Tom Cruise denies that Beckham has a part in the upcoming Mission Impossible: The Mothership Returns (snark). However, his close friend is preoccupied with his own mission impossible, at the age of 35 and with a host of injuries a sinew away from a permanent end – can Beckham force himself back to national consideration?
A return depends on a few factors.
A move to a bigger stage (European).
Capello will be forced to monitor him closely if Beckham moves to the Premiership or to the Serie. West Ham seems to be ogling him. Now, that will be a wise move because he can make an instant impact on a lower rung club. He can conserve his energy and efficiency cutting down on the trans Atlantic travel that he has had to undertake in the past with the LA Galaxy.
A midfield lacuna.
Theo Walcott is far, far from the finished product. Aaron Lennon is far, far from the finished product. Shaun Wright- Phillips is far, far from the finished product. Now, Beckham may not be able to play but 15 -20 minutes tops but he can sure cross and bend a free kick better than these boys. So if the young uns do not step up, then the former England captain could be back on the menu.
The sympathy vote.
Capello’s move to call an end to Beckham’s international career on TV has backfired miserably. He is coming off the worst as players, media, and fans have piled on making the former England captain an object of sympathy. Steven Gerrard has not ruled out his return. David Cameron has expressed shock at his ouster. At this point if Capello decides to resign there will be few sympathizers. After 115 national appearances, Beckham should be given the honour of deciding when he gets to hang up his boots.
The Beckham imbroglio serves as an example of how shallow the talent pool is in England – the short shrift given to developing players in the youth academies and the false linking of the success of the Premiership with that of the national squad. But there you have it. Capello’s blunt and insensitive comments have actually helped buttress Beckham’s waning credentials.