Sport | Football

Capello showed steel to deny Beckham cap

Bravissimo, Capello! Setting aside sentimentality and nonsense from ex-footballers who should no better, he left David Beckham out of the squad to face Switzerland tomorrow at Wembley.

  • By Brian Glanville, Special to Gulf News
  • Published: 23:31 February 4, 2008
  • Gulf News

Bravissimo, Capello! Setting aside sentimentality and nonsense from ex-footballers who should no better, he left David Beckham out of the squad to face Switzerland tomorrow at Wembley.

Capello even boldly eschewed the compromise of putting Beckham on the field at Wembley for a few symbolic minutes, but has left the door open for him to win his 100th cap, albeit with the provision that the shows form in the MLS.

Beckham himself made ludicrous claim for a place, insisting that he was fit and sharp even though he hasn't played a match since November. The clamour for his inclusion was all the more absurd given the fact England have three excellent young right wingers far worthier of a place than him.

David Bentley has had a fine season with Blackburn and is in exuberant form.

Shaun Wright Phillips, who has had excellent games for England, seems at last to have found consistency at Chelsea who paid more than £20 million (Dh150 million) for him but Jose Mourinho consistently kept him out of the team.

Of late he has been playing with success in central midfield but he is a right winger by choice. He also did well on the left when brought on against Germany.

Ebullient form

Aaron Lennon, in fine form for Spurs, has been relegated to the Under 21 squad to play Ireland. Lennon is another who has lately run into ebullient form as he so recently showed at Manchester United, when he cleverly set up Tottenham's goal.

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