Sir Elton John was not amused. His bestest buddy had just been snubbed by that dreadful Italian fellow.

There was going to be no 100th party; no advertising spin-offs; maybe no cover version from Elvis to laud the living legend that is David Beckham.

The candle in the wind had been unceremoniously stubbed out by Roman fingers.

Fabio Capello's two fingers to Beckham has not gone down at all well in celebrity circles. The army of Beckham apologists was instantly mobilised, with Sir Elton at the forefront.

But other than his little grumble on the red carpet, have there been that many dissenting voices to the line-up named for England's first Italian job?

Stuck on the motorway on Thursday afternoon and idly flicking between local radio stations, there was only one lead item. The newsreaders, predominantly female, could not hide the shock in their voices that Goldenballs' had been left to play keepy-uppy on the Copacabana.

There was less surprise in the football world. Putting it bluntly, would you pick a player who has not kicked a ball in anger since Steve McClaren's Croatian nightmare two months ago?

While hungry young lions such as David Bentley and Gabriel Agbonlahor push their claims in the Premier League, Beckham fits the occasional training jaunt with Arsenal round his hectic calendar of self-promotion.

Would any other player in that situation come even close to the selection thoughts?

Of course, Beckham has always been a special case. Nobody has done more to make football the global beast that it is now. But does that mean a God-given right to be named in every England squad, regardless of form and fitness?

Under Sven and, latterly, McClaren, the answer would be a resounding yes. But Capello is a different beast; one from the same mould as Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger - men who may respect reputations but know they are ultimately worth nothing.

I'm sure Ferguson and Wenger both approved of Capello's opening gambit. Leaving out Beckham was akin to Ferguson's decision to ignore Bryan Robson in an FA Cup final at the tail-end of his Old Trafford career.

Fergie had no room for sentiment - and his team won. For £6million a year, the FA have recruited an equally steely character.

England caps will no longer be thrown around like confetti. The days when Paul Konchesky and Francis Jeffers are handed a cheap 45 minutes in a friendly have hopefully long gone.

Capello insists the door is not totally shut on Beckham - but it will require shifting a couple of burly Italian minders to get through.

Beckham, just like anyone else, will have to earn his call-up on merit. You sense that will not happen playing part-time soccer in the US of A.

Capello arrived with a hard-nut reputation. His muscle-flexing actions this week proved that to be the case.

Sir Elton and his cohorts have been left in no doubt that there is a new Lion King to lead the pride.

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