Beckham backed: Sven-Goran Eriksson yesterday insisted he would go on picking David Beckham and believes his experience will be vital should England qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
"Of course David is part of my plans. He's captain, he's playing regularly for Real Madrid and that's not bad," he said. "He's criticised when he's not the best man on the pitch, but he is our captain and he will be picked for sure.
"You have to pay attention, you can't go to the World Cup with a team that is too young, you need experience as well. Beckham is one of the oldest, he is 29 years old. You need those players. They have been there before and it's very important."
Savage bites back
Blackburn's new £3.1 million signing Robbie Savage unleashed a torrent of criticism against Birmingham yesterday and said he will never be able to forgive the club treating him "like a punch-bag".
Savage was unveiled by Blackburn yesterday and used the news conference as an opportunity to hit back at his former club.
Savage questioned whether Birmingham had any right to criticise him for a lack of loyalty - he had signed a new four-year contract in the summer - and intimated that their appointment of manager Steve Bruce, who walked out on Crystal Palace in controversial circumstances, was similar.
Savage claimed the low point of the controversy came when he was criticised for insisting that moving to Blackburn would make him closer to his parents in Wrexham.
He said: "For them to say the things they have done, to say that it was a sob story about wanting to be nearer my mum and dad, and for them to have their privacy invaded, that was the worst thing.
"I lived in Stratford-upon-Avon and it took me two-and-a-half hours to get to Wrexham - now I am playing for Blackburn I will find a house in the Cheshire area 35 minutes' drive from my parents.
"I want to draw a line under it now. My parents and Mark Hughes were the reason I wanted to move to Blackburn, I'm here now. I have taken a lot of knocks in the past and bounced back and I will bounce back again after this."
Carson one for future
Scott Carson will be on Liverpool's bench at Southampton today after his £750,000 transfer, rising to £1 million with add-ons, was completed with Leeds. The 19-year-old has signed a four-year contract.
Benitez beat off interest from Chelsea to sign the England under-21 international. "I just told him the truth," the Spaniard said. "I have two goalkeepers in Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek with whom I'm very happy. I told Scott that he's not the goalkeeper for the next week or the next month. He's the goalkeeper for the future. We think he's the best under-21 in the country."
The arrival of Carson means third choice goalkeeper Paul Harrison has joined Leeds on a one-month loan.
Petit hangs up boots
Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has decided to bring an end to his career after failing to recover from persistent injury problems. The 34-year-old had trained for a few weeks with the Gunners at the end of last year, but failed to regain full fitness.
"Just before Christmas I became certain that I would never get back to my physical level," Petit announced yesterday. "I knew it was over."
Petit won 63 caps for France, most memorably scoring the third and last goal in the 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil, and was also a member of the squad which won Euro 2000.
Fulham to sign Czech Fulham hope to agree a new deal with Edwin van der Sar over the weekend - and could also sign Czech goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny.
The Dutchman looked set to leave Craven Cottage in the transfer window, but despite reports of interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, Fulham boss Chris Coleman has yet to receive any offers for the player.
Coleman revealed last month he had approached the 34-year-old Netherlands international with a new deal.
Negotiations between club and player have now been completed and Fulham are confident the contract will be signed.
Should van der Sar put pen to paper as expected, he could face a battle for the number one jersey from Drobny, who plays for Greek club Panionios.
The 25-year-old shot-stopper - also a target for Dynamo Kiev - claims he will join Fulham in the summer but will sign a three-year contract within the next two weeks.
In brief . . .
Former Leicester City boss Micky Adams has been appointed manager of second division strugglers Coventry City . . . Everton will attempt to revive their long-standing interest in Simon Davies if Tottenham land Crystal Palace winger Wayne Routledge . . . Manchester City full back Ben Thatcher is set to complete a £500,000 move to Fulham . . . West Brom have terminated the contract of right back Bernt Haas by mutual consent . . . Liverpool youngster John Welsh has agreed a contract extension which will see him remain at Anfield until summer 2007.
