Charlie Wyett in The Sun writes: 'Whatever Steve McClaren does achieve as England coach, he will always be remembered as the man who followed Fergie by putting the boot into Beckham.'
McClaren said: "Alex used to say ‘sometimes you have to go through the fire to be ready to win'. I have experienced the disappointment of losing at a major tournament and so have the players.
"My mind was focused on the job in hand and I wanted to pick a squad for the future and these young lads have deserved it. David has been a fantastic player and captain for England but I've decided to move on from that. It was always going to be a tough decision — but one I had to make. It was a football decision and I think everybody around the country and in the FA respected the decision I made but it was a difficult phone call to make. Becks was disappointed but I said at the beginning I will be my own man and do things my way and I wanted to put my own mark on it. As soon as I got the job, as soon as I was out of the World Cup and David relinquished the captaincy, my mind was focused on the job in hand, putting together my backroom staff, picking a new captain and a squad for the future. It has not been out of my thoughts since I actually got the job, even though I officially started on August 1. I have the advantage of having worked with these players for many, many years."
Newly appointed England captain John Terry said: "I've been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. About one o'clock (on Thursday), I came in from training and got the phone call. I was getting a massage at the time and don't think I said anything. I froze and didn't know what to say for about 20 minutes. Steve just told me ‘Take it all in and I'll see you tomorrow'."
McClaren's assistant Terry Venables said: "Steve has had a good problem with the captaincy, as he wasn't scratching around. There were a few excellent candidates and I think he has made a great choice."
"I did feel there was unfinished business for me but you get on with other things. It was a disappointment to lose the job (after Euro 96). I loved every moment but doubted I would ever be back."
McClaren added: "There are people who I have turned to assistance through the years and Terry is one of them. It was a football decision."
Matt Dickinson in The Times writes: ‘With McClaren and Venables in charge, tactics will be far more flexible than under Sven Goran Eriksson. So soon after the let-down of the summer, McClaren is relishing the opportunity to prove that not everything in the past five years was done with the assistant's blessing.'
But will Frank Lampard be forced to walk the plank, despite being included in the squad? We might get an idea on Wednesday, but he's surely got more to prove than any other player after a shocker of a World Cup.
Tony Cascarino in The Times writes: ‘Frank Lampard is a great attacking midfield player, but England need more goals and must therefore have two strikers, which leaves no space for him. If Steve McClaren chooses a 4-5-1 system, with Owen Hargreaves playing the holding role, Lampard could feature as an attacking central midfield player with Steven Gerrard. But that would mean using just one striker. With room for just two central midfield players, Hargreaves should fill the holding role while Gerrard plays slightly ahead of him. You could accommodate Lampard by pushing Gerrard out wide to the right, where he would no doubt do a fine job, but that would be a compromise, and you need to get the best out of the Liverpool player's talent. Anyway, with Beckham gone, England need Aaron Lennon's speed on the right. Every team in the world seem to be playing with a lot of pace, so we have to have it as well, and that is what Lennon gives us.'