What Becks did next...

Roy Hodgson has rocked English football by announcing he is to step down as England manager this summer.
Hodgson, 65, Only took over the England job last year following the resignation of Fabio Capello and was expected to lead England to the World cup in Brazil next year, However the former West Bromwich Albion manager has decided he no longer wishes to do that stating family reasons.

The news has sent the rumor mill into overdrive with England legend and under-21 coach David Beckham who will lead his young lions to Euro2013 in three weeks time, the bookies joint Favorite along with Harry Redknapp.

Was Hodgson right to quit? Who should be the next England manager? Have your say now!

Brilliant results mate! Especially thee Afghan one, obviously expected but with the story you put with it made it great!

Interesting Hodgson retiring!

There was both euphoria and heartbreak this afternoon among the England under-21 camp as manager David Beckham made his final decision as to who he wants to take to the Euro2013 tournament in Israel next month
Eighteen youngsters were told that they would not be getting on the Jerusalem bound plane despite all their efforts to impress Beckham and his coaching staff.

The Final 22:

Goalkeepers: Jason Steel (Middlesbrough) Alex Smithies (Huddersfield) Jack Butland (Birmingham)

Defenders: Steven Caulker (Tottenham) Craig Dawson (West Brom) Martin Kelly (Arsenal) Tom Lees (Leeds) Harry Maguire (Sheff Utd) Jack Robinson (Liverpool) Kieren Trippier (Burnely)

Midfielders: Will Hughes (Derby) Thomas Ince (Blackpool) Ben Marshall (Leicester) Jacob Mellis (Barnsley) Jordan Much (Cardiff) Nathan Redmond (Birmingham) Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool) Korey Smith (Charlton)

Forwards: Callum Bell (Coventry) Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Ipswich) Luke James (Hartlepool) Gary Madine (Sheff Wed)

Out: Gary Woods (Doncaster) Jack Hunt (Huddersfield) James Husband (Doncaster) Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell) Jamaal Lascelles (Nottm Forest) Joe Mattock (Sheff Wed) Josh Meekings (Inverness) Chris Solly (Charlton) Luke Hyam (Ipswich) Jason Lowe (Blackburn) Josh Morris (Dundee) Marlon Pack (Cheltenham) Nick Powell (Man Utd) Raheem Stirling (Liverpool) Jose Baxter (Oldham) Luke Freeman (Stevenage) Wilfred Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Do you agree with Beckham's selection? Do the Young Lions stand a chance at Euro2013? Have your say now!

A late winner from Derby County winger Will Hughes gave England victory in a close run match as the Three Lions gear up for Euro2013.
England had two goals disallowed to make this game a much tighter affair than it might have been, Jay Emmanuel Thomas was the first to see the linesman's flag raised when he headed Martin Kelly's deep cross home in the 17th minute but replays show he was indeed just offside.
Gary Madine was next to be denied by Greece's offside trap, In a almost identical goal to JE-T's he was adjudged to be behind the last defender in the 53rd minute even though he looked level in the replay.

England did finally make a legitimate break through in the 64th minute however when Madine got to celebrate after all, The Sheffield Wednesday player of the year heading home Nathan Redmond's corner to put England into the lead.
Following the England goal Greece abandoned their cautious approach and became more adventurous, This approach was rewarded in the 81st minute when Zisis Xanthopaulos broke through the England defense to slide a calm finish underneath Alex Smithies, In doing so he became the first player to score against England in seven games.

With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Will Hughes found himself with the ball on the half way line in the 87th minute, The young Derby winger raced forward, outpacing two Greek defenders before smashing an unstoppable shot across the Greek goalkeeper to hand England the win and take their run of seven straight wins up to eight ahead of their game with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin this Thursday.

England First Half XI:


England Second Half XI:

England strolled to victory in their penultimate game before the European under-21 championships get underway in Israel in just over a weeks time.
England got off to a flying start when Hartlepool striker Luke James's first time shot following Nathan Redmond's interception gave Ireland keeper Aaron McCarey no chance at all. James now has six goals in nine games for the U21's.

