Tord Grip who was a part of the England set-up under former Manager Sven Goran Eriksson has urged Steve McClaren to recall David Beckham to the England squad. He told The Sun -

I think you should always pick your best players, whether you're building for the future or not.

And Beckham was in really excellent form for Real Madrid against Bayern Munich.

You can read his full comments online here. Will Tord's support help or hinder David Beckham's chances? I always appreciate anyone speaking out to support him but Tord is so closely associated with Sven, could it be counter-productive?

AS.com have an article suggesting that LA Galaxy might be less than enthusuastic about David Beckham being recalled to the England squad because of the matches and training sessions that he would miss with his new club. However, I don't think they have any basis for making that assertion, certainly Alexi Lalas has gone on record as saying he would be pleased if David Beckham was recalled. AS also mention that David Beckham is expected to start for Real Madrid this Sunday.

Update - Today's training report and photos are online here, you can just make Becks out in the group photo but no good ones today. Also I don't want to push my luck as I am very happy that Becks is back playing in the team but if Real Madrid could see there way clear to inlcuding perhaps one more press session with him on the website, considering there have been many more for every other member of the squad this season, it would be nice!

Barcelona have confirmed that Ronaldinho, Puyol, Zambrotta and Thuram will play for the UEFA XI that will face Manchester United for the Charity Gala match on March 13 at Old Trafford.

The European UEFA XI squad list so far: David Beckham (Real Madrid), Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher (both Liverpool), Eric Abidal, Gregory Coupet and Juninho (all Olympique Lyonnais), Ronaldinho, Carles Puyol, Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram (all Barcelona).

Manchester United Director, Bobby Charlton said -

“It promises to be a fantastic occasion with Ronaldinho and David Beckham facing our Manchester United team. Every young football fan would relish the chance to see all these great players. It’s one of those rare opportunities to see European football’s finest players together on one pitch, and Old Trafford is the perfect stage.”

Source

In other breaking news: A heat wave in Madrid? Well Becks trained without his hat! report and photos online here

I've tried really hard over the last week, to look the other way, to whistle a happy tune and to leave the worst excuses for journalism off of this site. Still I have to set the record straight on two things. I'm sorry to even bring these issues up but they just won't die!

Firstly David Beckham never had, never announced, never hinted at an agreement for a $250 million salary for joining LA Galaxy. It would seem the press who really seized on the 250 million dollar figure and ran with it, and widely mis-reported the deal and how it was structured, are to add insult to injury by mis-reporting the deal a second time, this time under-valuing it. When the original details of David Beckham's contract were released it clearly stated it comprised salary, endorsements and profit-sharing, so given the endorsement and profit-sharing components haven't been quantified, why are the media collectively leaping up and down yelling it was exaggerated? Was it? Honestly? No one, not even David Beckham, knows for sure and it's going to take five years to find out. Still, the press who misreported it as a gauranteed 250 million in the first place are not about to admit they didn't accurately represent the deal and it's profit sharing components, no it is easier to scream they were misled. Yawn.

We have supposedly learnt from one anonymous source that David Beckham's base salary will be $5.5 million per year. We also know that David Beckham receives 50% of revenue from his image rights at this time but that when he joins LA Galaxy he will receive 100%, this income will be significantly larger than his base salary. However what his total annual earnings will be can not be stated to the dollar but it is projected to be in the region of 50 million per annum. That is unchanged. Sports Illustrated still have the most objective article on the deal and it's structure.



Now the second issue I'd like to address, is the stories circulating about the auctioning of a private soccer lesson with David Beckham to raise money for Elton John's AIDS Foundation. This story actually is depressing, because I had hoped the US Media would not be quite as cheap, nasty and tasteless at the British tabloids and sadly Becks hasn't even arrived in the US yet and we can see that they may in fact be worse. It seems to have somehow been forgotten that the lesson that was auctioned was donated to charity and donating your time to a good cause should be a good thing.

It is being widely reported that David Beckham's private lesson received the lowest bid this is not true. It is also widely reported that the lesson went for $70,000 and this is embarrassing because someone paid $250,000 to go to Elton John's Birthday party. However the package they actually bought included two tickets to Sir Elton John's private 60th birthday party in New York City, two premium seat tickets to his sold out concert at Madison Square Garden, airfare and accommodations. I would expect to pay more than three and a half times the amount for this package as I would pay for a soccer lesson. The only person who should be embarrassed is the person at Page six who took such a cheap and pathetic shot at David Beckham's act of charity.

