Beckham opposed Turkey game boycott

England football captain David Beckham begged teammate Gary Neville not to lead a boycott of the side's crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey in protest the axing from the squad of Rio Ferdinand, The Sun newspaper reported.

Meanwhile an overwhelming majority of supporters believe England's Football Association (FA) was right to ban Ferdinand after he failed to undergo a drugs test, according to a poll in the tabloid, Britain's biggest selling daily.

"I need this like a hole in the head," Beckham is said to have told his former Manchester United teammate Neville, as the pair argued over the issue.

"The two of them had a furious argument which must have gone on until two in the morning on Wednesday," a source close to Beckham was quoted as saying.

It was a dramatic U-turn after Beckham had earlier voted to strike along with his teammates, The Sun said.

England's players dropped their boycott threat late Wednesday just hours before they were due to fly out to Istanbul for Saturday's tie.

They also launched a bitter attack on the FA, accusing the association of failing them "very badly" over Ferdinand's ban.

"David was never happy with the strike call," a source close to the England team was quoted as saying in The Sun.

"He felt the point had been made that the players were unhappy at Rio's treatment and that they should not have pushed it as far as they did."

England needs at least a draw against Turkey to ensure they qualify for the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal.

Following the Ferdinand row, pollsters YouGov interviewed more than 2,300 adults asking them for their view of the Ferdinand row.

A total 70 percent said they supported the FA's decision to ban the Manchester United defender from playing against Turkey.

Beckham left United for Spanish giants Real Madrid over the summer.