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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Beckham may return, says Clifford </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>McClaren has not yet selected former England skipper Beckham</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>England boss Steve McClaren will not rule out recalling David Beckham, according to his adviser Max Clifford.
Some England fans called for the Real Madrid player to be brought back following the 2-0 defeat by Croatia.
Clifford told Five Live Sport: "If he's in tremendous form, the chance presents itself and it's best for England, that's all Steve's interested in.
"Steve McClaren is not too proud to say 'look, David Beckham is playing particularly well at the moment'."
Clifford added: "Personally I don't think if Beckham had played yesterday it would have made a blind bit of difference, but I'm sure... a lot of journalists will say that.
"Because, no matter what anyone does from a PR perspective, if McClaren is winning, he's popular, if he's losing, he's dead."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>Hopefully in the next six months we'll have a chance to teach Steve some of the media game... and make the minefield slightly less explosive <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Max Clifford</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
McClaren has not selected former England skipper Beckham in any of his squads since taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson at the end of August.
Clifford - who is an adviser to McClaren's representatives Key Sports - says not selecting Beckham initially was a wise decision by the new England manager.
"What it did was stamp his authority and say 'I'm not Sven's assistant, I'm my own man'," Clifford said.
"I think everybody agrees Beckham had a very disappointing World Cup, as a lot of our players did."
Clifford admits he has not been able to spend much time with McClaren since he took over as England manager.
But the PR guru, who helped Football Association secretary Faria Alam to sell the story of her affair with Eriksson, hopes that will change now that England have a break before their next Euro 2008 qualifier.
"In the last few months I've had hardly any contact at all because he's been busy settling in and has had a lot of important games," Clifford said.
"He's got to build a relationship with the national media - there's an awful lot to do.
"Now he's got a break. Hopefully in the next six months we'll have a chance to teach him some of the media game to make the minefield slightly less explosive."
Clifford says he believes McClaren has dealt well with the media so far.
"I think he's done very well, considering he's only just started," he said.
"He's got the FA advising him, which I've got my own views on." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<DIV class=cap>McClaren has not yet selected former England skipper Beckham</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>England boss Steve McClaren will not rule out recalling David Beckham, according to his adviser Max Clifford. Some England fans called for the Real Madrid player to be brought back following the 2-0 defeat by Croatia.
Clifford told Five Live Sport: "If he's in tremendous form, the chance presents itself and it's best for England, that's all Steve's interested in.
"Steve McClaren is not too proud to say 'look, David Beckham is playing particularly well at the moment'."
Clifford added: "Personally I don't think if Beckham had played yesterday it would have made a blind bit of difference, but I'm sure... a lot of journalists will say that.
"Because, no matter what anyone does from a PR perspective, if McClaren is winning, he's popular, if he's losing, he's dead."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>Hopefully in the next six months we'll have a chance to teach Steve some of the media game... and make the minefield slightly less explosive <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Max Clifford</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>McClaren has not selected former England skipper Beckham in any of his squads since taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson at the end of August.
Clifford - who is an adviser to McClaren's representatives Key Sports - says not selecting Beckham initially was a wise decision by the new England manager.
"What it did was stamp his authority and say 'I'm not Sven's assistant, I'm my own man'," Clifford said.
"I think everybody agrees Beckham had a very disappointing World Cup, as a lot of our players did."
Clifford admits he has not been able to spend much time with McClaren since he took over as England manager.
But the PR guru, who helped Football Association secretary Faria Alam to sell the story of her affair with Eriksson, hopes that will change now that England have a break before their next Euro 2008 qualifier.
"In the last few months I've had hardly any contact at all because he's been busy settling in and has had a lot of important games," Clifford said.
"He's got to build a relationship with the national media - there's an awful lot to do.
"Now he's got a break. Hopefully in the next six months we'll have a chance to teach him some of the media game to make the minefield slightly less explosive."
Clifford says he believes McClaren has dealt well with the media so far.
"I think he's done very well, considering he's only just started," he said.
"He's got the FA advising him, which I've got my own views on." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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