England Manager Capello Supports Beckham Stay in Italy

Just in case it wasn't clear to anyone why nominal Galaxy midfielder David Beckham wants to stay in Italy:

LONDON (AP) -- England manager Fabio Capello is happy about David Beckham's extended loan to AC Milan, believing it's important for the midfielder to be playing at a higher level of soccer than MLS.

Capello believes Beckham's experience in Italy will make him sharper than if he had returned to the Galaxy.

"There is a difference," he said. "The standard is different and it's important for him at this moment to play in Europe. ... (MLS) is not the same level as the Europeans -- Italy, Spain, Germany or England for sure."

Milan, the Galaxy and Beckham worked out a deal for the former England captain to continue playing in Serie A until the end of the season. His initial loan ended March 8 and a new deal was negotiated after Milan failed to meet the Galaxy's terms for a full transfer.

Now Beckham won't go back to the Galaxy until June 30, about halfway through the MLS season. He then hopes to return to Milan in November, when the MLS season is over.

"I've no regrets about going to the United States or going back there to finish the season," Beckham said.

Capello was also Beckham's coach at Real Madrid two seasons ago when the team won the Spanish league title. He left the 33-year-old star off his England squads when the MLS season ended last year and Beckham wasn't playing competitive soccer. Capello brought him back when he went on loan to Milan and began playing regularly again.

Beckham equaled Bobby Moore's record for a non-goalkeeper, making his 108th
appearance when he played in last month's 2-0 loss to Spain. He also could make a run at Peter Shilton's national record of 125 appearances.

"I watched on TV the last two games David Beckham played for AC Milan," Capello said. "He played very well."

Capello said he had no hand in the deal for Beckham to stay at San Siro.

"It's a personal decision; it's not my decision," he said. "It's an agreement between two teams and the player. It's not my problem. But I am happy that, when I watched the performances, he was very, very good. For me the most important thing is this, not the
agreement between the teams."

Barring an injury against Napoli on Sunday night, Beckham is almost certain to be in
Capello's squad when it is announced shortly afterward for a March 28 exhibition game against Slovakia and an April 1 World Cup qualifying game against Ukraine.

Beckham is intent on becoming part of England's team for the World Cup in South Africa in what would be his fourth World Cup.

England has won all four of its World Cup group games, and Capello is confident the team will bounce back from its exhibition loss to Spain. The Italian coach has reignited England's game following its failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

"We cannot play like Spain, the same style, because English players cannot play like the Spanish players," he said. "We have to play with our style. We have to press, we have to play more quickly, we have to move forward, the style of some teams of the Premier League."