Contrast that with the story that appears in this morning's Belfast Telegraph about a little boy who has undergone surgery in Spain that may enable him to walk, the surgery was paid for by money raised through an auction of memorabilia donated by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and others. The auction raised 14,000 pounds, a sum that may help a brave little one take his first steps, a sum that makes a real difference to a real family in the real world. A sum that is anything but embarrassing and no money raised to help those who can not always help themselves is ever embarrasing for any of those involved.

Finally, on a lighter note, sorry for the rant, wasn't it nice to see in this mornings papers that Tom Hanks is a fan of David Beckham and is going to buy an LA Galaxy season ticket! I wonder if he knows that some Madridistas teasingly called Becks Forrest Gump because of how much running he does in a game :)

The Good The Bad and The... Well it's not every day that starts out with quotes from Clint Eastwood and Sir Alex Ferguson on David Beckham, Clint Eastwood, told reporters (Source)

People are already talking about Beckham. I look forward to meeting him. I love soccer or football as (the British) call it. I used to play when I was younger. It's a great game.

Sir Alex Ferguson told Gazetta dello sport (Source), when talking about next month's charity gala match at Old Trafford between Manchester United and an UEFA XI including David Beckham

"David will get a great reception, just like all the others who have done great things for United,"

"I have seen him a couple of times since he joined Madrid and everything is fine between us.

"He is returning home for a night and that is just what we needed for a gala game."

Today's training report and photos are on the official site. Also there is a free video (in spanish) about this week's training schedule with a few glimpses of Becks and team here.

Following on from yesterday's announcement in the british press that Victoria Beckham had signed a deal for a reality show with NBC, there are conflicting reports in the press today with the reputable US publications Broadcast and Cable saying the deal is pending but not done and Variety saying that details regarding David Beckham and the children's involvement is unknown at this time. Reuters have also weighed in saying that no deal is done and quoting a spokesperson for the Beckhams, who dismissed the idea a reality show for Victoria had been agreed. So, it would seem there is no finalised deal for a reality TV show with any Beckham at this time? However, The BBC say there is, they quote a spokeswoman for Victoria Beckham and claim a deal has been signed for a fly on the wall style documentary that will feature Posh but not Becks or the children. At this point, I'm not even hazarding a guess :)

Update - here's the most detailed story yet on what is going on, from Variety, but there is no word on David's involvement this could be a sign that he won't feature? more details. NBC have confirmed a show is planned.

Last but not least their are some additional and much better quality pictures of Becks from his recent night out in London in the gallery

Here is an update on the rumors regarding a reality show featuring the Beckhams. It has been announced that Victoria Beckham has signed up to do a reality TV show with NBC. The show is to focus on Posh, because Becks did not want a hands on role or to be the focus, he will feature to some extent but it is to be Victoria's show. Full details here.

A shout out to UK fans the Mirror are running a competition where 2 lucky people can win a trip to watch Barca play Real Madrid at the Nou Camp March 10, so click here to check out the details.

David Beckham dined at Cipriani's in London tonight. There are some pictures in the gallery. I'll see if I can find some better ones! update - I've added 3 more that are slightly clearer. The photos have different dates some are marked the 24th and some the 25th, but according to The Sun David Beckham dined out with his friend David Gardner and a group of people on Feb 25th before heading on to St James Casino so we'll go with that! I have just added 2 photos of Becks leaving the casino to the gallery as well.

The Sunday Mirror has a report about Becks agreeing to cameo in a new movie. The film will be about the World War I Christmas truce, where English and German soldiers laid down their arms and played football in no man's land to celebrate Christmas, full story here

There are a lot of rumors circulating today that David Beckham will join his wife Victoria, who arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday, at Elton John's Oscar party in LA tomorrow night. I think these reports are highly doubtful, here is an excerpt from Metro -

Virginia Fout, event producer for Elton John's Academy Awards viewing party, has revealed a few inside secrets ahead of the Sunday bash, including its exclusive guest list. "I think she's coming yes, Mrs Beckham will be here," the party planner said, adding that David has donated an auction prize of personal soccer lessons, although he's not expected to attend the party.

I'll keep an eye out for photos just in case, but the 15 hour trip would mean missing Monday and possibly Tuesday's training, so it is more likely that David Beckham has remained in Madrid with his sons this weekend.

