He's back in the fold and ready for action

Our correspondent says England's former golden boy is likely to start against Brazil

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article1851883.ece

Nick Szczepanik

David Beckham was back in an England shirt yesterday for the first time since limping out of the World Cup quarter-final against Portugal in Gelsenkirchen 330 days ago. It was only a training top, but it still bore the three lions that he must have feared would never adorn his pectorals again – short of calling in at a sports shop on the way to Los Angeles.

Recalled to the England squad, Beckham was surrounded once again by a host of familiar and mostly friendly faces from the World Cup squad in Germany when he wore the captain’s arm-band. He finished on the winning side in a ten-a-side game as a probables team beat the possibles in the first training session before England’s friendly international against Brazil at Wembley on Friday. To judge from the lineups, Beckham is likely to start on the right of a midfield four with Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole.

However, Rio Ferdinand was absent and is almost certain to miss both that match and the European Championship qualifying tie against Estonia in Tallinn a week tomorrow with a recurrence of the groin injury that he first suffered in the FA Cup semi-final against Watford last month. The Manchester United defender is expected to have a scan on the injury today, but the prognosis is unpromising.

Jamie Carragher played alongside John Terry in defence yesterday and would be the logical choice to deputise for Ferdinand in both matches, with Ledley King, of Tottenham Hotspur, more likely to feature as an understudy for Owen Hargreaves if a holding midfield player is required. Nicky Shorey, of Reading, lined up at left back, but Wayne Bridge was doing some light running with Gary Lewin, the physio, and is expected to be available.

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In the absence of any comment from players or coaching staff, speculation was the order of the day. How significant was it that Beckham was one of the last off the team coach? Was it a deliberately low-key entrance, so as not to risk upstaging Terry, his successor as England captain? Or was he simply trying to stay out of the cold rain and biting wind for as long as possible?

As the players warmed up in front of an invited audience of about 50 competition winners and about the same number of photographers at Arsenal’s headquarters in London Colney, one wondered whether some of the players who were rumoured to be less than pleased at the return to the England fold of Beckham might be tempted to make their feelings known in subtle ways – a hospital pass here, an overzealous challenge there. Did Lampard, for example, leave his foot in a challenge a fraction longer than normal in a keep-ball exercise?

If that was hard to judge, then there was no doubt whose image would be in every newspaper today, as Beckham’s first touch in game action was the signal for a rattle of camera shutters from all sides. The prize shot would have been Beckham either scoring, or suffering an injury, but neither was forthcoming. Beckham had a right-foot shot blocked by Phil Neville and the follow-up, hit with his left, saved by Robert Green. The only England player seen writhing in agony was Terry, after blocking a shot with a tender part of his anatomy.

Beckham had no opportunity to demonstrate his prowess with free kicks and corners, and he also kept the so-called “Hollywood” passes to a minimum – the two long crossfield passes he tried on the narrow pitch went out for throw-ins – but he could claim a partial assist in the only goal, as he swept the ball out to the left for Michael Owen, whose cross was converted by Alan Smith, surprisingly preferred to Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe in the first team.

Owen was energetic on his return to the full squad after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the match against Sweden at the World Cup, even though Newcastle United’s share price was in the balance with every twist, turn and robust challenge.

Yesterday, though, was all about a certain midfield player and he finished the session with a jog around the pitch, accompanied by Chris Neville, the team masseur, rather than joining the other players in their postmatch exercises, but there had been no suggestion of an injury. The consensus was that he had played a full game for Real Madrid on Saturday, and so needed a less strenuous warm-down.

Meanwhile, Fifa was looking out for Beckham’s interests by insisting that the Los Angeles Galaxy must allow him to play in all England matches if selected, even if they clash with club fixtures. Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy general manager, had suggested that Beckham would be released only for competitive matches after he joins the club in July, but the world governing body mandates that players must be free to play for their countries.

“The same rules apply for everybody,” a Fifa spokesman said. “For all national associations, for any club, for any player. Players must be released for friendly or competitive games if they are on the international calendar and the required notice is given. The only difference in competitive and friendly games is regarding the time frames. All players are equal.”