BECKS NEARER TO COLLECTING 100TH ENGLAND CAP
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
David Beckham will find out on Thursday whether he is any closer to winning his 100th England cap when coach Fabio Capello names his provisional 30-man squad for next week's friendly against France in Paris.
Beckham, who made his international debut in September 1996 and won his 99th cap against Croatia in November when England were eliminated from the European Championship, was left out of Capello's first squad for last month's Switzerland friendly.
However, the Italian said last week that Beckham would win his 100th cap depending on his form and fitness, and reports from his coaching staff have been promising.
Franco Baldini, Capello's senior assistant, watched Beckham complete 90 minutes for LA Galaxy against Dallas last weekend, and Galaxy manager Ruud Gullit has told England's coaching staff Beckham is ready to return to the international squad.
Theo Walcott, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Sunday, is also expected to be in the England squad for next Wednesday's match at the Stade de France, nearly two years after winning his only cap as a substitute against Hungary in May 2006.
He was taken to the World Cup finals in Germany but did not play and has since faded from the senior international squad while appearing for the Under-21s.
But Walcott has made an impact at Arsenal in recent weeks and, after being left out of the Under-21 squad named on Tuesday for next week's friendly against Poland in Wolverhampton, is expected to be in Capello's senior squad.
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who missed the chance to make his senior debut against the Swiss last month because of injury, should be named in the senior squad after being left out of the Under-21 squad as well.
