By Chris O'Brien
August 18 2006

Five Manchester United players have been named in Steve McClaren's first England squad, for the upcoming international friendly against European Champions Greece. However, the big news is that David Beckham, former Red Devil, has been dropped from the squad.

David Beckham has been left out of Steve McClaren's first England squad, seemingly ending the former Manchester United star's career on the international stage.

Following a dissappointing World Cup, the Real Madrid midfielder resigned his duties as England's captain. However, few would have expected to see Beckham omitted from the squad altogether for Wednesday's upcoming friendly against Greece.

Dropping Beckham is seemingly an attempt from McClaren to stamp his authority on the England squad. The fact that the Football Association were knocked back on their original first choice for manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari, piles the pressure on the former Middlesbrough boss to perform, whilst having popular ex-England chief Terry Venables' in the assistant's chair only adds to the expectation. McClaren's decision to leave out Sven Goran Eriksson's captain sends out a message that this will be his own new-look England squad.

There is no place in the squad for Wayne Rooney, who will be rested for the game, but goalkeeper Ben Foster, set to join Watford on loan, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Kieran Richardson are all included amongst the squad. Meanwhile, Dean Ashton has earned his first England call-up.

England entertain Greece at Old Trafford on August 16th.

The complete squad is as follows:

Robinson (Tottenham), Kirkland (Liverpool), Foster (Man Utd), Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), A Cole (Arsenal), Dawson (Tottenham), Ferdinand (Man Utd), G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Everton), Terry (capt, Chelsea), Young (Charlton), Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Richardson (Man Utd), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Ashton (West Ham), Bent (Charlton), Crouch (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham).