The possibility of David Beckham being recalled to the England team seems to be receiving more support by the day. From the national press to the man in the pub, everyone seems to think he should pull on the Three Lions once more.

Steve McClaren, speaking prior to Barcelona's Champions League clash with Liverpool, claimed Beckham's recent resurgence for Real Madrid would give him a "problem" when he came to name his next England squad.

He went on to say: "He's being professional and performing well for his club - obviously that's a problem I would rather have than not have. The reaction from every adversity he's ever gone through in his career, he's always bounced back and been professional and got on with his job. It's pleasing to see that a month ago he would never play for Real Madrid again and there he is starring in a game against Bayern Munich and being man of the match."

However, two or three good performances don’t signify a return to form. It wasn't that long ago that the same people were blaming Beckham’s poor performances in the World Cup (among other reasons) for England’s early exit. Is Becks a better player now than a year ago? The answer is no. If selected for England again he will produce the same form he showed in Germany, where set pieces apart, he was largely anonymous. It must be accepted that the colossal performances he put in when he first took over the captaincy are a thing of the past and should not cloud people’s judgements.

In the long term, the prospect of Beckham returning would do even more damage to the England team. This summer he moves to America, where he will be playing at a sub-standard level equivalent to the Championship. This is not the level that an England international should be playing at. It will lead to degradation of his ability and make it impossible to judge his performances, meaning he won’t be good enough to play for England when Euro 2008 kicks off.

Recalling him would be a quick-fix solution, something that England doesn’t need. It would stunt the development of players such as Aaron Lennon, who need to experience as much international football as possible in order to improve. It would also mean even less pace in a team that at times can’t get out of first gear. Beckham’s preference to drift into the centre of midfield would lead overcrowding of the central areas, where Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard already find it difficult to make space. The lack of width would also starve the strikers of crosses and make England an even easier team to defend against.

There is no doubt that England’s recent performances have been dire. Something needs to be changed - but Beckham isn’t the saviour. He is a player of the past and should remain so. Remember him for his greatness but move on. England need to be looking for the next generation of players - not resurrecting the previous one.

If you were Steve McClaren, would you bring back David Beckham? Let Sportingo have your views.