MICK TAKE ... McClaren as Mickey
Mouse
STEVE McCLAREN was last night caught in another managerial
shambles over David Beckham. The England boss ignored Saturdays
Arsenal v Manchester United clash and instead flew 6,000 miles to
LA, where Beckham was playing a team of Hollywood actors. But we
can reveal McClaren did not even attend that game even though
Becks played for 83 minutes.
Beckham revealed: Steve McClaren was not here but I saw him on
Saturday. The Mickey Mouse three-day trip to check on ex-skipper
Becks fitness was paid for by the FA with the backing of chief
Brian Barwick. McClaren flew to LA on Friday, watched Beckham train
on Saturday and spent three days on Americas West Coast before
returning to England last night.
His Three Lions are facing the embarrassment of failing to reach
the Euro 2008 finals.
Now McClaren must decide whether to recall Becks for the friendly
against Austria on Friday week and the decisive qualifier against
Croatia five days later. Beckham, 32, added: I cant put myself up
for England selection if I am not 100 per cent fit, or at least 90
or 95 per cent and I wouldnt do that. But after the Hollywood
United game I felt great.
The £500,000-a-week stars return was his first match for LA Galaxy
in two months following a knee injury. And although he scored twice
in a 12-4 win, the opposition side included Def Leppard guitarist
Viv Campbell and 48-year-old keeper Anthony LaPaglia, who has a
plastic hip!
Beckham, who has not played for England since the 2-1 Wembley
defeat by Germany in August, also saw Galaxy boss Frank Yallop quit
yesterday. The ex-Ipswich ace is returning to San Jose and Becks
said: Were disappointed. We felt he was the right man.