Heads Roll As Mcclaren Starts His Revolution

Icons lead a dangerous life. A new manager intent on showing that he has a fresh approach could have no simpler means of doing so than by abandoning the previous captain. Steve McClaren has duly dispensed with David Beckham, although he denies he did so in order to make a melodramatic show of his own independence.

As time passed, Beckham had become an increasingly ambivalent symbol. At 31 he could no longer be the incarnation of England's promise. Beckham scored one goal at this year's World Cup and made two others but he was mistaken if he supposed that would safeguard him.

With a slip that could scarcely pass unnoticed, McClaren even said yesterday that the door would never be "open" to Beckham, before correcting that to "closed". It is known that the player believes the initial statement was accurate and does not expect to add to his 94 caps. It remained only to trade courtesies.

"Having spoken to Steve McClaren this week I can fully understand that a new manager should want to make his mark on the team and build towards the next World Cup," said Beckham in a statement. "I am proud to have played for England for 10 years and my passion for representing my country remains as strong as ever. I'd like to wish the best of luck to John Terry [the new captain] and will offer him my complete support."

McClaren was as adamantly diplomatic: "He's been a fantastic player with England and he has been a great captain but now I have decided to move on from that. Let's talk about the future and the younger players that are coming through that we want to establish in the team for Euro 2008."

Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor, however, was not to be let off that easily and had to describe his phone call to Beckham. It was made just before Real set off for the current trip to the United States. McClaren argued that the experience had not been so agonising because of "the relationship we've had over many years and the respect we've had for one another". He was on more harshly realistic territory when he added: "It's a conversation that happens in football quite a few times."

Beckham's moment has seemingly come to be put out to pasture and references to his resolve to stake his claim anew by succeeding in Madrid are no more than token sentiments for the time being. Of the 25-man squad announced for Wednesday's friendly with Greece only Gary Neville, at 31, is over 30. David James and Sol Campbell have both been ditched, with their prospects of returning at least as poor as Beckham's.

Despite being Eriksson's assistant, McClaren has indubitably distinguished himself from the Swede, even bringing Bill Beswick, the sports psychologist he employed at Middlesbrough, into the fold. "I'm a great believer in the development of young talent," declared McClaren. "The likes of Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kieran Richardson and Stewart Downing, who blossomed in the World Cup, deserve it." Despite its idealistic tone, there will be a temptation to quarrel with the declaration.

Did Downing, for instance, really flourish in Germany? Considering Wright-Phillips's first goal for Chelsea came on Wednesday against Celtic after a harrowing year at Stamford Bridge, what precisely does he deserve? McClaren, nonetheless, should receive the latitude due any person stepping into the England post.

Much as he fends off any accusation that he is over-dramatising the contrast with his predecessor, few chances were missed to show that he is no Eriksson. "I like width, I like pace, I like penetration," he declared, conjuring up visions of thrilling football on the wings. It remains to be seen how much of that idealism is still intact at Euro 2008, assuming that England qualify.

In one respect, the change of direction was unavoidable. The "nucleus" of Eriksson's squad is intact and that would have been even more conspicuous if players such as Michael Owen, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, who has a groin strain, were not injured, but space had to be cleared for men who will be nearing their peak in 2008 or 2010.

"I've opened everything up to younger players coming through," said McClaren. "They know they'll get an opportunity if they're performing for their clubs." In Chris Kirkland, Ben Foster, Michael Dawson and Dean Ashton he named a quartet of uncapped players in the party. Attackers such as Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe are back in the fold, too, after being overlooked by Eriksson for this year's World Cup.

McClaren, portraying himself as a straightforward guy who will not shy away from "massive decisions" insists he has learned "lots of lessons" from the month in Germany. As Beckham now knows, chief among them was McClaren's realisation that no footballer is sacrosanct.

The squad


Robinson
Age
26
Caps
26

Tottenham

Kirkland 25 0

Liverpool

Foster 23 0

Man Utd

Bridge 26 23

Chelsea

Brown 26 9

Man Utd

Carragher 28 29

Liverpool

A Cole 25 51

Arsenal

Dawson 22 0

Tottenham

Ferdinand 27 52

Man Utd

G Neville 31 81

Man Utd

P Neville 29 52

Everton

Terry capt 25 29

Chelsea

Young 27 7

Charlton

Downing 22 5

Middlesbrough

Gerrard 26 47

Liverpool

Hargreaves 25 34

Bayern Munich

Jenas 23 15

Tottenham

Lampard 28 45

Chelsea

Lennon 19 4

Tottenham

Richardson 21 4

Man Utd

Wright-Phillips 24 8

Chelsea

Ashton 22 0

West Ham

Bent 22 1

Charlton

Crouch 25 11

Liverpool

Defoe 23 16

Tottenham