Ireland were not helped by losing Manchester United winger Robbie Brady after just 22 minutes, Brady picking up a second yellow card for a needless foul on Redmond.
England patiently stretched their frustrated neighbors to the point of exhaustion, The Irish defense finally broke again in the 56th minute when Jay Emmanuel-Thomas came off the bench to sweep home Ben Marshall's cross from within the six yard box.
The Ipswich man struck again to seal the result not long after when he picked up Kieren Trippier's clearance just inside his own half before powering his way into the Irish box and slamming the ball past McCarey for his sixth goal in seven games for the Young Lions.

England's final friendly takes place on Sunday as they travel to Switzerland with all the players knowing they will need to impress if they wish to make David Beckham's starting line-up for the opening game of Euro2013 against Scotland.


England First Half XI:


England Second Half XI:

England's Euro2013 preparations concluded with a close run game with Switzerland at the Thun arena this afternoon.
Coach David Beckham may feel slightly disappointed not to be going into their opening game with Scotland on the back of a win but he can however still take solace in the fact his side are still unbeaten under his reign after thirteen games.

Just as in Dublin on Wednesday Hartlepool's prodigal striker Luke James opened the scoring after just three minutes when he burst through the Swiss back line to place an accurate finish past Aston Villa's young keeper Benjamin Siergrist, The 18 year old's seventh goal in nine England games.

The visitors enjoyed most of the first half possession but appeared to somewhat switch off in the second, Perhaps with their minds in Jerusalem early.
This drop in concentration allowed the Swiss in for a well deserved equalizer in the 68th minute, Wolfsberg striker Nassim Ben Kalifa was the man to draw them level when he was given too much time and space to pick his spot and dispatch a well placed finish past Jack Butland.

Beckham's men can now switch their attention to the Holy city having made their cases for selection against England's oldest rivals next Sunday.



England First Half XI:


England Second Half XI:

This story is really good, keep it going boi (Y)

Tough draw to take but sure you will start the competition in flying fashion!

Qualification:
Finished top of their group which consisted of Scotland, FYROM, Faroe Islands and Norway, Losing just once in the eight games.

The Coach:
Changed coach mid-way through the qualifying process with Stuart Pearce's decision to join West Bromwich Albion. Pearce's succesor, England legend David Beckham has yet to taste defeat after fifteen games at the helm.

The Squad:
Beckham's policy of selecting from any level of the English game has seen relatively big name players such as Jack Rodwell, Wilfred Zaha, Raheem Stirling and Jordan Henderson among others miss out on a place in the squad, It is however worth noting that 30 of the 36 goals scored during Beckham's time in charge have been scored by players outside the top flight.

Potential Stars:
Hartlepool United striker Luke James has proved himself a real predator for England, scoring seven goals in his nine appearances. At the back West Brom's Craig Dawson will be looking to go out on a high as he will no longer be eligible for U21 selection following the tournament.

Do They Stand A Chance?
Most would expect England to get out of their group consisting of Scotland, Austria and Italy, However they may face stern tests in the semi's if they come up against the likes of Spain, Holland and France. A fair chance but the smart money is still on Spain or Holland to win the Championship.

England got off to a flying start to Euro2013 following this resounding victory over Northern neighbors Scotland this evening.
David Beckham's side top group B after the first round of matches thanks to a brace from Luke James which was complimented by Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and Derby's young hotshot Will Hughes.

James opened the scoring in the 36th minute when he rose highest to head in a hanging ball played in by Shelvey from deep, The forward nodding home from inside the six yard box.
England's second came shortly before half time when Will Hughes found himself utterly unmarked at Scotland's far post to apply the simplest of finishes to Nathan Redmond's cross and give the Lions some breathing space.

Harlepool striker James made sure of the result almost straight from the kick off of the second half, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas used his power and pace to good effect to draw the Scottish defenders out of position before squaring the ball to 18 year old James who picked his spot and expertly applied the finish.
England weren't quite finished there though, Jonjo Shelvey scoring a well deserved goal after an exemplary display in midfield, The Liverpool man receiving a pass from substitute Gary Madine before turning an burying the ball into the net as the Scots looked on helplessly.
The only low point as far as England will be concerned was losing Jordan Mutch to injury midway through the second half, the Cardiff man will now miss the rest of the competition and England are not able to call up a replacement.