Real Madrid drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid so they have taken a point from the game. We'll have to wait and see how the other games pan out to see how this affects La Liga Table. Back to the books :)

As you know David Beckham will be taking a forced rest this weekend as he serves a one match suspension. So I think I'll do the same, failing any big headlines, I'll be working on a couple of essays! In the mean time I've added some retro pictures of Becks from The Road to Portugal DVD to the gallery

Today's training report and photos are on the official site

Gary Pallister, a former Manchester United player, has spoken out in support of Becks (full story) being recalled to the England squad he said

He is a quality player who has shown he definitely still has what it takes to play at the top level, so Steve McClaren should bring him back in from the cold. I couldn’t understand why McClaren left him out anyway.

People talked about David having a poor World Cup but he scored and created goals. Tell me who has been doing that among the people who have tried to replace him?

Here's hoping Real Madrid win the Derby. Have a good weekend - Anna

Owen Hargreaves weekly column for the BBC has just come out and Owen talks about the match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, make sure you read his full column for all his comments, here are just a few -

I thought that David was the best player on the pitch during the first half of the match.

I try to block the noise out during a game but there was one point during the opening 45 minutes when he had several great moments and then prepared to take a free-kick.

As he stood over the ball I suddenly heard this wall of sound chanting "Beckham, Beckham, Beckham".

Even though he was a member of the opposition I was pleased for him.

LA Galaxy Shirt Sponsorship

The word over at the San Diego Tribune is that "the bidding for jersey sponsorship for David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy is between Citibank and Herbalife. The Citibank offer is a monster: five years, $49 million. A decision is expected any day".

David Beckham Champions League Highlights

For those of you who requested it, here are video highlights of David Beckham's man of the match performance in last Tuesday's Champions League game.

Owen Hargreaves has been praising David Beckham, again! He credits Becks with having made him feel like he belonged in the England set up and for having stuck by him when others doubted him. Full story

There can be no doubt whatsoever that Owen Hargreaves is a class act, here are some of his comments -

“If David plays like he did against us then he can play his way back into any team.

“It was great to see him back again and I’ve always said anyone who writes off Becks is mad.

“He has such exceptional ability and is an exceptional passer and he showed that again.

“He was Real’s most influential player against us by a country mile. Every chance seemed to come from his set-pieces or passes.

“Becks completely controlled the flow of the game, especially in the first half. He was the key player basically in all their moves.”

More on David Beckham's possible England recall

The Sun ran the headline this morning, in reference to McClaren's comment that David Beckham had given him a problem, "McClaren: I've got Beck Ache" - I thought it was one of their funnier efforts, but the article contained a big error, they have taken a quote from McClaren where he is talking about Owen Hargreaves and reported it as being a comment from him on David Beckham, unfortunately that is not the case. Here are some more reliable articles -

Renaissance Man ready to answer the national emergency
Source: The Times

Beckham's bravura performance forces McClaren to think again
Source: The Guardian

Beckham gets closer to making the English national team
Source: LA Times

McClaren ponders recall for Beckham
Source: The Telegraph

McClaren welcomes Beckham problem
Source: The Independent

Real Madrid fans heart Becks!

The Times also has an article this morning about David Beckham's popularity with the Real Madrid fan base reaching new highs after his wonderful performance Tuesday, here is a excerpt, you can read the full story here -

The embodiment of dignity, Beckham has not whinged to the Spanish media about his treatment. He sat quietly next to his mother in his private box at the Bernabéu as free kicks were fired into row Z. And after a goal from a free kick on his return to the team two weeks ago and Tuesday’s performance, some fans are even asking: “Why are we selling him?”

Steve McClaren has indicated, that David Beckham has created a "problem" for him. He admits that his recent performances are just too good to be ignored and that he will go to Munich to watch the return match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Full Story. He is quoted in the papers as saying

That's all you'll get from David Beckham. The reaction from every adversity he's ever gone through in his career, he's always bounced back and been professional and got on with his job. A month ago, he would never play for Real Madrid again and there he is starring in a game against Bayern Munich and being man of the match.

Although a recall is far from definite with McClaren muttering about "waiting and seeing over the next four weeks", this is nevertheless a positive sign for Becks and a tribute to his incredible determination and tenacity, given all the challenges he has had to face simply to force McClaren to publicly acknowledge he should at least be considered. Coverage on the BBC here.

