Steve McClaren's open door has padlocks and a guard dog - but it's open - honest!
15.02.2007
Considering McClaren's continued, laughable insistence that "the door is open" for David Beckham, I am surprised he can't slot a day trip to Madrid into his schedule to, at the very least, keep up appearances or even give some vague indication of a willingness to watch the games on TV. Why wouldn't McClaren at least want to maintain the appearance of being fair towards David Beckham? The sad truth is that McClaren is keeping up appearances. As when David Beckham was left out of the squad and the famous freudian "closed...oops I mean open" gafe was made at the press conference, it was clear that a sly wink was being given to the anti-Beckham media, that David Beckham would not be considered again. McClaren happily sold out the former captain using his profile to make his point and to please the press who love a big story, any big story, about David Beckham. In exchange he hoped that the press would give him time, emphasise that he was a new man, with a new vision and show him some support and so it was... for a full five minutes.
Now McClaren has painted himself into the smallest, darkest, most friendless corner. It is a place he deserves to inhabit. The vast majority of the England fan base would like to see David Beckham back in the side and are calling for McClaren's dismissal. Large sections of the media are referring to him as Sven MK II, unfair to Sven undoubtedly. The press have shown the constancy that McClaren should have foreseen when he tried to "buddy-up" to them. The british media is fickle and driven by circulation and money above all else. Steve McClaren's only remaining friends, after his dismal performance as England Manager over the last seven months, are the die-hard Beckham bashers. The only press he receives that is faintly positive comes from a few bitter souls who still praise him for the decisive and bold decision he made to leave Becks out and even some of them such as Jeff Powell are scurrying like rats from a sinking ship to distance themselves from McClaren’s postion and to urge that Becks be re-considered. Why? Well it seems the one thing these men hate more than an attractive, wealthy, hugely successful Essex boy is the possibility of England failing to play in Euro 2008. Still, if McClaren backs down now he will lose the few miserable supporters he has and the majority, who are already convinced that he is entirely the wrong man for the job, may be appeased but they are not going to convert into overnight supporters.
This leaves Steve McClaren clinging to his bad decision in the face of over-whelming evidence that it was a mistake. He still hopes, even if Israel have proven a little tough to beat at home that England can pull off a draw and then beat Andorra. This will keep the qualification hopes alive. England will not be in the position that most expected at this point in the campaign but it will be enough to keep his head above water and if this can be achieved, he will be able to avoid having to acknowledge that England would be better off with David Beckham in the squad. This is clearly the path he has decided to pursue and by doing so he has placed his own need to save face ahead of the England national teams need to qualify. If he was putting England first he would use every resource available and leave no stone un-turned in achieving the right results for qualification.
His refusal to even watch David Beckham play makes a lie of every word he has ever uttered about "never ending the international career of anyone ... and the door always remaining open". It is a crying shame that a man of such limited abilities and weak character is in a position to affect the career of such a dedicated profesional and patriot as David Beckham. The only consolation is that McClaren may not remain as Manager for much longer. When someone has been promoted so far above their capabilities, they are almost inevitably found out.