In David Bentley's most vivid nightmares it is possible that he is watching from the Wembley touchline as a substitute while a geriatric David Beckham patrols the right flank for England in his bath-chair. Each time the manager tells Bentley to warm up, Beckham swings a fortuitous boot and the ball sails over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net. The crowd goes wild. “Sit down, Bentley,” the manager says. “It is not your time yet.”

Waking, Bentley must wonder when it will be, considering that Beckham was laid to rest after the 2006 World Cup finals only to rise again like a horror-film bogeyman under Steve McClaren. The decision of the former head coach to recall Beckham this time last year for matches against Brazil and Estonia relegated Bentley from the A list to the B team and not even a man-of-the-match performance against Albania could win him a start for

McClaren. The Blackburn Rovers winger was at the top of his game that night and could have been elevated to the first team bursting with confidence. Sadly, McClaren had already made up his mind.

Bentley played the first game of Capello's reign, against Switzerland - a patchy display - but missed out against France in Paris when it was decided to look at Beckham from the start. Chances are Bentley will get another opportunity against the United States tomorrow, but there must have been an inward groan when he turned on his television at the weekend to see news of Beckham's goal from 70 yards for Los Angeles Galaxy against Kansas City Wizards. He knows now that, with Beckham, he is up against a headline-grabbing phenomenon.

Beckham's goal came about because the Wizards goalkeeper had disappeared up the other end in search of an equaliser, but the news went around the world as another Beckham “wonder goal”. Bentley responded with a quip. “I think I may have scored from 70 yards when I was about 11,” he said. “No, I haven't seen his one, but I've been winding up David all morning. Open goal, wasn't it?”

Bentley has a reputation for being brash, but he was on his best behaviour yesterday. Asked whether he looked to Beckham for advice, he first queried, “What, about haircuts and stuff?” before shifting into serious mode. “No, I have a good relationship with him,” he said. “I try to learn from him, watch the way he goes about his business because he is a team-mate in my position. To take over from someone like that I have to work hard. Nobody's going to give the place to me.”

As he rose to leave, Bentley gave a big smile. “Got away with that, didn't I?” he said. Then, indicating his FA minder: “He thought I was going to do something, he was s***ting himself.” If only he could say the same of his influence on the man in the box seat.