Low-key return suits Becks

With McClaren's full co-operation, the 32-year-old Real Madrid star has opted to snub all interview requests ahead of the Brazil encounter and instead, Beckham is determined to let his feet do the talking for him.

"When I spoke to David two weeks ago, we agreed to try and keep everything low-key," revealed McClaren. "I know him well enough and I know he just wants to play. That is why he doesn't want to speak to anyone."

He added: "Sometimes the attention surrounding David can run out of control but that is not his fault, it is just the hype that surrounds him.

"We just want David Beckham the player, performing on the pitch and that is all we are going to focus on for the next 10 days."

Having axed Beckham in such a public manner immediately after succeeding Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach last summer, McClaren has swallowed a huge slice of humble pie in offering the midfielder a recall.

After all the talk of 'moving on' from a shoddy series of World Cup performances, it appears to be more a case of back to the future for McClaren now, with Steven Gerrard again set to partner Frank Lampard in central midfield for Friday's friendly with Brazil.

Yet, in the knowledge a failure to beat Estonia in the far more significant Euro 2008 qualifier in Tallinn next week will almost certainly cost him his job, McClaren claims he would have been "foolish" not to follow Fabio Capello's lead and usher Beckham back from the wilderness.

"You've got to respect the work Fabio Capello is doing at Real Madrid," said McClaren. "He has had the same problems as me.

"He had no hesitation about bringing David back when he was on form and that has changed the fortunes of Real Madrid. I would be very foolish to ignore that."