Capello calls on Villa youth as Beckham vows to battle back

Left out of Fabio Capello's first England squad yesterday and still one short of his 100 caps, David Beckham has told The Independent that he will not give up on his international career. In an interview with the former England captain, Beckham said he accepted that he would not be an automatic pick for his country but was not considering retiring from international football yet.

"I will carry on working hard and trying to get back in. I won't get bitter and twisted because I am old enough and I have got enough respect for the manager to realise that," Beckham said. "If it doesn't happen, life goes on." Speaking at the launch of his "David Beckham World of Sport" resort near Natal in Brazil, Beckham said that he still believed he could play at the level required to represent his country. He added: "I have been lucky enough in my career to come back from tough times and disappointments. If it doesn't happen [winning his 100th cap], I will come back from it again, in my way. If it does, then great."

Beckham's exclusion from the squad to face Switzerland next Wednesday was the biggest, if not unexpected news, from a Capello squad that also included five from Aston Villa including England new boys Curtis Davies (on loan at Villa) and Gabriel Agbonlahor. There was no place for the out-of-favour Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Capello picked 12 defenders in a 30-man squad that will be reduced to 23 on Saturday night. Leaving out Beckham, Capello explained, was a decision based on his match fitness – despite training with Arsenal for most of the month he has not played a competitive game since the Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to Croatia in November.

It is understood that Beckham actively sought an answer as to whether he would be in the squad when he returned from Brazil on Wednesday. Requested by Beckham to call him, the England manager acquiesced only reluctantly later that day. The explanation given to Beckham, which was brief, was that it would be more fitting that he should get his 100th cap – if he is to get his 100th cap – because he deserves it rather than as a gesture. There is nothing in the Capello camp ruling out a return for Beckham, although nothing is guaranteed. Beckham flew back to Los Angeles last night in no doubt that his form for LA Galaxy, when their season starts next month, will have to be good to get back into the England squad.

Once he was left out of the squad, Beckham was immediately called back to America by LA Galaxy, which caused another problem for the 32-year-old who had been due to stand in for his friend Thierry Henry at a cystic fibrosis charity fundraising event last night. Instead the player recorded a video message for the live event and will be in pre-season training for his club over the weekend.

In a Football Association statement, Capello said: "The reason that David is not in the squad is because he has not had any real match practice since playing in November. When I spoke with David on the phone I advised him that he is still part of my plans and once he is playing regularly in America we will look closely at him again."

Generally, the tightness with which Capello controlled the announcement of the squad has set a precedent at the FA. An organisation that is usually more renowned for the leaking of teams and squads has kept the whole thing secret – largely because Capello told virtually no one beyond his trusted circle of backroom staff.

There is a consensus among the England manager and his staff that friendlies will be taken extremely seriously and there will be no repeat of Sven Goran Eriksson's preferred tactic of mass substitutions. The Capello camp like the sense of anticipation they are creating – Beckham described it as "anxiety" – among players unsure whether they will be in the team or not.

In terms of the captain for the Switzerland game, Capello is likely to appoint a temporary candidate with John Terry injured. He is understood to be keen to get to know his players better before he makes a permanent decision. In Italy the tradition in the national team is to give the captaincy to the player with the most caps which, in this squad would be Michael Owen (88), provided he makes the final cut. However, Rio Ferdinand, who is second with 64, is another candidate.

There was no room for Aaron Lennon, who is moved to the England Under-21s, although Capello had encouragement for the Tottenham winger as well as for Manchester City's Joe Hart, Arsenal's Theo Walcott and David Wheater of Middlesbrough.

Capello said: "I have also worked very closely with Stuart Pearce on squad selection and there are some players like Hart, Lennon, Walcott and Wheater who are with the Under-21s this time because they have a very important qualification game against Ireland on Tuesday.

"In the future these are players that could feature in the senior squad. I believe it is very important for everyone that the Under-21s team does well and I want to help them achieve success with Stuart."

As well as playing France on 26 March, England's second June friendly is probably to be against Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean – a sure-fire attempt at vote-winning ahead of the 2018 World Cup finals. Capello said: "I have selected a squad of 30 players as I think it is important that all the players are equal from the beginning. There are a lot of games before we join up and I think it is better that we are prepared for any injuries. This way we are not expecting to call players up as late replacements when I name a 23-man squad.

"Franco Baldini [his assistant] and I have watched many games since we arrived in England and have tried to see as many English players as possible. We will use the time between now and our first World Cup qualifying match in September to find the best formula for the team."

Villa 5 Arsenal 0: O'Neill's men dominate selection

England provisional squad for the friendly international against Switzerland at Wembley next Wednesday:

Carson (Aston Villa)

James (Portsmouth)

Kirkland (Wigan)

Bridge (Chelsea)

Brown (Manchester Utd)

A Cole (Chelsea)

C Davies (Aston Villa)

Ferdinand (Man Utd)

Johnson (Portsmouth)

King (Tottenham)

Lescott (Everton)

Richards (Manchester City)

Shorey (Reading)

Upson (West Ham)

Woodgate (Tottenham)

Barry (Aston Villa)

Bentley (Blackburn)

Carrick (Manchester Utd)

J Cole (Chelsea)

Downing (Middlesbrough)

Gerrard (Liverpool)

Hargreaves (Man Utd)

Jenas (Tottenham)

Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)

Young (Aston Villa)

Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)

Crouch (Liverpool)

Heskey (Wigan)

Owen (Newcastle)

Rooney (Manchester Utd)

5 representatives

Aston Villa, Manchester Utd

4 representatives

Chelsea

3 representatives

Tottenham

2 representatives

Liverpool, Portsmouth, Wigan

1 representatives

Blackburn, Everton, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Reading, West Ham

0 representatives

Arsenal, Birmingham, Bolton, Derby, Fulham, Sunderland

First test for Fabio: How England could line up against Switzerland

Sam Wallace's England team

I'd pick Bridge ahead of Ashley Cole because he deserves it on form. Let's see what Agbonlahor can do at this level, although he has gone off the boil in the last month. His pace is nicely balanced by Bentley's crossing ability on the right. To partner Rooney, Crouch is my choice: 14 starts, 24 caps, 14 goals – the record speaks for itself.

Carson, Richards, Ferdinand, King, Bridge, Bentley, Gerrard, Hargreaves, Agbonlahor, Rooney, Crouch.

Fabio Capello's probable team

He's a fan of James and he will have seen a fair bit of Ashley Cole over the last month. Wright-Phillips is another recent impressive performer, although it has been in a more central position for Chelsea. Barry will also have caught Capello's eye. As for Owen, maybe Capello needs to see for himself that the goalscorer has lost his edge.

James, Richards, Ferdinand, King, A Cole, Wright-Phillips, Gerrard, Barry, Agbonlahor, Rooney, Owen.

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