Hodgson needs Beckham: Ex-captain could play a vital role if England are to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, says Keown
By MARTIN KEOWN
If a young English player had put in a good performance against the best midfield in the world, we would be raving about him, purring about his future in an England shirt.
So why should it be any different with David Beckham? He played well against Barcelona on Tuesday night and reminded us that, at 37, he still has plenty to offer.
Beckham creates so much time on the ball and is extremely calm in possession. He plays difficult passes and makes them look easy. He reminds me of Tiger Woods playing an approach shot the way he feathers the ball to his team-mates.
Top level: David Beckham looked comfortable against some of the world's very best
For someone who is 37 years old to pass the ball that well in the company of Xavi and Andres Iniesta is impressive. Yes, Blaise Matuidi alongside Beckham in central midfield had to work hard but Beckham’s lack of pace is made up for by the fact that he rarely gives the ball away.
Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic made more passes for the French side and he played the full match compared to Beckham’s 70 minutes.
Beckham does not have the pace to play on the wing any more but he managed his energy well, even if he looked tired by the time he was substituted. The more he plays, the better his fitness will get. Even now, the amount he grafted out of possession impressed me.
Striking: Beckham is the only Englishman left in the Champions League
Finest hour? Keown also played when Beckham scored that famous late equaliser against Greece 2001
He kept a good shape for the team. It’s doubly amazing when you consider that he snapped his achilles three seasons ago, which could have been very difficult to recover from at his age.
Where does he fit in for England? Wherever you want, really, though he might be best used from the bench.
He played in a Champions League match on Tuesday, not a testimonial. It was top-level football and he’s the only Englishman still in the competition. Beckham and Paul Scholes were the two best passers of a ball I played with for England and neither have lost that. They, along with Ryan Giggs, are the Peter Pans of football.
'Peter Pans': Beckham and Paul Scholes continue to defy their age
Patriotic: Beckham still hopes to play for England again, even though he is 38 next month
Under pressure against Montenegro, England struggled to hold on to the ball. Beckham would be perfect to bring on in a situation like that and keep possession. There’s care in his passing. His team-mates don’t have to adjust or check their run. Barcelona press the ball so much and he still got rid of it quickly and accurately.
Our remaining World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland and Moldova will be at a lower level than this. He has to come into the manager’s thinking after performing in such a big game.
In a pressure situation, England haven’t always coped recently, they have given up leads. Beckham can help take the sting out of the opposition. Plus his use of the dead ball is still very threatening. On top of that, Beckham offers something off the pitch. He is a good role model to have in the England squad. He would bring quality to training and improve the level.
International team-mates: Sportsmail's Martin Keown played alongside Beckham for England
Side by side: The duo lined up in a friendly against Mexico at Pride Park
Players copy other players and he has very good habits. Someone like Jack Wilshere can only benefit from having him around every day.
Beckham has so much mental strength and belief in his own ability. You don’t hear him talk about retiring.
Early days: The pair played at France 98 together which was unhappy time for Beckham after his sending off
Getting stuck in: Beckham and Keown fight for the ball during training at the 2002 World Cup
I wanted to have him back in the Premier League to see if he could still cut it. His performance against Barcelona proved that he can. There’s no reason to think he couldn’t do the same for England.
The road to Brazil 2014 could still be pretty rocky for England and Beckham has a role to play to get them there.
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