Today's training report is online at the official site now.

Reading this morning's headlines in sports sections across the UK, it is clear that the heat on Steve McClaren to bring back Becks just got turned up a notch, courtesy of David Beckham's excellent Champions League performance. Here are some of the headlines

Beckham inspires Real
Source: The Times

Beckham at his brilliant best for real
Source: The Telegraph

Real re-build with Beckham the architect
Source: The Independent

Real Deal Beckham gives Capello a Lift
Source: The Evening Standard

Beckham is still real class
Source: The Sun

England's next two qualifiers are against Israel and Andorra and whilst it's fair to say your local pub side could beat Andorra, Israel has some potential to be a banana skin. McClaren dropped David Beckham for non-footballing reasons but the footballing reasons to recall him have now built up to the point where it would be perilous to ignore them. Not only has Becks proven his form, he has expressed his heart-felt desire to play and no one, not even those fans most critical of his "celebrity" have ever doubted that he was a true patriot who wore the shirt with pride.

McClaren is now faced with the fact that refusing to recall David Beckham is almost impossible for him to justify. If he had gone in a new direction with youth and they had looked like they were world-beaters he might be some way down the track to establishing his new "vision", but a loss to Croatia and another, in a pitiful performance, to Spain mean that McClaren's new vision has no credibility and England fans are looking longingly towards David Beckham and wondering why his "architectural talents" aren't being employed for the national team. It's a good question and it deserves a good answer. Mr McClaren we're listening...

David Beckham in Details Magazine

David Beckham is on the cover of the March 2007 Details Magazine. Getting a feeling of deja vu? That might be because they are using a photo from the shoot they did for the August 2005 Details magazine cover story on David Beckham. On the plus side there are some nice older photos in the slide show that accompany the article. Click here to read The articles does contain a couple of errors for example, one sentence is phrased in a way that suggests Posh sold pictures of her pregnancy and or Brooklyn's birth for half a million dollars and as we all know that is not true, so read the article with a little caution :)

David Beckham had an outstanding game tonight and played a part in all 3 goals. A good summary of his critical role in Real Madrid's win can be found in The Sun accompanied with the question many will be asking, "Did you see that McClaren?" For more details, you can also view an unofficial match report here and the official match report and photos are now online here.

Capello singled David Beckham out for praise in his post match press conference giving credit where credit was due he said, "He played very well. He turned in a very high-level performance. He was very important. When he has been in the side he has always played at a high level. He created two tonight and [scored] one the other night and I recognise that. Source.

First of the photos are in the gallery

David Beckham spoke to Skysport after the match (full story) here is an excerpt where David Beckham as always shows what a gentleman and a class act he is.

"My ambition has never changed since the age of 13, even younger. I always wanted to play for my country and I will always be available whether I'm in Spain, for the next four months, or whether I'm in LA," he told Sky Sports News.

"I will always want to do well for my country."

McClaren was not in attendance as Beckham started in Real's 3-2 Champions League win over Bayern Munich, despite reportedly being in Spain, but that did not concern Beckham.

"Whatever he was doing, I'm sure it was important for England and I'm sure that's what he is doing. The most important thing for me is that I'm out there playing.

"For me, I hope the England team goes through (European Championship qualifying) as quickly as possible, there's some great players there (in the England squad)."

You can watch a video of Becks being interviewed after the game though it does not include the quote above click here.

Happy Birthday to Cruz Beckham who turns two today! Hope he has a wonderful day and that his daddy wins his match tonight :)

If you haven't already seen it there is a free video of the day before yesterday's training session on the official site.

Todays training write up and 3 pictures of Becks are on the official site I have also added a few photos from training to the gallery including some cute ones of Roberto Carlos and Becks messing about. It's good to see the whole squad looking in good spirits and hopefully that will translate to a good game tomorrow!

David Beckham was named in the squad list and is expected to start tomorrow in Real Madrid's Champions League match at home to Bayern Munich. You can view the match preview at ESPN.

Owen hearts Becks

Owen Hargreaves is in Madrid ahead of tomorrows Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and told a press conference that he was hoping to line up against his former captain because -

David Beckham has always been an idol of mine and it has been a great honour to play with him and now against him. For me he is the best passer of the ball in the world. He is a true star, and stars like him know how to play in the big games.

