Beckham not selected in Britain squad
Reuters - Thursday 28 June 2012, 11:55
David Beckham has been omitted
from Britain's Olympic football squad in a blow for the former
England captain's dreams of crowning his career in style.
The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder had been widely expected
to win selection as one of the three over-age players in Stuart
Pearce's Under-23 squad for the London Games in July and August.
"Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no
bigger supporter of the team than me," Beckham, 37, said in
quotes relayed by his spokesman on Thursday.
British media reports said Manchester United's long-serving
Welsh winger Ryan Giggs, Wales striker Craig Bellamy and
Manchester City right-back Micah Richards, who missed out on
England's Euro 2012 campaign, had been chosen.
An official explanation for coach Pearce's decision has yet
to be issued by the Football Association (FA).
The FA will hand a final team list to the British Olympic
Association (BOA) early next week.
"As with every sport, player selection is the responsibility
of the National Governing Body, the coaches and performance
personnel," a BOA statement said.
"With respect to men's football, the BOA has not yet
received from The FA the list of players who are being nominated
for Team GB, so we cannot confirm who is, and is not, under
consideration for the side. We are expecting the list no later
than the early part of next week."
Beckham, who has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid
and AC Milan in a glittering career, was watched by Pearce
during a recent match for the Galaxy and was included in his
initial 35-man squad.
Beckham told reporters last month: "I don't want to be
picked on a shirt sale or a stadium filler. I want to be picked
because of what I can bring to the team."
Beckham was England's most capped outfield player with 115
appearances but has not played for the national team since 2009.
The world famous trend-setter now misses the chance to
captain an England side at World Cup, European Championship and
Olympic level.
OLYMPIC AMBASSADOR
LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said he would now discuss a
"Games time role" with the globally recognised sports figure who
played a role in London winning the Olympics.
Beckham has been used extensively in the buildup to the
event and helped to bring back the flame from Greece.
"David has been an extraordinary supporter, probably our
number one supporter, of the Games from the very beginning and
is keen to continue his enthusiastic support right to the end,"
said Coe.
"He really gets this. He is from East London and knows how
important the Games and sport are to young people.
"He is a great role model and we are lucky to have such an
advocate. I will be talking to him about a Games time role."
As a result of the decision to leave Beckham out of the Team
GB football squad, odds have been slashed for him to light the
Olympic cauldron. British bookmakers Ladbrokes quoted odds of
5/1.
Critics, who believe football has an uneasy place in the
Games because of the vast sums of money professionals earn, have
said they would be uncomfortable with the Olympics becoming a
"David Beckham show".
The Olympic football tournament, originally designed for
amateurs but now the only Games event to have an age limit, is
not so highly regarded in Europe where the World Cup and
European Championship are seen as the elite tests.
Olympic football is popular among South American players,
however.
Hosts Britain, taking part in their first Olympic football
finals since 1960, will kick off their bid for gold against
Senegal at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium on July 26.
The Welsh Football Association,
along with the Scots and
Northern Irish, have been concerned that the inclusion of their
players in a rare British squad for the Games could affect their
football independence but football's world governing body FIFA has
tried to allay their fears.