SOCCER/European Championship: Sven-Goran Eriksson had the luxury of predictability yesterday as he included every player that he relies upon in his provisional squad for next month's European Championship.

Men who missed the 2002 World Cup such as Gary Neville and, crucially, Steven Gerrard are now fit, but as the England manager forgets all about fragile bones and rogue muscles, he has to monitor other types of vulnerability.

His captain, David Beckham, was in a distressed state on Sunday, with a lack of self-control that brought him his second red card of the season with Real Madrid. His foul-mouthed bawling at a linesman during the loss to Murcia made it impossible for the official to pretend diplomatically that he had heard nothing.

A dismissal here or there is of scant significance, but Beckham's mental state does matter at a tournament like Euro 2004 that calls for icy calm. The England manager prefers to think that his captain's eruption was provoked by the poor form that, for the first time in the club's history, has seen them defeated in four consecutive league fixtures.

"When your objective is to win the Champions League, the league and the domestic cup as well and you lose everything it must be very difficult for a team like Real Madrid," said Eriksson. "But I am not worried about David. I am sure he will have a very good tournament and that he will behave on and off the pitch as he has always done for us."

In general, circumstances are greatly to Eriksson's liking. A man wedded to conservative impulses is always happy when change is unnecessary. He had to fend off temptation purely in the case of Jermain Defoe. The Spurs forward (21) has been earmarked for the 2006 World Cup and the manager was able, marginally, to stick to that plan. Defoe will go to the training camp in Sardinia and could feature in the warm-up friendlies at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Gareth Southgate is still trying to overcome his knee problem and Eriksson does not really envisage bringing in the Middlesbrough defender either. "I don't think there will be any changes at all," he said of a party in which no outfield player is over 30.

There is probably just a single issue to be debated. With Beckham, Gerrard and Paul Scholes sure to be fielded, the midfield holding position is the only one still to be pondered. Frank Lampard's excellence has brought him to the fore in a season when Manchester United have often left Nicky Butt on the sidelines.

Emile Heskey, also included in the squad, is poised to join Birmingham City. The club have reportedly agreed to pay Liverpool around £3.5 million for Heskey (26).

^{ENGLAND (for Euro 2004): James (Manchester City), Robinson (Leeds/Tottenham), Walker (Leicester); G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Man Utd), A Cole (Arsenal), Bridge (Chelsea), Campbell (Arsenal), Terry (Chelsea), King (Tottenham), Carragher (Liverpool); Beckham (Real Madrid), Scholes (Man Utd), Gerrard (Liverpool), Butt (Man Utd), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Dyer (Newcastle), Lampard (Chelsea), J Cole (Chelsea); Owen (Liverpool), Heskey (Liverpool), Rooney (Everton), Vassell (Aston Villa).}

^{On standby: Southgate (Middlesbrough), Upson (Birmingham), Parker (Chelsea), Defoe (Tottenham), Smith (Leeds), Wright (Everton).}