Well said Owen!

Source

The Guardian have a summary of reactions from within Real Madrid to David Beckham's sending off, in addition to those listed Miguel Torres also told the Real Madrid website that he did not think Becks deserved to be sent off. Also the player who was fouled, Isidoro, said that if the foul was intentional, David Beckham deserved to get sent off but, if he was going for the ball, then it was a little harsh. In action replays David Beckham does appear to almost make contact with the ball but misjudges it, view the incident here. This, coupled with his track record of sporting behaviour, leads me to personally believe that he was going for the ball, but I leave it to you to form your own opinion. There is a poll on Marca asking whether Real Madrid should appeal, more than 5000 have voted and so far 58% have voted si! You can vote here.

Sid Lowe in The Telegraph is scathing in his criticism of the tackle but does concede that it would probably have only drawn a yellow card in the Premiership League. He also singles out David Beckham as the only Real Madrid player who performed well.

Results in La Liga over the weekend, which saw Valencia beat Barcelona and Sevilla also take 3 points have Real Madrid and Valencia both on 42 points in the table, four points shy of the leaders. So Real Madrid are still in the hunt and perhaps despite all the ups and downs Becks can still exit on a high as he hopes to do!



Here's a short clip from the movie Goal! 2 - Living the Dream which is currently showing in the UK and will be released in other European cities in coming months. The clip features a training session at Real Madrid from the film and a few glimpses of Becks and some of his team mates. Click here. The player will open within a frame so give it a second to load. The clip uses DivX if you don't have a player the site will let you download one, sorry to put you to any trouble as Becks is only in the clip fleetingly but I tried loading the clip into You Tube and it pixelated so badly it wasn't worth watching, so I'm afraid this was best option. Hope you have a good week.

I have added some more photos from the game to the the gallery

Finally we have the story you have when you're not having a story, unless the story is true... but it seems unlikely. Firstly the Sunday Mirror reported that Steve McClaren was undertaking a quick phone poll of the senior members of the England squad to guage their reaction to a possible David Beckham recall. Then within a couple of hours The FA put out an official statement refuting the report and catergorically denying it. So that seemed to be that, but now in yet another plot twist (who needs Days of our Lives) The Sun is reporting that McClaren requested a video tape of David Beckham's last game so that he could assess his form. It is less than a week since the more reputable and reliable Telegraph quoted McClaren, who they interviewed, as stressing he had no plans to watch David Beckham... so I'm still leaning towards the "non-story" view but it's possible that McClaren realising that the tide of public opinion has turned substantially in Becks favour, has decided that appearing to have an open mind is necessary... if he does in fact watch the tape he will see Becks put in a very good performance.

As.com reports this morning that David Beckham will miss next weekend's Madrid derby match against Atletico Madrid through suspension if his red card stands. Real Madrid will tomorrow review a tape of the game and specifically the incident that resulted in Becks being sent off, and will make a decison then as to whether they appeal. Capello said in his post match presser "We will play on Tuesday and on Sunday, so everybody will have a chance to play this week", so it is possible that even if the red card stands it will have mimimal impact if some squad rotation was already planned, as Becks can still play in the Champions League and is a probable starter, full preview online here.

David Beckham attended training this morning write up here. Ruud Van Nistelrooy spoke with the media after the session he was asked about David Beckham's red card and said -

I was just behind him when it happened and I think a yellow card would have been enough

A nil all draw in a game that was filled with frustration. Real Madrid came very close to scoring a number of times perhaps closest when David Beckham curled a ball low into the box for Ruud Van Nistelrooy but his shot was deflected off the bar. In the final minute of the game David Beckham received a harsh red card for a poorly judged tackle which should have only received a yellow card, in my opinion. The incident will definitely create some debate and it is unfortunate that it will overshadow what was otherwise a great performance from Becks. Unfortunately, this was not the ideal celebration for David Beckham's 150th game for Real Madrid but he was applauded and cheered as he left the field.

Capello defended Beckham (source) saying

It was a foul in favour of Beckham (moments before) and I think the referee was a little quick to flash a red card. I've seen it on television and I don't think it merited a red card.