Beckham's men face Italy next knowing that a win will all but ensure a place in the semi's but also know that will be easier said than done as Italy began their campaign with a 4-2 win over Austria and will be no pushovers.

England XI:

Absolutely fantastic review there mate! Great start to the competition too!

Thats a great start, hopefully the injury isn't a to big a blow.

England under-21 manager David Beckham came with thirty seconds of experiencing his first defeat as coach of the Three Lions this evening.
England were played off the field by an Italian side playing a brand of passing football that left Beckham's side chasing shadows throughout most of the game.
There was only one change to the England side that humbled Scotland 4-0 four days ago, Charton midfielder coming in for the injured Jordan Mutch who has torn his calf muscle.

The Azzurri totally dominated the first half, with their expansive wide play, keeping England penned inside their own box as they defended valiantly, The side in blue did eventually take the lead however when Liverpool man Fabio Borini's effort somehow found it's way through a crowded penalty area and past Jason Steel.
With the lead in the bag Italy determined to try and pass England to death, Having long spells of possession despite not doing much with it as the England players played the unlucky chasers in a seemingly endless game of piggy in the middle.
With the game ticking into added time all seemed lost for an exhausted looking England, That was until Jonjo Shelvey fed a hopeful ball to Jay Emmanue-Thomas who was having to come wide to recive the ball as Italy's formation made the middle of the field simply too crowded to attempt to play through. Thomas used his power to fend of two challenges before cutting inside and dispatching a rocket of a shot from the edge of the area which flew past Simone Colombi in the Italian goal to send the Lions fans in Jerusalem into raptures.

England know they will be through to the semi finals with victory over Austria in their final Group B match. Currently Itay and England are joint on four points a piece, although England top the group on goal difference. Scotland are third following their 2-0 win over Austria who bring up the rear with no points yet on the board.

England XI:

If you do take the England Job then you must consider giving Luke James & Craig Dawson there full international Debuts

Of course.
There's a few others who I would likely give a chance to as well, Will Hughes and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas for a start.

England slumped to their first defeat under David Beckham after a disappointing display against an Austrian side they were heavily favored to beat.
England also disappointed in their previous outing against Italy but were able to salvage a point in that game, There would be no such turn around in this fixture however as first half goals from Harun Sulimani and young Chelsea wing back David Alaba saw Austria claim a thoroughly unexpected win.

Beckham will be frustrated at his side and their limp performance today, Fortunately for the Lions they still scrape through to the semi finals after Scotland could only manage a draw with Italy. However they will need to drastically sharpen up if they are to beat their opponents in the final four, mighty Spain.

England XI:
[center]1.Jason Steel
2.Martin Kelly - 4.Steven Caulker - 5.Craig Dawson - 3.Jack Robinson
7.Nathan Redmond - 6.Jonjo Shelvey (Sub 76) - 8.Korey Smith - 11.Will Hughes
9.Jay Emannuel-Thomas - 10.Luke James (Sub 80)

Subs: Jacob Mellis (On 76) Gary Madine (On 80)

England are out of Euro2013 at the semi final stage after being outclassed by a vastly superior Spain.
Things might have been different had Nathan Redmond's fourth minute strike not been chalked off for offside despite the winger being at least a yard in front of the last defender.

Disallowed goal aside, England can have no complaints with the result as they bowed out of the tournament with a whimper, Time and again the Spaniards sliced through the Lions defense, however they had the game wrapped up within the space of three minutes when Athletic Bilbao midfielder Iker Munian was allowed too much space on the edge of the area in the 42nd minute, The highly sought after star needed no second invitation to bend the ball wonderfully into the top corner of Jason Steel's net.
Less than a minute later Munian had scored again, This time he disposed England captain Craig Dawson on the edge of the England box after the defender was too slow in picking a pass, Munian simply clipped the ball over the onrushing Steel to make it two.
The shell shocked English again gifted the ball to the Spanish in a dangerous position just thirty seconds after the re-start, This time it was Getafe winger Pablo Sarabia who mercilessly punished the hapless defense by bending the ball in from the corner of the penalty as England saw their dream of a place in the final go up in smoke in the space of two and a half minutes.

