England coach Fabio Capello claims "the door is always open" for David Beckham, but Paul Scholes will not be making an international return.
The England manager effectively called time on Beckham's international career in a television interview immediately prior to the 2-1 victory against Hungary at Wembley earlier this month.
It was a step which brought criticism that he had been disrespectful to a national footballing treasure. Capello has responded by contacting Beckham and claims the two are now on good terms.
But while Capello confirmed Paul Scholes definitely did not want to play for England again after his management team spoke to the Manchester United midfielder earlier this week, he appeared to do something of a U-turn in refusing to rule out Beckham pulling on the Three Lions shirt again in the future.
Capello, whose general manager Franco Baldini initially spoke to Beckham two hours after the infamous TV interview, said: "I spoke directly with David on the telephone to explain what really happened and the relationship between him and me is really, really good.
"I spoke with David because he was a part of the staff in the World Cup. Usually I don't speak on the phone with the players. In my career I never did this, but in this case I spoke."
Capello, whose England side play Bulgaria at Wembley on Friday and Switzerland away the following Tuesday in Euro 2012 qualifiers, was keen, however, to reaffirm that his plan is to select young players.
But when pressed on the chance of Beckham, who has ben recovering from a serious Achilles injury, adding to his 115 caps, Capello said: "First he has to play a game. We are monitoring all the players. The future is for the young players.
"The door is open always for all the players but now I think about the young players. They need to play more games. More experience. We know the value of the old players.
"The future is for the young players because we have to think about the Euros, but no one player is out."
He then added: "For me some players will be difficult to choose another time because of their age. I have to prepare for the Euros. At the Euros he (Beckham) will be 36."
Beckham will actually turn 37 in May 2012, before the finals, but all the talk from Capello sounded a bit like the diplomacy he might have been better employing before effectively ending the former captain's England career on national television.
Capello is a manager under pressure. There is a school of thought which suggests if he does not garner six or seven points from his first three Euro 2012 qualifiers the Football Association might deem enough is enough and look to the English manager they appear destined to employ next.
Yet, in the wake of a shambolic World Cup, Capello claims to have suffered no abuse from England fans as he goes about his business.
"I walk around the city and the people always are really kind with me," he said. "They say 'You make a good job' usually. Also strong words against referees. The fans are really nice to me.
"But, here (Wembley), like all the players that played in the World Cup, I'm the boss of those players, the symbol of those players, so when they boo for the players they boo for me."
And to those who wanted him out after the World Cup, his message is simple: "I'm a fighter. It's my job, I fought."
Capello recognises the dangers posed by Bulgaria after watching recent matches against Russia, Italy and Belgium, and describes Switzerland as "always dangerous" at home.
He deflects any talk about his successor, following the Football Association's assertion that he should be English, by repeatedly responding: "I am focused on the job."
But he is vexed by accusations that he has communication problems with his players and that his English is not fluent enough, first laughing it off with a jokey reference to Gary Lineker: "I think that my English is much better than his Spanish," and then defending himself robustly.
"I never had a problem with the players," Capello said. "When everything was okay I was a fantastic manager, I spoke fantastic English. After we lose against Germany, it's bad!
"The communication between me and the players was really good always, no problems about my English. If I have to speak about political problems probably I have a problem to explain everything but about the football I have no problem."
Regarding Scholes, he said: "He is a fantastic player. We spoke with him (on Wednesday). He said he is too old to play (for England and) for United in the Premier League and the Champions League."
Then he turned his attention to Beckham once again and encouraged football's biggest superstar to try his hand as a boss even though Beckham himself appears to have ruled out a career in management.
Capello said: "He has big experience and knows different styles in Spain, Italy, England and the USA. He knows a lot of different things. I think he can be a good manager. He is an intelligent man."