The official match report and photos are now available on the Real Madrid site and the first of the photos are in the gallery. Video highlights can be viewed at AS.com

David Beckham will return to the pitch rather than the stands of the Bernabeu, tonight! Sid Lowe writes in The Telegraph that Becks can be expected to start again this week. Marca again have David Beckham on the cover and AS.com are also leading with a news story about David Beckham, who will be playing his 150th official game for Real Madrid. Congratulations to Becks and here's hoping he has a great game. Hala Madrid. I will be back later with photos etc from the match!

I was reading a few comments made by Alan Shearer earlier, I don't consider his opinion to be important so I won't be linking to his views, but it did get me to thinking about the nature of David Beckham's critics and all the different motivations that come into play so here is a light-hearted guide to the critics. Warning: this is a really (really!) lame attempt at humor, hopefully you can all give me some better material to work with! Thanks :)

I have been updating the PC backgrounds in the wallpaper gallery. I have added some very basic backgrounds using the new David Beckham Instinct Ad. I'm sure many of you will be able to create something far more artistic for yourself! I have also added the Body by Milk, Disney and Motorola ones - which I've been meaning to add for ages! Speaking of things I've been meaning to do I have also added a few screen shots from the Predator v F50 Adidas campaign to the photo gallery.

A few weeks ago there were rumors circulating that Fox had approached the Beckhams about doing a reality TV show, Living with The Beckhams. There are further rumors in this week's National Inquirer but there still hasn't been definite confirmation of a show, details here.

There have been some further recruits for the UEFA XI that will play Manchester United in the March 13 charity match. David Beckham, Steven Gerard and Jamie Carragher will be joined on the team sheet by Eric Abidal, Grégory Coupet and Juninho Pernambucano from Olympique Lyonnais, details here.

David Beckham is, as expected, in the Real Madrid squad list to face Betis tomorrow. Although of course it is only a week since we were not so certain of his inclusion, so I still feel a happy sense of continued relief to see his name on the list :)

Today's training write up and photo (of Becks looking like he's in good spirits) are online at the official site.

Fabio Capello was asked if he thought David Beckham could return to play for England, during today's press conference and he replied that he hoped he could, because David Beckham is a consumate professional. He said it was obviously up to the England Manager but that Beckham could make a positive contribution. He also said that Becks return for Real Madrid had a positive effect because of the way he played and the enthusiasm and dedication he always displayed. Update - a better tanslation is now available online here.

Finally, let's finish with a nice quote (Source) from Iker Casillas who is also on the "people we love list", he said of Becks -

He is a great professional and the boss has realised that he is a very important and influential player for the team

He is an example to many people. He was always respectful and polite despite the difficult situation in which he found himself.

One last thing, there is a really cute marcatoon today, there have been a lot with Becks but as they are in spanish they're not always easy to follow but I think todays transcends the language barrier click here.

Have a great weekend!

David Beckham's Instinct range has been launched in America with a fabulous new Ad appearing in the March edition of Cosmopolitan and Glamour Magazines, details here. The range is now on sale in the US - amazon.com have a 46% discount off of the normal RRP (details here) or shop around if you would like to give yourself or your significant other some Becks appeal!

I have also added a photo from yesterday's training and a few more David Beckham pictures from the weekend's game to the gallery. and for anyone who hasn't seen them there are recent photos in the Out and About Album. Also, I've had a bit of a re-organisation and now all screen shots including those from Ads are in the Screen Caps Gallery.

Eric Harrison calls for David Beckham recall

Eric Harrison, former Manchester United youth coach, has urged Steve McClaren to re-consider David Beckham for the England squad. He said

I think Steve McClaren has to bring him back in.

But the only way that will happen is for Steve to go out to Spain and watch him play.

I’m biased — but I’m not stupidly biased. I talk to David at length and I know he still desperately wants to play for England — and I believe Steve is duty-bound to watch him.

It would be a positive move, one that would lift the country's spirits after some disappointing results - and let's face it, we need him.

Read the rest of Eric Harrison's comments in the full article.

However this excerpt from today's Telegraph makes it clear that McClaren despite praising Becks does not plan on watching him play (Source) -

One person who will not be on the plane to Tel Aviv is David Beckham, despite the former England captain's re-emergence in Real Madrid's midfield. "It's typical of David Beckham and the professionalism he's got,'' said McClaren. "He's not complained or whinged, he's got on with his work. He works very hard in training.

"He waited for his opportunity and got one to get back in the Real Madrid side when a month ago everybody would have said it was impossible.

