I'm in control claims Beckham

David Beckham has insisted he is in a fit mental state to captain England, despite his recent red card against Murcia, Real Madrid's disappointing season and the allegations surrounding his private life.

"I'm totally in control," he said at the England training camp ahead of the Euro 2004 championships which gets underway in Portugal on June 12.

A turbulent few weeks for the England captain in which he has seen Real fail to win a single trophy and his marriage scrutinised following accusations of infidelity culminated with his sending off in the penultimate game of the Spanish season for calling a linesman a 'hijo de puta' ('son of a whore').

His fury as he screamed at the official evoked memories of the petulant Beckham who was sent off against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup for flicking out a heel at Diego Simeone, but the 29-year-old insists those days are long behind him.

"People have said that the red mist is back and I'm back to the days (of that game against Argentina)."

"Sometimes you're so frustrated and tense that those things happen and that's been the case because we (Real) haven't played our best football in the late stage of the season."

"I'd heard players saying (the offending phrase) to the linesman and the referee just before, but maybe it sounded more aggressive coming from me."

Yet events before Beckham's press conference at England's training camp in Sardinia hardly suggested a player in control of his emotions.

Upset by media coverage of his alleged affairs, Beckham had already imposed a ban on speaking to BBC News, ITN News and Sky TV, but on Tuesday attempted - fruitlessly - to extend that sanction to include the Daily Mail - which he branded 'a disgrace' - and the News of the World.

Nonetheless, when he did finally appear, he was as polite as ever, even if there was a constant sense of imposed control.

After a promising start to the season, Beckham has seen his dreams of a treble of Champions League, Spanish league and Spanish Cup crumble as Real's form deteriorated to the extent that they lost their final five games of the season.

"People keep saying this has been a disappointing season, but I personally have enjoyed it," Beckham admitted.

"I've enjoyed my time at Real Madrid. Whatever rumours there were about me coming back (to England), they weren't started by me. I've had to prove to people that I could play football and not just to sell shirts."

Whether he has been a success in the central midfield role he has adopted in Madrid is open to debate, but he acknowledged he is highly unlikely to play anywhere other than on his more accustomed right flank in Euro 2004, with his former Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt taking up the anchor role in England's midfield diamond.

"I think you always need players like Nicky Butt in the side," he said, before looking ahead to England's opening game of the tournament against reigning champions France.

"When you read through the France squad it's actually quite frightening. We've got a strong squad, but we need someone who can win the ball in midfield. Nicky Butt's definitely that player."