Beckham: Why I must keep going

David Beckham has told for the first time how his decade-long England career was brought to an end by a five-minute call from the new manager, Steve McClaren, in which he was told he would be "one of the casualties" of his change of regime.

But as Beckham broke his silence about his sacking, he vowed that the departure did not spell the end of his international career. He still hopes to bounce back and increase his tally of England caps, which is currently 94. That plan was aided in unfortunate circumstances yesterday when the man who took over Beckham's No 7 shirt, the Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves, was taken to hospital in Germany with a suspected broken left leg.

"I still want to reach the milestone of playing for England 100 times and help them win the European Championship," said Beckham, who is 31 and plays for Real Madrid. "It's a target I set myself a long time ago and I won't give up now. All I can do is work hard. If I work hard and I am playing well for one of the biggest clubs in the world, then who knows?"

Recalling the moment he was given his marching orders, Beckham told the Daily Mirror yesterday: "There was no shouting, no crying. It was a five-minute conversation. As soon as he told me I was one of the casualties, the conversation ended.

"I told him good luck and that it was his decision as the manager. That's the way it goes. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. It's a terrible feeling not playing for England after 10 years of being involved."

Beckham said he felt no bitterness about his dismissal; rather his feelings were those of "disappointment and hurt". "I still believe I have got two or three more good years in me," he added. "I have got a burning desire to prove him wrong."

Such fighting talk could be an effort to preserve Brand Beckham. The player is estimated to be worth around £65m. His pay packet at Real is £166,000. Sponsorship contracts include adidas, Gillette and Pepsi.

The PR guru Max Clifford predicted deals could be on the wane. "Brand Beckham rested on strong foundations, as long as he was part of the England set-up. Now that appears to be gone."

The life coach Carole Ann Rice believes Beckham's bullishness may not work. "Beckham has been emotionally honest - when we say that we don't care, we really do," said Ms Rice. "But he needs to remember that we never get taken back because of pity. They know he's a good player, but he's got to accept it and go quietly."

AND WHY VICTORIA NEEDS HIM TO STAY...

Five days, 10 outfits

Yesterday's unusual outpouring from David Beckham prompted speculation that his wife, Victoria, is behind his comments.

According to sources, Victoria is worried that her husband's departure from the England squad is having a negative effect on Brand Beckham. The timing could not be better, with one tabloid dedicating its front page and several sports pages to a campaign by Beckham to claim back his place in the national team. This follows widespread media coverage of Victoria at New York Fashion Week last week, and days earlier at the Venice Film Festival.

At both events, she was pictured in a bewildering number of designer outfits - as many as 10 in five days. These ranged from (pictured, left to right) a Miu Miu mini-dress and a vintage corset teamed with a Fifties petticoat, to a traffic-stopping tutu-style creation and the sexy secretary look.

Recently Victoria has been busy promoting the couple's various business ventures, including their own his'n'hers fragrance, Intimately Beckham. Other projects include establishing a TV career in the US as a fashion expert on a reality show. But she is now facing stiff competition from a younger generation of footballers' wives, headed by Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy. After years in the spotlight, the Beckhams cannot be described as young and contemporary.

In a recent survey, many thought the couple should quit life in the public eye, with some saying they should concentrate on charity work.