I'm delighted that he's playing.'' But did McClaren have any intention of flying out to Madrid to watch Beckham. "I've no plans to see him,'' stressed McClaren, who has long closed the door on Beckham.

It is a great shame that Steve McClaren despite his claims to the contrary has closed the door on a David Beckham recall. His refusal to even consider all of England's best options should be grounds for dismissal. Clearly his need to personally save face will continue to be placed ahead of need to select the best possible squad to ensure England qualifies for Euro 2008.You can read the rest of this rant here.

There is another England recall poll online, this time at Skysports go here to support Becks!

update - Today's training report and photos are now on the official site

Associated Press have a video promoting the movie Goal! 2 - Living the Dream that features David Beckham talking about the film you can watch it here.

Also The Guardian have published a list, albeit unofficial, of football's heavy-hitters based on the fastest recorded shots that resulted in goals. David Beckham made the list twice!

1) David Hirst - 114mph (for Sheffield Wednesday @ Arsenal on September 16 1996)
2) David Beckham - 97.9mph (for Man Utd v Chelsea on February 22 1997)
3) David Trezeguet - 96mph (for Monaco @ Man Utd on March 19 1998)
4) Richie Humphreys - 95.9mph (for Sheffield Wednesday v Aston Villa on August 17 1996)
5) Matt Le Tissier - 86.8mph (for Southampton v Newcastle on January 18 1997)
6) Alan Shearer - 85.8mph (for Newcastle v Leicester on February 2 1997)
7) Roberto Carlos - 85.2mph (for Brazil v France on June 3 1997)
8) Tugay - 84.2mph (for Blackburn @ Southampton on November 3 2001)
9) Obafemi Martins - 84mph (for Newcastle @ Tottenham on January 14 2007)
10) David Beckham - 80.5mph (for Man Utd @ Derby on September 4 1996)

Quick update! I added a few screen shots from the "making of" clip for the new Motorola Ads to the Photo Gallery yesterday for anyone that missed them. I'm afraid they're a bit fuzzy, sorry, but he still looks good fuzzy :)

I have also added a few photos of Becks out with J-Lo and Marc Anthony in Madrid to the Out and About Gallery. They had dinner together at the Italian restaurant La Tabaoladi Bangaloo in Madrid on Monday night after JLo did a photocall for her new film Bordertown. Photo's are courtesy of TMZ.

Results are in from The Sun poll that many of you voted in. 88% voted an emphatic YES! to an England recall for Becks. Details here.

Frank Yallop, the head coach for LA Galaxy has praised David Beckham's play for Real Madrid on the weekend and resigned himself to the fact that David Beckham will definitely not be joining up with the team until July. He will travel to Spain this weekend to meet with Becks for the first time. Details here.

We love Owen Hargreaves

In Owen Hargreaves current BBC Column (online here) he was asked the following:

Hi Owen. Do you believe that David Beckham still has something to offer the England team? Paul Goodale, UK

Everyone knows about Beckham's quality and he was England captain for such a long time because of these exceptional qualities that he has.

But the manager has decided to go in a different direction and it's not for the players to say otherwise.

One thing I will say is that I think Becks is the greatest passer I've ever played with and I've played with some great players. That's remarkable in itself.

This is as strong an answer in favor of Becks as Owen could give considering he is a current member of the squad and can't publicly go against McClaren. Owen has shown David Beckham a lot of support over the last six months. In fact out of all the players in the England set-up Owen has been the most vocal in praising Becks since he was left out of the squad. David Beckham stood by Owen Hargreaves when he was being booed by England fans who had not given Owen a chance to prove himself. Becks condemned this behaviour to the press and called on the fans to treat Owen and all players with respect and now Owen has repaid his loyalty, by never missing an opportunity to express his sincere respect. It's nice. Good on you Owen!

update: - Todays training report and photos, including one of David Beckham, are on the official site

There is a great new Motorola TV Commercial featuring David Beckham online on the Motorola Hong Kong site. Just click here then click play on the site and then enjoy!

The site also has a behind the scenes "making of" featurette. It shows David Beckham filming the commercial featured on the Hong Kong site it also shows him making the "Hello Moto" Ad I posted a few weeks ago that was featured on the Motorola Japan site. The making of featurette can be downloaded it's a 37MB file or you can view it on you tube here.

