Troubled squad must stand up without David Beckham

James Olley
15 Mar 2010

It is safe to assume that Fabio Capello already viewed 2010 as his annus horribilis even before today's revelation that David Beckham will miss the World Cup because of a torn Achilles tendon.

The John Terry saga combined with injuries and loss of form suffered by key personnel paint a landscape far bleaker than the one against which England qualified for South Africa this summer with a humbling of Croatia at Wembley in September.

Back then, Capello looked to quell the inevitably raucous optimism that surrounded his squad by warning that much could change before the finals and how right his fears proved to be.

Of course, it should be recognised from the outset that Beckham's absence is not the savage blow it was in 2002, when a barely fit shadow of the player who had almost single-handedly dragged his country to Japan, drifted through those finals, yet to recover from the effects of his broken metatarsal.

Equally, had the country been waking up to the news that Wayne Rooney had suffered a similar injury, then even the most fervent supporter would concede that England's chances of success had disappeared with him.

But Beckham's value to Capello was always more than the tangible return on the pitch, where although his influence substantially diminished, he remained able to offer qualities unrivalled by his younger compatriots.

The 34-year-old's inclusion was merited chiefly because of his enduing ability to keep possession allied with what continues to be arguably the best dead-ball delivery in world football.

There are few players able to provide consistent high quality delivery into the penalty area when needing to score in a game. Unavoidably, there will come a time this summer when such a situation arises and minds will be cast to what difference Beckham could have made.

The former captain also realised his ageing legs prevented him from galloping around the pitch with relentless enthusiasm — a la Rooney — and he consequently modified his game.

Those who rivalled Beckham for a berth in England's 23-man squad all offer contrasting yet compelling cases but his absence virtually guarantees Theo Walcott's seat on the plane to Rustenburg.

The Arsenal winger has shown signs of rediscovering the form that made him one of the world's most devastating propositions, most poignantly exemplified by his hat-trick against Croatia in November 2008.

But doubts remain about Walcott's decision-making in the final third and there is an enduring frustration among Gunners' fans that he has not realised his potential to a greater extent.

Walcott is not predisposed to defensive discipline and were he to start on England's right flank, full-back Glen Johnson, whose own shortcomings are apparent, may be exposed and could offset the undoubted attacking qualities such a partnership would offer.

Beckham's exclusion offers greater hope to Aaron Lennon as he may now be afforded more time to recover from the groin problem that has sidelined him for Tottenham since December.

Capello's preference for Lennon is well known and he may be prepared to take a gamble on the 22-year-old, who will at best have played only a handful of games before the squad must be selected in late May.

James Milner's versatility and fine form for Aston Villa make him a certainty but perhaps Shaun Wright-Phillips could benefit most. The Manchester City winger was a favourite of former England manager Steve McClaren but has not started matches for Capello with the same frequency.

An impressive cameo against Egypt will have done Wright-Phillips' case no harm and whereas he was previously a borderline candidate, Beckham's loss is likely to be his gain.

But none of the above offer those intangible qualities Beckham did. In a squad divided by recent tabloid newspaper controversies, his presence was universally agreeable and one which provided stability and guidance to their younger members. Perhaps even more importantly, he revels in the media circus that Capello so abhors and could have been useful for deflecting much of the attention away from the starting XI in South Africa.

When Beckham made his triumphant return from the international wilderness imposed by McClaren against Brazil at Wembley in June 2007, he greeted the media with the most genuine of smiles, simply happy to be back at the business end of football.

Such attention can consume lesser individuals but — as shown by how he handled his return to Manchester United with AC Milan last week — Beckham is the master of publicity.

He will be missed but Capello still has enough reason to hope that out of the ashes, this year can yet prove England's greatest since 1966.