Former England captain Terry Butcher has launched a stinging attack on David Beckham, claiming he has not had a good game for three years.

Real Madrid midfielder Beckham, whose performances in Euro 2004 came in for criticism, again had questions asked about his form after Saturday's 2-2 World Cup draw in Austria.

Butcher believes any other player would have lost his place by now and has called for improvement in Wednesday's second World Cup qualifier in Poland.

"There has been criticism of Beckham and I think he is now the closest he has ever been to playing himself out of the team," Butcher wrote in his column on BBC Sport online.

"If it wasn't Beckham wearing that number seven shirt and playing like that, a lot of people would be saying what a wretched match he had and should be dropped.

"Ask yourself this question. When did Beckham last have a really great game for England? Against Greece almost three years ago is the answer.

"He has done bits and pieces with set-pieces and corners and a couple of goals but he hasn't produced consistently.

"You can't keep playing players if they don't do the business for England - but Beckham seems to be the exception.

"Beckham won't like it but the harsh fact is that if you play for England you have to do the business."

Butcher is also critical of coach Sven-Goran Eriksson for failing to admit what he believed was a sub-standard performance in Austria.

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