David Beckham's England career appears to be over as Steve McClaren prepares to axe him from his squad. McClaren will name his first squad today at around 3pm but Beckham's name is not expected to be in it.
Beckham has recovered from the Achilles tendon injury which forced him out of the World Cup quarter-final against Portugal. He played the first half of Real Madrid's pre-season friendly against DC United, in Seattle on Wednesday.
He is free from injury, although lacking match-sharpness, and is available for selection. McClaren is determined to make his own mark on the England squad and dispel doubts that his appointment is an extension of the Sven-Goran Eriksson regime.
Beckham was very much Eriksson's man and McClaren could not make his point any more forcefully than by leaving him out of the squad.
McClaren worked closely with Beckham at Manchester United as well as England and he is unlikely to write-off Beckham's international career - at least in public.
After all, the Real star may suddenly hit a patch of outstanding form and England could suffer injuries on the right of midfield but, at 31, it looks to be over for Beckham.
McClaren obviously believes it would be difficult for the former captain and figurehead of the team to suddenly go back to being one of the boys, fighting for his place. Beckham has played 94 times for his country and captained them on 59 occasions.
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