The LA Times has published a useful article about all the scumbags unscrupulous people, particularly on ebay, who are cashing in on David Beckham fans by dishonest means. Please make sure you read this before you purchase merchandise and be careful, if you are in any doubt, take some time to ask around. You can always post a question in the comments section here, I probably won't know the answer but I may know someone who does :)

The official Manchester United site has an article about the March 13, Jubilee Charity Match, including a nice quote from Becks

I'm happy I’m going to play on March 13th. It will be something special to go back to Old Trafford, and I’m really looking forward to it.

The Sun also has an article about Becks Old Trafford return. Although both The Sun and The Times have mentioned Thierry Henry as a possible starter, The Manchester United article doesn't mention this but does name Jamie Carragher as one of the players in the UEFA XI along with Steven Gerrard and David Beckham.

In other news the Observer reports that David Beckham may be approached by The FA to be an ambassador for England's bid to host the World Cup in 2018. While Eurosport reports that Ulie Hoeness, Bayern Munich Manager, is ruing David Beckham's departure from European football because "... David Beckham is an extremely gifted football player". Finally there is a good article in Sports Illustrated about David Beckham's prospects for an England recall as the article states, "The problem for Beckham is that McClaren is not the sort of coach who can admit he was wrong", and that has undoubtedly been an obstacle ever since McClaren left him out of the squad in August.

Update: - Today's training report and photos are online here.

For anyone who didn't get to see the Real Sociedad v Real Madrid match on Saturday night, here are some highlights of David Beckham's game including his goal! The video quality isn't that good and I was having trouble with my editing software so apologies that the transitions between sections of play aren't more clearly marked or in some cases are a bit jumpy. The commentary is in english.

First Half

Second half

The Sun are running a poll to ask if David Beckham should be recalled for England please click here to vote. David Beckham's great performance on Saturday night, following on the heels of England's lifeless showing against Spain, seems to have re-ignited the calls for his inclusion in the England squad ahead of their next two qualifying games in March. The first of these is away to Israel who have only lost at home once in the last seven seasons. As Becks himself has said, a recall to the England side is not something anyone should bet on, still as the last seven days have shown, a week can be a long time in football and it's an unpredictable game.

David Beckham and the rest of the Real Madrid team were back in training today, details are on the official site

Finally, there is an article on Marca.com that predicts Capello will rely on David Beckham for the Champions League match against Bayern Munich. It will be played at the Bernabeu on Tuesday, February 20, which is Cruz Beckham's birthday, he will be 2 years old. So on that basis I predict a 2-0 win to Real Madrid, using the special scientific birthday footie score prediction method :)

David Beckham will captain the European team and Thierry Henry and Steven Gerrard are believed to be possible team mates, according to an update on the Manchester United v UEFA XI match in The Times this morning. This will be a very special game for Becks and leading out the european team at Old Trafford to play with and against many of his friends and former team mates will mean a great deal to him. The charity match will be played on Tuesday, March 13th, ticket info is online here.

Jeff Powell in last night's Daily Mail called for Steve McClaren to recall David Beckham for England, in the hopes that Becks can do for McClaren what he has done for Capello. Jeff Powell is one of the bitterest Beckham bashers in Britain, so for him to make this suggestion perhaps shows that even the most anti-Beckham members of the British press are beginning to wake up to the fact that England needs David Beckham. Here's the column, just ignore Powell's silly little digs, he must have drunk too much hatorade again.

Of course McClaren himself continues to ignore the asset David Beckham would be to the England team, as his comments in The Sunday People show but, as The Times points out in a good article about McClaren's England, he is under mounting pressure and the qualifying match against Israel may decide his future.

David Beckham is making lots of positive news headlines in the press this morning, following his triumphant return to the Real Madrid starting 11, here's some of the coverage just click on the source to read -

Headline: Team to Beckham - It's the return of the Glactico
Source: AS.com - I have translated this into english, it provides details of what happened after the match in the dressing room and during the trip back to Madrid

Headline: Beckham hailed as a Saviour
Source: Globe and Mail

Headline: Fabio's Cap in hand to Beckham
Source: The Sun

Headline: Beckham's strike delivers the perfect retort to Capello
Source: The Independent

Headline: The Real Deal
Source: The Guardian

Headline: Beckham's Rescue Job
Source: The Telegraph

Finally, for anyone who is curious to know a little bit more about Capello, a man who has been described as "an arrogant ego-maniac who has lost touch with reality", there is an interesting write up in The Times.