Eriksson in no rush to sign King gets England call

Eriksson, linked with a move back into club management, has been offered a two-year extension to his current deal.

Beckham - speaking just before he met FA officials on Monday to discuss their relationship with England's players - said he was unhappy with the timing.

"It's caused a lot of problems," admitted the skipper.

Beckham continued: "Questions are being put to him in every press conference and from every person he meets."

Swede Eriksson has said he is in no rush to sign a new deal.

Beckham was meeting the FA to try to heal the rift with England's players.

The FA shouldn't have made a a new contract offer public but should Beckham have voiced these feelings? From Jamie Super Pundit Have your say on 606

The FA's decision to exclude Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith from recent squads created a split with the England camp.

"We've all got to be on the same side and can't have these situations," said the England captain.

"The last thing the nation wants to see are these type of stories on the front and backpages."

Beckham met with FA chief executive Mark Palios, director of football development Trevor Brooking and FA executive director David Davies.

Brooking agreed with the England captain that it is important not to get things out of proportion and stressed there was no animosity between players and the FA.

Hopefully we are on the right road now David Beckham

"People are making more out of this than there is," Brooking told the London Evening Standard newspaper.

"We met members of the players' committee in Manchester last month . David wasn't at that meeting so we sat down and had a chat about it.

"Everything is fine now but it makes sense to keep in constant touch with the players to ensure they are happy with everything."

It is hoped the informal talks will ensure there is no repeat of the problems that threatened the build-up to the Euro 2004 qualifier with Turkey.

England eventually qualified for this summer's finals via that match in Istanbul - and they continue their build-up with a friendly against hosts Portugal on Wednesday.

Beckham added: "We're a few months on and a few changes have been made. Hopefully we are on the right road now."

Friction between the players and management first occured before the Turkey clash last year, when Ferdinand was suspended from international duty after missing a drugs test but before he was actually charged by the FA.

Leeds star Smith, who arrived as a late call-up for the Denmark game in November, was sent home again when it transpired that he had been arrested earlier that day.