Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Beckham's in... and Crouch's also set for World Cup squad
David Beckham and Peter Crouch have forced their way into Fabio Capello's World Cup plans after impressing the England manager against Belarus.
Capello quite rightly insists that only in June will he know, for sure, which 23 players he takes to South Africa. But Sportsmail understands that, if he had to select his squad right now, Beckham and Crouch would make the final cut for the tournament.
Beckham still needs to secure a move back to AC Milan in January to satisfy Capello that he is performing to the required standard, and Crouch must win regular first-team football at Tottenham, where he is battling with Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Crouch has started just twice in the Premier League this season, but said: 'If we were losing games I could go and speak to the manager Harry Redknapp. But I'm not going to be the first one to argue.
'I will leave him to it, he picks the team and the team has done fantastically well.
'I want to be playing all the time for England, it's a dream to play at Wembley and wear the No 9 shirt, but when called upon I will continue to do what I have done. I would prefer to be Plan A than Plan B. But the manager has to continue to pick his team and I just have to give him something to think about, which is what I've done.
'I feel confident. I've never let anyone down. Whenever I've come in I've scored goals and played well. Hopefully, I will continue to do that.
'I'm not starting every game at Tottenham, but I'm at a top, top club and with the squad we've got we can really compete and do well.
'Their manager has brought me in and he's going to play me. He's not going to leave me on the bench. I know I will get a good share of games.'
Crouch, who is vying with Aston Villa's Emile Heskey and West Ham's Carlton Cole for the role of Capello's target man, is hopeful to round his week off on an even bigger high by being offered the chance by Redknapp to take on their former club Portsmouth on Saturday.
Just as Capello now recognises Crouch's ability to scoreinternational goals - the two he netted in Wednesday night's 3-0 winagainst Belarus extending a run that has seen him strike in every oneof his past six starts for England - the manager values Beckham as animpact substitute.
While the man of the match champagneshould have gone to someone else, probably Gareth Barry, Beckham didperform well for the final 32 minutes of the World Cup qualifier.
Capello cracked a joke at Beckham's expense in the aftermath of the match when he said: 'Yes. I just told him it was like (Barack) Obama getting the Nobel (Peace) Prize after eight months of being president of the United States. Beckham gets (man of the match) after 30 minutes.'
But England midfield colleague Frank Lampard showed his admiration for the former captain when he said: 'A lot of players look up to him for what he's done and the way he holds himself. It's a great sign for someone to keep travelling as far as he does to play for his country, and when he does he plays with passion and quality.
'Some players finish their England careers early, but David Beckham is still going and a lot of credit to him for that. He's got great enthusiasm and great quality. He's not always starting but he still comes and he's great to have around the place because of what he's done and the player and person he is.'
Capello will track the progress of all 55 players he has so far used since succeeding Steve McClaren and will continue preparing for the four remaining friendlies he has between now and the start of the World Cup on June 11 next year, starting with the encounter with Brazil in Qatar next month.
'It will be good for us because we have not yet played a South American team and they are the best team in the world,' said the Italian.
Enlarge But it emerged yesterday how England's preparation for the World Cup could be severely disrupted by UEFA's decision to move the Champions League Final to a Saturday for the first time this season.
Not until Capello discovers the dates of England's group games at the World Cup draw in December will plans be finalised, but the two warm-up games in May might have to be played either side of the Champions League Final in Madrid on May 22.
Capello wants to get out to South Africa and acclimatise to the altitude in plenty of time, which means Thursday May 20 has been pencilled in for a friendly at Wembley before the squad then fly out to Austria on Monday, May 24, for a six-day pre-tournament training camp that will be concluded by the final warm-up game.
If the English clubs are once again successful in Europe's most prestigious club competition, Capello could be without key players for what amounts to hugely important preparations. Had the final remained on a Wednesday, after the FA Cup Final on May 15, it certainly would have suited Capello better. The two friendly matches could have followed then.
