Yes, David Beckham might be playing showbiz football from next month. He might be turning out for an LA Galaxy side which would struggle in the lower divisions of the Football League.

But his country needs him. England need the delivery the sweetest right foot in world football can provide.

That was obvious from England's 3-0 victory against Estonia in Tallinn, a match in which Beckham made two of the goals despite turning his left ankle in the first 15 minutes.

Typically, Beckham made light of the injury, desperate to stay on to extend his England career, to prove he can still be a leading force at the age of 32.

And the plain truth is that his crosses and dead ball deliveries remain England's most lethal weapon.

It is why when the crucial matches against Israel and Russia come around in September and October it is imperative Beckham is fit and healthy and still on the pace of international football.

He claims that will not be a problem and it could just be that he is a good judge, despite the doubts of so many of his critics.

Not that we can read too much into what in the end was a comfortable win in the almost eternal daylight of a Baltic city.

It was a match which was never going to be a thing of beauty.

But sometimes in football the result outweighs everything. Sometimes buckets of sweat and lashings of patience take precedence over flowing football. This was such an occasion.

Why? Because anything but three points against a country ranked 110th in the world and who had not secured a point, nor scored a goal in qualifying so far, almost certainly would have brought an end to McClaren's 11-month reign as England manager.

The stakes were that high.

And while no-one should run to the bookmakers and stake their mortgage on England qualifying for the European Championships just yet, at least that prize is still in their own hands.

McClaren deserves credit for that.

It helped that the first goal arrived in the 37th minute just as the first seeds of frustration were being sown.

It helped that it was a strike of expert technique, the sort which had been notable by its absence in an England shirt of late.

A good back-header from Crouch, Joe Cole controlled the ball on his chest, swivelled and hit the ball right-footed on the half-volley past Estonia goalkeeper Mart Poom.

The relief in the stands among England fans who had been so savage in their condemnation of the manager in Andorra was as tangible as was the surge of confidence and optimism in the players.

And so what could have been a tricky night turned into a satisfying scoreline.

The scorers were significant too.

The second came from Peter Crouch, included in Wayne Rooney's absence through suspension but who is the perfect target for Beckham's precise deliveries.

So it proved when he headed home in the second half.

The third came from Michael Owen, again from a Beckham delivery.

If England are to qualify and go on to progress deep into the tournament in Austria and Switzerland then Owen must recapture the prolific form of old.

In truth, against Estonia he was quiet and clearly not yet back to his sharpest, but goals have a habit of sparking momentum in top strikers.

McClaren must hope so, for all was not perfect.

Frank Lampard had another quiet game and the tempo and rhythm was not as high as McClaren had intended. At times there was also a tendency to play the ball too long.

That will be exploited by teams who treasure the football better than Estonia - and that includes most countries in Europe.

This game should have been a stroll and it was one. To that end it was a job well done.

Now for the beach and then the business end of qualifying with four of England's next five matches at Wembley.

Thanks in large part to Beckham, suddenly things are looking up for McClaren.