Soccer: England cling to Beckham hope

KOBE - England coach Sven Goran Eriksson is facing the disastrous possibility that David Beckham could be ruled out of the opening two games of the World Cup finals.

Eriksson is still clinging to the hope that Beckham will be able to start the opener against Sweden on Sunday, insisting that "if you believe hard enough, it will happen."

However, he issued his captain with a stark warning that he cannot afford to give him any special treatment in the battle to prove his fitness from a fractured foot.

Beckham's recovery is behind schedule. Eriksson has disclosed that the midfielder suffered a slight setback on Friday because of overwork.

A further scan tomorrow will give a clearer indication whether Beckham has a realistic chance of being fit to face the Swedes or Argentina.

Eriksson has generally remained positive on the surface, but he has still discussed the possibility of Beckham being ruled out of the World Cup if he is not fit for the group stage of the tournament.

He fully appreciates the talismanic qualities of his skipper, admitting "you can have a very good player but you can't find anyone of the class of Beckham."

"It's like taking out Zidane, Raul or Figo."

However, he knows his side cannot afford to carry any injured passengers in their tough World Cup group - as waiting for even Beckham until the knockout stages could spell an early exit.

Eriksson, who also has major doubts over Kieron Dyer, admitted: "When you start the World Cup, you can allow one player who can't play the first match if you are almost sure he will be fit for the second.

"But if you have one or two players who won't be fit for the first or second games, then it's very doubtful.

"After the second game, the World Cup can be over."

In London, Roy Keane said yesterday that he had nothing to be ashamed of after being axed from Ireland's squad following a blazing row with coach Mick McCarthy.

In an interview in the Mail on Sunday, the Ireland captain refused to apologise for events leading up to his shock departure from the team's base on Saipan.

"I don't feel an ounce of guilt about my part in what has happened," the Manchester United midfielder said.

"I will return to Ireland this week and walk down the main street in Cork with my head held high. I have nothing to be ashamed of."

McCarthy dismissed Keane from the squad after accusing him of being a disruptive influence and undermining team morale. The coach also said Keane verbally abused him in front of the rest of the players.

But the 30-year-old remains unrepentant.

"I don't think I should be apologising. If anything I believe others should apologise to me.

"I have a huge pride in the Irish nation and that has not altered. But I will never be accused of faking injury and letting down my country, particularly when the accusations are in front of the rest of the players.

"That's why I reacted the way I did and I don't feel sorry about any aspect of it."

Keane's absence from the squad has severely dented Ireland's chances of progressing in the tournament, but he insists there is no way back while McCarthy remains in charge.



Ireland begin their World Cup campaign against Cameroon in Niigata on Saturday, followed by matches against Germany and Saudi Arabia.

In France, a newspaper survey has shown that more than two-thirds of the adult population believe their team will retain the cup.

Twenty-two per cent of those interviewed were "certain" the team would win, while another 46 per cent thought it was "probable," said the poll in the Le Parisien daily.

The poll covered 1000 people aged 18 or older. No margin of error was given.

Just over half of those interviewed said the biggest problem for the national team was the demands on players for publicity and media interviews, and 44 per cent were concerned that the team might be tired from the long club season.

Twenty per cent said they believed the players took themselves too seriously, and 8 per cent said the biggest problem for the French team was the strength of several of their opponents.

nzherald.co.nz/fifaworldcup

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