Another Getafe player, Alavro compounded a tired England's misery in the 70th minute when he found himself with the space to pick out the top corner of Steel's net to complete a dreadful night for David Beckham's men who would have been hoping to make more of a contest of the game despite being underdogs.
Beckham's attention must now switch to qualifying for the 2015 competition, Presuming he is still in charge of the under-21's for that campaign with the 38 year old apparently interested in the retiring Roy Hodgson's job managing the senior England side.


England XI:
[center]1.Jason Steel
2.Martin Kelly - 4.Steven Caulker - 5.Craig Dawson - 3.Jack Robinson
7.Nathan Redmond - 6.Jonjo Shelvey - 8.Korey Smith - 11.Will Hughes
9.Jay Emannuel-Thomas - 10.Luke James

So, David what went wrong?
It's simple really, Spain were just a class above us, They played us off the park and should of won the tournament. I have no complaints with losing to them.

But it all started so well against Scotland...
Yes, It was a fantastic start but I think being made to chase shadows against Italy in the following game had a big impact on the players mentally, They weren't used to having to play on the back foot like that. It's something I take full responsibility for, I should have organised warm up games against tougher opposition simulate all possible scenarios we may have to face in tournament conditions. I've now learned that lesson the hard way and will use that knowledge in the future.

The defeat to Spain was to be expected, But the 2-0 reverse to Austria must have been hard to take?
Yeah it was, But as I said, The way Italy outclassed us in the previous game really took the wind from our sails, We suffered from a loss of confidence right at the critical moment.

So, The question on everybody's lips, Have you talked to the FA yet about Roy Hodgson's job?
I haven't been approached by anyone yet although I have registered my interest in the job should the FA consider me a worthy candidate.

If you arn't chosen for England, Will you be continuing on with the U21's to try again at Euro2015?
At the moment I have no plans to go elsewhere.

That doesn't sound like a definite yes...
As I said, At the moment I have no plans to leave.

Thank you Mr. Beckham.
My pleasure.

Unlucky mate, the groups challenged you more than expected and Spain were just a step of class up from you!

What a promising start, but sadly, something went wrong
I cant wait what will happen now

In a surprise move the FA have appointed Irishman Brendan Rogers as the new England manager.
It was believed that competition for the job was between QPR boss Harry Redknapp, England under-21 coach David Beckham or Newcastle's Alan Pardew. The FA however have stunned the football world by appointing the 40 year old County Antrim man who has no experience to speak of at International level either as a manager or a player.

Rodgers most recent employment was at Liverpool where he was dismissed due to his Reds side becoming marooned in mid-table, well away from their target of Champions League qualification. Before his Anfield tenure Rodgers had a successful spell with Swansea City where he guided the Swans to the Premier League for the first time in their history. He has also had stints with Watford and Reading.

Is Rodgers a good choice? Can he lead England to glory in Brazil? Have your say now!

Speculation abounds in South Wales this afternoon after David Beckham was sighted at a petrol station near Swansea along with wife Victoria.
The England under-21 coach is said to be keen on taking the plunge into club management and with his Three Lions side disappointing at Euro2013 last month many are speculating that the time 38 year old feels the time is right to begin his job hunt.

Swansea City are currently without a manager following Michael Laudrup's departure to Bayern Munich three days ago, Many see Beckham as an ideal replacement for Laudrup as he too favors Swansea's now famed flowing possession based style as well as the development of young players through the clubs youth academy.

More news on this story as we get it....


Are Beckham and Swansea a good fit? Should he have been appointed England manager? Have your say now!

Word from reliable sources are confirming that England youth coach David Beckham has agreed terms with Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins to fill the managerial vacancy at the club.
After last years sage regarding where David Beckham would end up dragged on for months with excursions to Rome and New York via Shepard's Bush, One might have been forgiven for not immediately getting too excited about Beck's being sighted in Swansea yesterday, However it turns out that the most capped English outfield player of all time has indeed agreed to take over from Michael Laudrup at the Liberty Stadium!

Early suggestions are that Beckham has agreed a three year deal with the Swan's and has been given an impressive transfer kitty of around £20million in order to improve upon last seasons fourteenth place finish in the Premiership.
There is of yet no indication as to whether the 38 year old will step down from his job coaching the under-21's or continue with both roles for the time being.

