Beckham tells Capello: I want the England captaincy back for good

Beckham was handed the armband for the friendly against Trinidad & Tobago for the first time since relinquishing the armband after the 2006 World Cup quarter-final exit to Portugal.

England boss Fabio Capello has rotated the role as part of a policy that will see him name the permanent captain ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, with Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and then Beckham previously awarded the duty under the Italian.

Last time out: Beckham adjusts the armband against T & T

But although LA Galaxy midfielder Beckham insisted he was not the man to lead England anymore, he has performed a U-turn and has not given up hope of landing the honour of being named Capello's permanent England captain when the announcement is made just before the Czech Republic game on August 20.

"I would never turn the captaincy down," said Beckham. "But I do think I was lucky to captain my country 59 times.  It was one of my biggest, if not the biggest, personal honour to lead out the country out.

"I am older and one of the more experienced players and of course if it was handed to me at any point I would never turn it down. But there are a lot of candidates that are ready for it now.

"We are very lucky because we have players in our team that are leaders and captains, like Stevie G, JT and Rio. So whoever the manager picks I am sure that player will lead by example.

"I think he knows how much the captain's armband means to a player. He has enough experience to know how much it means to this country.  He will make the choice and it is his choice to do it the way he has."

Meanwhile Beckham admits he expects to find out about the end of his England career "by just sitting at home one day and not be in the squad and it is all over".

He said:  "I won't get a phone call when I'm left out and I won't expect one. There are managers who do that. Sir Alex Ferguson would pull you in on a Saturday morning and give you a reason for dropping you, even if you'd be telling him that you wanted to play, that you weren't tired.

"But with the manager, I could be sitting at home one day and not be in the squad and it is all over, and I won't complain. I just need to know that I have done as much as I can."

It is in contrast to the shock when Steve McClaren axed him in August 2006 although the former England boss recalled the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder 10 months later during the failed bid to qualify for Euro 2008.

Now Beckham appreciates each game as it would be his last. "I didn't think I would be here," added Beckham. When I was left out at the start of the Euro qualifiers, I just thought 'that's it, that's my England career done'.

"So it is not a question of taking it or leaving it now. It is just that I have seen before how quickly it can all get taken away from you."