Former captain David Beckham has been named in the England squad for the first time since the 2006 World Cup.

Coach Steve McClaren's U-turn means Beckham, 32, is set to start Friday's friendly against Brazil followed by the Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia.

Fit-again Newcastle striker Michael Owen returns in place of Wayne Rooney, who is suspended for the Estonia game.

Reading's Nicky Shorey and David Bentley of Blackburn are also included in the 26-man squad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6694743.stm

good news or bad?

Im not surprised really, to be honest

McClaren had to leave Beckham out of the squad when he first took over so that he could build a team as he wanted - leaving the captain in place would have allowed the accusation that McClaren was just carryng on as Erikson had left things. McClaren has had time now to take a good look and a think about what team he wants to use and perhaps there is a place for Beckham in the team for now - is he going to be captain again?


Its the same with club managers - they will often take their backroom staff with them and get rid of the old staff so that they cn do things their own way but with a club team its harder to just replace a player with their costs, with England it is easier because you dont have to find millions to get a new captain.
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I've loved, I've laughed and cried, I've had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing.

Anybody who thinks David Beckham is still good enough for England should be taken behind a barn and shot.

12 months ago, he was a joke. Everybody was calling for him to be dropped because he was playing like shit. Now he's been recalled to the squad based on a newspaper campaign by the women and men who want to shag him. Not one serious football journalist has called for his return.

And neither have any English players, at least not publicly.

Steve McClaren should quit NOW.

Apparently Beckham has more or less carried Real to the brink of the Spanish championship. If you're in form should you not be selected?

Only problem is that he can't seriously be considered long term for Euro 2008 cos by then he'll have had almost a year in MLS which can hardly be described as competitive football at the highest level.

what he says

rubbish, Beckham HAS To be in the first team, It is a joke the current squad. Yes have youth, build them into a team of the future, but this is a MUST win game for McLaren, and beckham in the form he is will be great.
Can you imagine his crosses to crouch's head.....think before you comment people!

That is all hes good for though, crosses and set pieces. He is still the same player who played badly last summer, and his time has been and gone.

And Crouch is another player who shouldn't be in the squad. But thats a whole other matter.

We could play the Albion side against Estonia and still win. But your point about managers goes into something much deeper- why are the same four clubs the only ones to qualify for the champions league? And why do not one of those four employ an English manager when there are plenty of good ones about?

We could be here a long time, and nothing will ever be done about it.

I believe that you should play players in form.. If that is the case :-

Beckham should be playing.. however if he starts playing as crap as he has done for England the past 3 to 4 Years, kick him out...

I believe that Beckham was kept in the team on the basis of his match winning peformance against Greece in 2001.

Gerrard or Lampard - I don't know what's happenned to Frankie boy in the last year - He's not the same player he was.. however he can't play in the same midfield as Gerrard..

For me, Lampard is not on the same level as Gerrard - would play him over Lampard every time.

Goalkeeper - If we are picking on form, why not David James.. Hey, I'm not one of his biggest fans, however you cannot argue that he has had a phenomenal season with Pompey.. Robinson, Green, Carson, have really all had howlers..

I'm fearful upfront - I'm not certain when Rooney is back (is he suspended for both games, or just the one against Brazil), however I feel that Owen & Smith upfront is a tad bit weak, purely due to lack of football this year.

I would have liked to have seen Kevin Nolan from Bolton getting a game, seeing that the likes of Hargreaves is out.. how he hasn't been picked astounds me.

Sven

My ideal England team would be:

Robinson (not great, but noone better)
G. Neville
Terry
Carragher
A. Cole (see Robinson)
Lennon
Hargreaves
Gerrard
J. Cole
Rooney
Ashton

Owen, Lampard, Ferdinand, Carson, Nolan bench.