Beckham still eyeing England return

Oct 17, 2006, 7:47 GMT

London - David Beckham said Tuesday he still believes he could receive a recall to the England team, even though he has not featured in any of Steve McClaren's squads so far.

The 31-year-old last played for his country in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals, but, despite being a peripheral figure at his club Real Madrid this season, there have been calls for his return after England's stuttering start to their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

'It's hard to watch England without being in the team,' the former captain said in an interview with SkySports. 'It's still hard and it will be until I'm back in there.'

His absence was obvious in last week's 2-0 defeat to Croatia as, with Steven Gerrard suspended and Aaron Lennon injured, McClaren played a 3-5-2 system rather than risk Shaun Wright-Phillips in Beckham's former position on the right side of midfield.

That game followed a goalless draw in Manchester against Macedonia, but Beckham believes England will still qualify for Euro 2008.

'What people have to realise is there's going to be tough games, there's going to be good games, bad games, and it's been two tough games for them - one at Old Trafford where usually our record there is good,' he said. 'But we've got great players, we've got great talent in that team, good young talent.'

And he gave his backing to Wayne Rooney, who has been largely out of sorts this season.

'People talk about Wayne being in a bad patch but people also have to remember that he's missed quite a bit of the season - three or four weeks without playing the game,' he said. 'He might have trained but it's not the same as match-fitness and you need that.'