Walcott: My debt to Becks

Theo Walcott has revealed his debt to David Beckham for counselling him through a summer of heartache.

Arsenal flyer Walcott was on the golf course when Fabio Capello’s World Cup axe hit him like a pitching wedge over the head.

But instead of being left to hide behind the sofa at his Hertfordshire home while England’s campaign unravelled in South Africa, Walcott’s spirits were lifted by a stream of phone calls and emails from Lord Becks of Leytonstone 5,000 miles away.

And after a promising comeback with the Three Lions on Wednesday night, Walcott revealed: “David has always been there for me and his support kept me going through the summer. He is the perfect professional.”

While Walcott was afforded the basic courtesy of a personal phone call from England coach Capello informing him of his controversial World Cup exclusion, there was no such grace for Beckham when he was consigned to international retirement by proxy.

The contrast was not lost on the Gunners forward as he gave a glowing appreciation of Beckham’s pastoral phone calls and email correspondence and painted a picture of an apprentice picking the sorcerer’s brain.

He said: “Every time I’ve been away with England, I’ve always sat next to him for dinner, and throughout the summer he kept me going with his supportive words in phone calls or emails.

“I have kept the emails, just to wind up my sister and make her jealous! But he is one of those guys I have so much respect for, and any young player growing up should look at him as a role model.

“For me, he is one of the perfect professionals in the game. He is a fantastic, experienced player. Whatever happened this week is between the manager and David, it’s none of my business. But I have so much respect for him.

“Not making the World Cup this year, and not playing in the last one even though I didn’t deserve to be there, is just one of those things. There are always disappointments in football, and this summer was my biggest one yet.

“But I’ve had a very good pre-season, I’m happy to be back playing football now and I want to show everyone what I can do this season - I want to relax, enjoy myself and express myself.

“A lot of people have never seen me play through a whole season. In previous years I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself by saying I don’t want to get injured and things like that, but this time I’m going to show everyone what I can do.”

For all his cultivation of a marketing brand, for all those silly tattoos which make him look like the Sistine Chapel and for all his advancing years as a player, it says much for Beckham that he took the trouble to keep Walcott in the loop while he was in South Africa.

When the roof caved in against Germany, England’s celebrity cheerleader was a helpless bystander on the touchline in his three-piece suit as the Bratwurst proved mightier than bangers in Bloemfontein.

But at least His Beckship recognised the pain of being left at home for a kid who is still the best long-term bet to fill his boots down England’s right flank.

What a contrast with Capello’s cack-handed man-management, casting Beckham cast into the wilderness with all the grace of an old fridge being fly-tipped down a country lane.

For 45 minutes on Wednesday night, Walcott’s blistering pace and quick feet were a reminder of the night he bagged a hat-trick in Zagreb - and why he remains the likeliest candidate to take over Beckham’s old beat.

He is still far too young to fit the stereotype of an unfulfilled prospect with a great future behind him. But, like the postman, it’s time to deliver - and Arsenal, five yeas without a trophy, have a nice easy start to their Premier League campaign at Liverpool.

Walcott said: “I can’t wait for Sunday’s match - I’m excited about playing at such a hostile place like Anfield to kick off the new season with Arsenal, and it will be a great test for us.

“It’s a massive season for me. After the disappointment of the summer I know I need to play as many games as I can for Arsenal - I am 21 now and it’s time for me to push on, to take the next step.

“When something doesn’t go well for you, just forget about it and move on to the next one. That’s what I’ll be doing this season and hopefully there are more performances to come like the one against Hungary.”

“There is tough competition on the right, for both Arsenal and England, but that’s what you want - you want the manager to have a headache and you want to push yourself.”