corners that actually make it far enough for someone to put the ball in the net.

Lately, Beckham manages only 2 out of those 5... who is that you are talking about?

 

[Easy 10]

You don't even know if he's below the par of ANY player ready to fill his position, so apparently your opinion is based on "his vanity" - which as an England player, I have never seen manifested in his performances..

I know that unlike the other players in the England squad, he hasn't kicked a ball in anger for three months - shouldn't THAT be enough on its own to rule him out of International football ?

On the basis of his present recent competitive matchplay / preparation, he doesn't exactly pick himself, and a new broom might want to sweep clean straight away, but on merit - there's not one player from previous squads that suggests he's more suitable - and that includes Rooney and Gerrard.

Not sure what you're getting at here. Rooney and Gerrard have underperformed, absolutely no question. And I'd have no problem if Capello recognised that and didn't select them for the starting lineup (although obviously I'd be amazed if they were omitted from the squad). But they have at least been playing regularly week in, week out in a hugely competative league. How can Beckham possibly be selected on merit for next weeks game ? Based on what ? Something he did last year ? Something he did a couple of years ago ?

Beckhams selection would defy logic. Yes it panders to the glitzy side of things, the showman, the global icon being handed (not earning, being handed) his 100th cap. But in pure footballing terms, there is no reason why Beckham should take the place of someone else in Englands midfield next week.

 

[Easy 10]

So obviously you are looking at the MEDIA outlook and the 'Boy's Own Annual' peripherals, and NOT at his football ability or possible attributes for the team.
The media don't win games, and they don't pick the team. They don't play on the pitch and make pinpoint crosses from 45 yards, get in the right positions, marshall the team on the pitch, ar make runs down the wing, or take corners that actually make it far enough for someone to put the ball in the net. Never mind the 'big 100', that's just a happy-sappy round number, no more important than 74, 87, 63, 99.

I'm not saying "play him for sure", but I object to BOTH the hubbub and hoohah reasons to either play the guy or NOT to play the guy. And so far, you have embodied and exemplified one of those viewpoints - very little of it based on realities, but most of it based on opinion.

"Building a team" I agree about, but does that mean taking every previous England player out of the equation?

I think you're stuck in 2002, NMH. That Beckham disappeared long ago.
The Beckham I've seen over the last few years for England doesn't have the engine to get up and down that flank any more. Yes sometimes he can still put a good ball into the box, but thats his only true value - ie when the game has stopped, which makes England as a team completely one-dimensional. We need pace and guile down the flanks, someone who gives us an outlet, someone who can stretch defences. If we can get someone to do that down the right who can also deliver a ball, then we are in business. Beckham just slows everything down, and he certainly ain't gonna get any better now that he's barely playing.

 

[Billy the Fish]

We have 4 or 5 better options than Beckham for the right side of midfield role, id even rather Gerrard played there.

Name me 5 players that would do better on the right? You had your wish for the croatia game and what happened, SWP gave the ball awayl for 45 minutes. Beckham lifted the team and made a goal within minutes of coming on. Based solely on performances for England he is still good enough for the squad, it is only because of his celebrity that people don't want him there.

 

[NMH]

And thats now the criteria for winning England caps is it ?
Sadly I think you are right. We'll get another David Beckham Show next week with it being all about HIM, just to get it out the way so we can get then on with the serious business of building a team that'll hopefully take us to South Africa.

We need to hit the ground running with these qualifiers - only the top team in the group goes through to the Finals. This certainly won't help, but as you say, perhaps we should just get it out the way.

I still don't agree with it though.

Well, see, that's all to do with emotional reasoning. I hope a new manager DOES change the team, and I hope he makes many changes to the way they've been playing.

I also hope he doesn't make changes based on bringing attention to himself, or to attempt to make any stupid 'points' (like Sven when he featured a player he'd never even seen play, in his World Cup squad. Whatever message was he trying to send? It certainly sent a message to every player who was hoping to get in the team on proven merit!).

If Cappello leaves Beckham out, I hope it's because he hasn't had recent match form to look at.
By the same token, if he's picked - I hope it's because he wants to see if he'll be best for the position, or a best-available back-up for someone else in that position.
Nothing emotional, nothing to please the press or fan sentimentality (otherwise go and pick Hoddle or Bobby Charlton and really go all the way!), just because he 'could do a job'

 

[clapham_gull]

He's been left out