By Peter Fraser Last updated: 16th May 2008
Hargreaves: Backing for Beckham
Owen Hargreaves is confident England centurion David Beckham has a future at international level.
Beckham collected his 100th international cap as he started alongside Hargreaves in England's midfield in the 1-0 friendly defeat away to France in March.
Speculation has been rife that Beckham's appearance in Paris could be his last in an England shirt, but Hargreaves believes there is room for the Los Angeles Galaxy star in manager Fabio Capello's plans.
England face USA and Trinidad & Tobago in friendlies on 28th May and 1st June, respectively, as preparation for the start of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers in September begins to gather pace and Hargreaves believes Beckham can be an 'addition' to Capello's side.
"There is always room for someone like that. He is an addition to any team - not only footballing wise, but also as a person.
"He is great to have around and he has great experience at this level. He has achieved a lot.
"Whether he starts or whether he doesn't, then he is a great addition to the team."
Meanwhile, Hargreaves is looking forward to proving England are capable of winning World Cup qualifying Group 6, but claims he is not looking for revenge against Croatia after again being drawn with Slaven Bilic's side.
Croatia recorded an infamous 3-2 Euro 2008 qualifying victory at Wembley in November, which cost England a place at this summer's finals, but Hargreaves insists the priority will be to secure a place at the World Cup in two years' time.
"Revenge is a strong word," Hargreaves added when asked if he was looking for payback against Croatia. "But at this level it is important to compete against each other.
"There are no ill feelings or anything like that. It is just a game of football and they will be going to the European Championship and we won't.
"It is a tough group, but we are one of the favourites. We would like to prove to some people that we are capable of winning the group and going on to the World Cup."


Latest Sky Sports News Report
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ferguson
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ancelotti
West Ham 1-2 Everton - Zola
West Ham 1-2 Everton - Moyes
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Martinez
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Hodgson
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Horton
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
Have a read through the skysports.com debate on Chelsea's 1-0 win over Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.
Pictures from Sunday's Premier League action where Hull snatch victory and Chelsea beat Man United.
Sunderland fan Lucinda Gittins was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
A John Terry header proved the difference as Chelsea beat Manchester United to move clear at the top of the Premier League.
Follow all of Sunday's action via skysports.com's Score Centre, including Chelsea versus Manchester United.
Hull came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 at the KC Stadium to ease the pressure on Phil Brown.
Sir Alex Ferguson insisted John Terry's winner should not have been allowed to stand after Man United's defeat at Chelsea.
Carlo Ancelotti admitted his delight in beating Chelsea's "best opponent" at Stamford Bridge.
Comments (7)
Karan K (Manchester United fan) says...
Beckham is a class act...totally agreed.And adding to wat hargreves has said...it is spectacular how Becks can even now pick out a man n pass d ball right to his head or his toe...u know...he's served England royally and i think his services will not go unnoticed as he seems to play wid the best spirit everytime he's on the field...Hope he continues to assist or net a couple of free kicks....coz its a pleasure to watch dem curl n bend and hit the net !!!
Posted 15:18 29th May 2008
Mark Ruff (Aston Villa fan) says...
Becks is and will always be the best rightwinger in the world. No one can deliver high quality balls again and again like he can. Plus when it comes to dead ball situations you can forget ronaldo and ronaldinho, becks is the best!!
Posted 10:34 29th May 2008
Krishna Gurung (Manchester United fan) says...
enter comment...Becks is the one of the Best golden footballer in the Britain and in the wprld as well. he is the best free kick taker and best passer in the the world so he must be included in the England world cup squads in first place.
Posted 20:04 27th May 2008
Chris Denton (Arsenal fan) says...
Beckham is the most dedicated player in the England Team, everything about him underlines what English football is all about, guts, determination, passion and that little bit of class, he really is a Lion Heart... Long Live the King
Posted 11:39 20th May 2008
Chris Leeson (man u) says...
Beckham is a legend. Possibly the best England International ever. Also a top 3 Man U player. What he has done for club and country both on & off field is far above the normal. He has given 110% in everything he's done. All that being said this is the World Cup & no place for sentement. If Becks was in Europe playing week in week out at the highest level and still doing what he has done before then he gets the cap. He isn't. So the cap goes to someone who is earning it, no matter what their C.V. reads like. We have players coming now. Villa have some fantastic young english talent and Arsenal have Theo, who can go past and out run anyone in the world. These young players have older, experianced players around them all week and can hold their own in the bigger matches at club level. Let them go for it. Alan Hansen was wrong!!! You can win things with kids. They have got to be hungry kids & they have got to be feed in the right way. We can not let our feelings for a player cloud judgement. By going to the States Beckham threw the shirt away. Let one of the kids, who are only in the game because the grew up wathing and idolising him, pick it up, put it on, and become the new Beckham. 1966 was a long time ago and i'm getting sick of waitting for it to happen again. This really could be the dawning of a new era. If the team is picked right.
Posted 11:58 17th May 2008
Alamin Ali (Manchester United fan) says...
i think england will qualify for the world cup without england it wont be exiciting to watch the world cup on the way will get revenge on croatia come on ENGLAND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 17:03 16th May 2008
Gordon Allinson (Manchester United fan) says...
I definitely agree with Hargreaves here, Beckham is still a class act. For me its just a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Because people aren't watching Beckham play week in and week out they're writing him off. For me I think it'd be best for Beckham to start most matches and then come off later on to allow the likes of Bentley and Lennon to pick up 20 or 30 mins of competitive international experiance for each game in the qualifiers.
Posted 09:49 16th May 2008