Central starring role for Beckham

Caught between a rock star and a hard face, David Beckham has spent the past three days inhabiting the placid and silent centre of the unstoppable media tornado engulfing all around him. It must be lonely in there.

Tonight at Wembley, however, Beckham has the opportunity to express himself to the full, even if it will be once again from a floodlit stage, this one provided by Wembley's lush centre circle. Beckham has been given a starring central casting by Kevin Keegan, and although the opposition will be daunting, Beckham may prefer the whites of an Argentinian's eyes to the rouge of Alex Ferguson's angry face.

Beckham, for the first time for England, and for the first time since his less than convincing role there against Bayern Munich in the European Cup final, will have the playmaker's position at the heart of England's midfield. Bearing in mind his last contribution against Argentina, the lash at Diego Simeone that resulted in Beckham's dismissal from France 98, a successful performance tonight could restore Beckham to the English public's bosom. It could also see Beckham consolidate the job as the weeks rush in to the start of Euro 2000.

If so, Beckham would be lauded as a worthy successor to Paul Gascoigne and Glenn Hoddle as England's creative inspiration. That would be the good news. Tomorrow morning Beckham would then travel to Manchester, to United's imposing new training complex south of the city - already nicknamed Colditz - where he will participate in United's first full training session since last Saturday. This could be the beginning of some more bad news. By Saturday afternoon Beckham could be watching from the stands again, at Wimbledon.

Beckham was expelled from last Saturday morning's session after failing to turn up at work the previous day citing his baby's cold as the explanation. Ferguson blew hot at that, and understandably. Beckham was dropped for the Leeds United game, won by his team-mates without him.

It could be denied no longer, what had been rumoured in football for months was out on Fleet Street - Ferguson and his 24 year-old starlet have a personal relationship which is sliding toward the unworkable. Pointedly Ferguson did not deny stories of a rift. Before Christmas, sitting in his office at United's old training ground with yet another back page tale concerning Beckham's celebrity lifestyle on his desk, Ferguson had said: "The whole Beckham thing's a pain in the arse," and his patience was clearly dwindling even then.

Yesterday it emerged that, shortly after, Beckham missed training. It was on Christmas Day, which, as Alan Shearer has said, is the most difficult day's work for any footballer. Every other United player was present. On St Stephen's Day United met Bradford City and Beckham's name was not on the team-sheet, nor among the substitutes. Eight weeks before Elland Road it appears Beckham had already been dropped by Ferguson.

On Sunday night, just a couple of hours after Ferguson's forthright press conference at Leeds, Beckham's wife Victoria's PR company had sprung into intense action. Via the PR firm, it was revealed that the Beckham's baby had been ill on Friday - this was not known previously. The Versace-clad empire had struck back.

They may have been smiling in their Hertfordshire mansion at that, yet the fact that two camps were now so visible is an indication of just how far they are apart. The Christmas Day revelation is Ferguson's way of hitting back presumably.

Ultimately only newspapers benefit, though, and the situation now seems irreconcilable, unless Beckham does what he is told by Ferguson. That would involve moving closer to Manchester, not going out with Elton John and not wearing women's clothing, three things Victoria may have strong views about.

There feels like a fair whack of misogyny in what is essentially speculation, but what is undoubted is that when Beckham does go Ferguson's overriding emotion will not be joy but frustration. He has not nurtured a central figure for 12 years to see him exit stage right as he reaches his peak.