England captain David Beckham has hailed new England manager Steve McClaren as ''the best coach I have ever worked with''.

McClaren, who has assisted national team boss Sven-Goran Eriksson for five years, will take over from the Swede after this summer's World Cup.

Despite the Middlesbrough boss apparently not being first choice - Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was widely touted as the favourite - Beckham has given his full backing to McClaren.

''He is the best coach I have ever had and I have had some good ones over the years,'' he said.

''If you asked any of the players they would say he is one of the best, if not the best.''

The Real Madrid midfielder is pleased the long-running saga over Eriksson's successor has finally been settled.

''It is good for the team it is over and done with now. It went on for a long time and now it has been resolved we can concentrate on other things,'' he said.

Beckham admitted it is ''unheard of'' for him to go three seasons without a trophy as another barren year comes to an end at Real Madrid.

The 31-year-old midfielder joined Real in the summer of 2003 after a hugely successful spell at Manchester United, but while expressing his surprise at the failure of Real to challenge for honours he is still committed to staying in the Spanish capital.

''It's another bad year for Real Madrid because we have ended the season again without any trophies. Three years is unheard of, especially for me,'' he said.

''I only went one year at Manchester United without winning anything so it's been tough. But we have to stay positive, you have to believe you will go into next season and win something and do well.''

He added on Sky Sports: ''We've got to forget this season. No-one is taking anything away from Barcelona, they have a got a great team and a great squad of players, they're one of the best teams in Europe at the moment.

''It's a great period for them but hopefully we can put a stop to that next season.''

Beckham foresees no problems in agreeing a new deal with Real, in spite of a summer of changes coming up at the Bernabeu as the club look for a new manager and elect a new president.

''The club know I want to stay and vice versa so it will get sorted out,'' he said.

''I'm interested in what manager is coming in, of course, that's important to me. But Real Madrid is still one of the biggest clubs in the world, my family are happy here so I don't see any reason why I have to move anywhere yet and hopefully it will be sorted soon.''

Asked what qualities would be important in the new manager, Beckham added: ''If you win games you survive the majority of the time. Team spirit has to be put together.

''The teams I have played in have always had amazing team spirit. That's important when you're on the pitch and off the pitch and I'm sure he'll do that first off.''

* Manchester United keeper Tim Howard will join Everton on a 12-month loan deal this summer.

The 26-year-old, recently named in the United States' World Cup squad, has been squeezed out of the first-team picture at Old Trafford this season following the arrival of Edwin van der Sar.

Howard was limited to just six senior appearances, with his only Premiership outing coming against Portsmouth in February.

After arriving from Major League Soccer outfit New York Metrostars in 2003, Howard initially appeared to be the answer to United's long-standing goalkeeping problems.