The "devastated" former England captain rejects claims from supporters angry at their side not going through to Euro 2008 after losing at home to Croatia that the players don't care enough about playing for their country.

Beckham concedes there is "something wrong" when a squad containing so much talent cannot qualify as the Football Association faces up to the reality of facing huge financial losses through not going through to Austria and Switzerland.

But the former Manchester United star called on England to rise again from the ashes of adversity and he is adamant he wants to play his own full part.

Beckham said: "Without a doubt there will be a backlash. It is about how we deal with it. If you are going to play and perform at this level, then you've got to take the good with the bad.

"We've had good at times and I've known the bad times but it is all about coming back from that. When things go bad, the amount of money players earn always gets thrown at them. Of course it does.

"When people are seeing the amount of money in football, and the amount players earn, people want results and we've not got the results and not qualified.

"There is going to be a backlash and it's about how we handle it.

"Do the England players want success enough? Without a doubt. Everyone of those players in the dressing room have all played in big games. I've captained many of those players and I know how much it hurts them when things go badly.

"I know how much it hurts them to lose a tackle, let alone lose a game and be knocked out of a tournament so there will be a lot of players hurting.

"Is it a mental thing? Certain parts of playing for your country is a mental thing, playing in front of so many people at Wembley.

"But the players we've got in our changing room, the characters we've got, are players used to playing in big games. They are used to playing for big teams so I don't think that is part of that."

Beckham added: Is there something deeply wrong with English football? There must be something wrong. We are a nation that has got some of the best players in the world and we should be qualifying.

"There are no excuses, we should be qualifying for competitions.

"What needs to happen now England have not qualified? It is difficult to say. I've lost games before, been knocked out of competitions before, but never failed to qualified before.

"The only thing we can do is come together as teams and as players and show that English mentality of coming back from adversity and this is a big one.

"We have to come back from this, for our nation, for our players, for the talent we've got in our nation. To not be involved in the Euros is a huge, huge, thing and it is devastating, not just for the players but for the fans."

Beckham won his 99th cap against Croatia and he set up the equaliser for Peter Crouch with a trademark cross only for Croatia to break England's hearts with a late goal from Mladen Petric.

But the LA Galaxy star is not contemplating hanging up his international boots even though he will be in his 35th year by the time of the 2010 World Cup finals.

He said: "Do I want to carry on playing for England? Without a doubt. I said that when I was taken out of the team. I said that when i came back into the team.

"I've got no reason for myself to step down and to not make myself available for England.

"I've said I'd love to be involved in 2010 but eight months ago I didn't expect myself to be here playing at Wembley. We will see what the future holds."