LONDON: David Beckham’s role with England appears to be shifting towards mentor rather than chief tormentor after manager Fabio Capello heralded the arrival of new national hero Theo Walcott and suggested he is the future.

Now as England prepare for games at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday and away to Belarus next Wednesday it is becoming increasingly clear the 19-year-old is likely to be first choice for the for seeable future with Beckham restricted to a substitute’s role.

The pressure on Walcott to perform at Wembley next weekend will be immense but Capello clearly sees the Arsenal player as a long-term solution for England even if he is unable to reproduce his hat-trick.

That could well become Beckham’s main role with England in future, just as it was in Zagreb when Walcott praised the LA Galaxy man for the way he unselfishly helped him prepare for the biggest game of his life.