Beckham Offers Reminder of Value of His Influence

As England's season drew to a close in the stifling humidity of Trinidad last night, so the first political step was taken towards securing the country its first World Cup finals since 1966. The locals had swarmed to the Hasely Crawford Stadium optimistically clamoring for an historic win, but this contest's most significant legacy may actually have been secured before kick-off when David Beckham peeled away from his team-mates to conduct the toss.

This was the first time the midfielder had been captain since the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal in Gelsenkirchen two years ago. Beckham had limped from the turf well before the end that night with his ankle horribly swollen. There were tears in the dugout and an emotional resignation the following day back at the team's base. For a while, under Steve McClaren, that appeared to have been his last game for his country. Yet here he was leading the team out.

"The appointment is not a political move," Fabio Capello had insisted. "The political side is for the Football Association, and they have not suggested to me that Beckham should be captain. There was no pressure put on me." Even so, few within Soho Square would have turned their noses up at the thought of Jack Warner - the special adviser to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation, president of Concacaf and a vice-president of Fifa - shaking hands with England's most iconic player before kick-off.

This game was marketed as part of the local federation's centenary celebrations but, for England, it was all about 2018. Warner can supply the Concacaf votes which might prove crucial should the FA's bid make it through to the second round of voting - the Trinidadian will be obliged to vote for the Concacaf bid in the first phase but does not anticipate his own confederation's proposals progressing to the latter stages. Warner had admitted that he would have been strung up had Beckham not attended this match. England may have enjoyed a comfortable victory but everyone ended up happy.

Warner, not always appreciated even on his home island, was warmly received largely as a result of delivering Beckham. The Tannoy announcer had waited until last for dramatic effect to read out the captain's name as he listed the sides. The locals had squealed in anticipation then, their enthusiasm only marginally dampened when he battered a free-kick into Stern John's face three minutes in.

Quite how Jermain Defoe failed to convert the captain's right-wing cross moments later was baffling, not that the profligacy mattered. By the time Beckham took England's first corner after 18 minutes, they already led by two, with their hosts' defence reduced to shambles. That England then eased off for a period might have been deemed political, too. After all, David James had already inadvertently injured the home side's star player, Kenwyne Jones. This was not supposed to degenerate into an embarrassment.

The irony was that this mismatch might have seemed an apt time for Beckham to consider international retirement. This was a 102nd cap and doubts persist over the standard of football the 33-year-old is playing with the Los Angeles Galaxy. There is also the drain of transatlantic traveling to represent his country when the World Cup qualifying campaign begins in the autumn. If Baden Baden two years ago had felt a numbing stage on which to bow out, then this was an opportunity to leave on a high on the 59th occasion he has captained his country.

Yet Capello insists Beckham is a real contender to take the armband full-time. "We had the four games and he was one of the players I was considering to be captain along with Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry," said the Italian. "I know he gave up the England captaincy a couple of years ago, but you can never say never. He was captain for a long time."

"Why should he not be a candidate for the honor long-term?" said Ferdinand, who is still considered the favorite to take up the position when competitive action resumes later this year. "I don't think the manager would make him captain if he wasn't a serious candidate. He made it quite clear he would give it to certain people and see how they dealt with it and then make his decision. I am sure David is in the running. Good luck to him."

The midfielder still offers quality delivery, even if the half he played here was no opportunity to judge how he would fare against top-level opponents. The debutant Dean Ashton might have converted one of his centers from open play last night, the captain's every touch prompting whoops of delight as he dropped off Ancil Farrier, of Southern Connecticut State University and winning his second cap. This was not an evening when searing pace was needed on the right flank. Beckham's withdrawal at the interval was inevitable. Even so, his influence extended beyond his performance out on the pitch.