Stuart Pearce has recently announced his squad for the London 2012 Olympics football team, and there have been a couple of surprises.
Should Beckham have been chosen? And who should replace Daniel Sturridge?
The exclusion of David Beckham was the biggest surprise. Everybody thought he was a shoo-in for the position, although he himself said that he didn’t expect to be picked, but of course it would be an honour if he were to be.
It’s probably still a safe bet that he was shocked when he learned he wasn’t in the team though. Stuart Pearce has said that he would not pick players for sentimental reasons – he played with Becks for England for years – and that the decision to leave him without a Team GB football kit was made for footballing reasons.
Where have we heard that before? Rio Ferdinand didn’t even get a sniff at a pair of England football socks for the Euros for precisely the same reasons. Although this time Pearce has explained that he wanted more defensive cover in the squad and Beckham’s attacking midfield position wouldn’t fit in. Beckham said that he was disappointed, but that there would be no bigger supporter of the team than he.
Pearce’s remarks also contrast with those of BOA chief Andy Hunt who said it would be brilliant to have Beckham involved in the backroom staff. Pearce says there isn’t enough room. The team only has seven passes and between the guys who know how to use the football training equipment and Pearce himself the spaces are filled.
Beckham could still make the squad on the standby list, but the details of that are yet to be disclosed.
Pearce has confirmed that he chose his squad using players that give the team the best chance to win Olympic football medals and not based on nationality or ticket sales. The squad consists of 13 Englishmen and 5 Welshmen, and the three overage players allowed are Manchester City’s Micah Richards, Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, and Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy. That there are currently no representatives from Scotland or Northern Ireland is raising more than a few eyebrows.
Sadly, Gareth Bale has been ruled out through injury and it now looks like Daniel Sturridge will have to withdraw too with suspected meningitis. Rumours are that Sturridge could be replaced with Huddersfield’s Scottish striker Jordan Rhodes.
Team GB Men’s Squad:
- Jason Steele – Middlesbrough
- Jack Butland – Birmingham City
- Ryan Bertrand – Chelsea
- Neil Taylor – Swansea City
- James Tomkins – West Ham United
- Steven Caulker – Tottenham Hotspur
- Craig Dawson – West Bromwich Albion
- Danny Rose – Tottenham Hotspur
- Micah Richards – Manchester City
- Tom Cleverley – Manchester United
- Jack Cork – Southampton
- Ryan Giggs – Manchester United
- Aaron Ramsey – Arsenal
- Joe Allen – Swansea City
- Scott Sinclair – Swansea City
- Craig Bellamy – Liverpool
- Daniel Sturridge – Chelsea
- Marvin Sordell – Bolton Wanderers
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