Full story to follow...

This is absolutely brilliant. Love the lay out, how well read it is. Great story KIU

DAVID BECKHAM

So David, It's hard to beleive it's been almost a whole year since we last spoke, How have you been?
Very well thank you!

Good to hear. So as it's what most people want to know, Why Swansea?
I have a great respect for Swansea City and have admired the way they have coached the very easy on the eye football in recent years, Even in the rough and tumble Football league they stuck to their principles and continued playing a wonderful flowing game which is a tradition I shall do my best to continue during my time at the club.

Despite the new job you are still in charge of the England U21's and with Euro 2015 qualification due to start in September do you think you will be able to juggle the two and still do a through job?
No I don't, most people don't realize the work that goes into national management, they think we just meet up once every other month or so for a game but it is so much more than that, we have to go to several club matches a week to take a look at potential players for our next squads, particularly in youth football it can be difficult as many of the young lads are part of reserves under-18 sides who tend to play at awkward times. It is simply asking too much to try and balance both club and country at the same time and it wouldn't be fair to either if I attempted it so that is why I tendered my resignation from the England under-21's to the FA just this morning.

Wow, A bombshell there, and you read it here first on 442.com! so you took charge of eighteen matches for England, winning thirteen, drawing three and losing two. Did you enjoy your eighteen months in charge?
Yes! it was wonderful to work with the future of English football and I had a lot of fun doing it, there are some great lads coming through and I'm excited to see how far they will go in the game in the years to come.

Are there any of particular players who you think will go far?
I can't see Luke James being at Hartlepool for much longer, the lad is just a natural poacher and can score goals for fun, at just 18 years old he's only going to get more prolific. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas will also be a big name Premiership forward in the future in my opinion, His strength and determination make him a nightmare for defenders, I tip him as the next Didier Drogba.

High compliments indeed! was there anyone who could be the next David Beckham?
Haha, perhaps Will Hughes, He's a young winger with good crossing and great from set pieces, also he has a bit of a temper and great hair!

Obviously Euro2013 didn't turn out the way you had hoped with England largely disappointing despite a promising start, any regrets there?
Well, I do regret not testing the team and myself against tougher opposition before the tournament, We went to Israel on the back of a fourteen game unbeaten run which gave us confidence, perhaps too much confidence. The problem was that most of those fourteen games were against opposition we should be beating, no disrespect to them. My squad wen't used to losing or having to chase a game which showed we eventually came up against top class teams such as Italy and Spain. It was a hard lesson to learn but rest assure it is one I have taken note of.

Were you at all annoyed by Brendon Rodgers been given the England job ahead of you, Can a Northern Irishman possibly be as passionate about the job as an English manager?
No I wasn't upset by it at all, of course I would like to manage England at some point, It is a dream of mine. But I know I'm still only 38 and still just taking my first steps in management. The job will come up again in the future and hopefully then I will be ready to take it. With regards to the foreign manager situation I do believe that a foreign manager can do the job, I captained England under Sven Goren-Eriksson who was one of the best managers I've ever known.

OK finally, back to Swansea, Will you be looking to bring in any of your former U21 charges?
There are a few lads who I would love to sign if we can work out a good price with their respective clubs but unfortunately talented you English players seem to get priced out the market. We shall see.

Good luck at the Swans, looks a good choose to cintinue your career. Not to high preasure but still enough oppertunities.

Good luck with Swansea mate, these report style updates are fantastic!

Yeah that was the plan. Hopefully it pans out.

Thanks mate, keep reading!

David Beckham has wasted no time in ringing the changes at Swansea City as he brings in former Manchester United team mate Ryan Giggs to be his assistant at the Liberty Stadium.
Beckham and Giggs came through the ranks together at Old Trafford collecting numerous trophies along the line, Including United's famous treble in 1999.

Giggs, 39, who ended his incredible 23 year playing career this summer after lifting his 13th Premier League title, is hotly tipped as a future manager of the Welsh national side and will be looking to learn all he can at Swansea as he takes charge of the Swans reserves as well as assisting Beckham with first team duties.