Source: Eurosport
Becks determined to set benchmark
England record-breaker David Beckham is happy to carry on helping his country anyway he can, even if it means he is only used as a substitute. The AC Milan and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder came off the bench to replace Aaron Lennon for the start of the second half of Saturday's 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia at Wembley to make his 109th international appearance. Beckham, 33, has now surpassed the mark of legendary World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore for outfield appearances.
Fabio Capello's men are well on the road towards South Africa 2010, but Beckham knows there can be no guarantees he will be in the starting XI for Wednesday night's qualifier against Ukraine. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star - who captained England at the last two World Cup finals - feels being part of the international set-up once again is the most important thing.
"Everyone wants to start for England, but at the end of the day, everyone also wants to play for England," said Beckham, whose trademark cross from the right set up Wayne Rooney for England's second goal on 70 minutes. "Substitutes can be very important. We saw that [at Manchester United] in [the] 1999 [Champions League final] with Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
"Sometimes substitutes come on and can help secure a game, or change a game. "I was happy with getting on and happy with the assist. "It is what I have done for my whole career, and if I get a chance there are players like Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey or Peter Crouch to get on the end of it. "
Beckham declared: "If I start, then I start. If I don't, then I am part of the team - a good team which is going forwards. "The 33-year-old could not hide his delight at reaching such a personal landmark, and dedicated the achievement to his family, with wife Victoria at Wembley on Saturday. Beckham, though, was also humble enough to put those achievements second to the collective good.
"I am very proud to be up there above Bobby Moore, but the most important thing was the way the team played," he said. "Within the first couple of minutes, we had set the tone. "That is what the manager had been telling us to do. "Overall it was a good night for myself, but a better night for the team. "England head coach Capello was relieved Rooney had performed so well, scoring two second-half goals to seal a well-deserved man-of-the-match award.
Manchester United striker Rooney took his tally to seven in the last four appearances for England in a display which showed few signs of allowing last week's red card at Fulham to affect his game. Beckham was full of praise for his England team-mate. "Wayne has been training well all week and has been unbelievable for Manchester United," he said. "He is such a great player and nobody should try to tame the way he is because it will change him as a player"Wayne has runaround out there for the whole 90 minutes and is such an exceptional player for us. "
Capello has, meanwhile, called Darren Bent into the England squad for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against the Ukraine. The decision was made after Carlton Cole, who had come on to replace injured goalscorer Emile Heskey, was ruled out with a thigh problem. Heskey is also a major doubt, with the Aston Villa striker set to undergo a scan later on Sunday after lasting just 14 minutes before limping off with what the England coach described as cramp. In addition, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand should be available for Wednesday's game after scans on a groin injury which caused him to miss out against Slovakia revealed no damage.
