Team GB 2012 Olympics Who to Pick

Beefy78

Don't see why not. It's pre-season. There's no reason why it should impact Spurs or any other club. Players come back for training at most clubs next week anyway so it's not like it's any extra work for anyone selected.

Kiwi_knock

I think clubs have to give permission for a player to join the Olympic squad, so it is possible for Fergie to only allow Giggs to join up.

It seems like there might be no Scottish or Northern Irish representative which would bring further pressure to Stuart Pearce.

Beefy78

Clubs don't have to give permission, as far as I'm aware. It's a FIFA sanctioned tournament. Barcelona tried to stop Messi going the last time and couldn't stop him.

The squad is drawn from players who have indicated their ability and willingness to go. No one will get picked against their knowledge.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Beefy78 wrote: »

Clubs don't have to give permission, as far as I'm aware. It's a FIFA sanctioned tournament. Barcelona tried to stop Messi going the last time and couldn't stop him.

The squad is drawn from players who have indicated their ability and willingness to go. No one will get picked against their knowledge.

This is untrue, he was always allowed to go, see page 1/2 of thread.

Beefy78

Bale is out. Bugger. It would have been nice to know what it would be like to support an international team with a decent left-winger for once.

Beefy78

Goalkeepers
Jack Butland (age: 19, hometown: Clevedon, club: Birmingham City, England U21 caps: 6)
Jason Steele (age: 21, hometown: Newton Aycliffe, club: Middlesbrough, England U21 caps: 1)

Defenders
Ryan Bertrand (age: 22, hometown: Southwark, club: Chelsea, England U21 caps: 16)
Steven Caulker (age: 20, hometown: Feltham, club: Tottenham Hotspur, England U21 caps: 4, 1 goal)
Craig Dawson (age: 22, hometown: Rochdale, club: West Bromwich Albion, England U21 caps: 7, 4 goals)
Danny Rose (age: 22, hometown: Doncaster, club: Tottenham Hotspur, England U21 caps: 21, 3 goals)
Micah Richards (age: 24, hometown: Birmingham, club: Manchester City, England caps: 13, 1 goal)
Neil Taylor (age: 23, hometown: Ruthin, club: Swansea City, Wales caps: 9)
James Tomkins (age: 23, hometown: Basildon, club: West Ham United, England U21 caps: 10)

Midfielders
Joe Allen (age: 22, hometown: Carmarthen, club: Swansea City, Wales caps: 8)
Tom Cleverley (age: 22, hometown: Basingstoke, club: Manchester United, England U21 caps: 16)
Jack Cork (age: 23, hometown: Carshalton, club: Southampton, England U21 caps: 13)
Ryan Giggs (age: 38, hometown: Cardiff, club: Manchester United, Wales caps: 64, 12 goals)
Aaron Ramsey (age: 21, hometown: Caerphilly, club: Arsenal, Wales caps: 21, 5 goals)
Scott Sinclair (age: 23, hometown: Bath, club: Swansea City, England U21 caps: 7, 1 goal)

Forwards
Craig Bellamy (age: 32, hometown: Cardiff, club: Liverpool, Wales caps: 69, 19 goals)
Marvin Sordell (age: 21, hometown: Pinner, club: Bolton Wanderers, England U21 caps: 7, 2 goals)
Daniel Sturridge (age: 22, hometown: Birmingham, club: Chelsea, England caps: 2)

redzerdrog

has the 35 man provisional squad list been made public?

ArmaniJeanss

No Jock MacToken? I'm surprised.

closeline

Weak squad. Surely they have left out a few decent players.

citytillidie

closeline wrote: »

Weak squad. Surely they have left out a few decent players.

Any underage player who was at the Euros cant play it was part of the agreement made when setting up the team.

But they have seemed to allow the goalkeeper to go

NEDDURC

Appears to be quite a few who have said they are injured or unavailalbe.

I think they should come out and name them as it's disgraceful that some players don't seem to want to play in the olympics.

kitakyushu

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

No Jock MacToken? I'm surprised.

I can understand Giggs being in the team but Bellamy seems a bit of a strange one given that he's hardly a household name. Since Wales already had a fairly decent representation one would have thought they'd give one of the overage places to a Scot (presuming non of their underage players were good enough).

Then again three Welsh and zero Scots kinda suggests to me that maybe the FAW were highly enthusiastic about being involved whereas the SFA no so much.

Beefy78

closeline wrote: »

Weak squad. Surely they have left out a few decent players.

I like the look of the midfield. I'd have still have taken Beckham somewhere, and not having Bale is a blow but there's some decent technical footballers in there.

There's no goals up front though.

Beefy78

citytillidie wrote: »

Any underage player who was at the Euros cant play it was part of the agreement made when setting up the team.

But they have seemed to allow the goalkeeper to go

Butland was always going to go to this.

redzerdrog

I cant understand the fact that giggs is in there and beckham not. Beckham has always had a lot more pride in representing his country imo and offers more both on and off the pitch on current ability.

IncognitoMan

Would like to have seen Jordan Rhodes giving a chance

kitakyushu

Also interesting that Ireland would bring a declining MLS player to the European Championships but team GB wouldn't even bring one to the Olympics.

I think they should have picked Beckham as a gesture if nothing else. Probably could have still done a job for them at that level at least.

Paully D

Jack Cork ahead of Jack Colback is a joke.

ambid

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

No Jock MacToken? I'm surprised.

Didn't the Scottish and Northern Irish FAs object to having an Olympic team as they worry it may lead to pressure to reduce some of their historic privileges (such as the UK having four teams compete in international football, Scotland having a separate league with entry into the Champions League, and their FAs automatically having a FIFA vice president). I recall the SFA and IFA didn't welcome the Olympic GB team, didn't want to participate, and applied pressure to ensure they wouldn't be part of it.

Otherwise I suspect Barry Bannon of Villa would have been in the Team GB squad as he's under 23, is a fairly regular premier league starter, and is a Scottish international. I don't know if NI have anybody good enough though.

G.K.

Our FA (Welsh) was just as worried.

Mr. Guappa

kitakyushu wrote: »

Also interesting that Ireland would bring a declining MLS player to the European Championships but team GB wouldn't even bring one to the Olympics.

I think they should have picked Beckham as a gesture if nothing else. Probably could have still done a job for them at that level at least.

Getting in a dig at Robbie Keane in a GB Olympic team thread. :rolleyes:

Beefy78

ambid wrote: »

Didn't the Scottish and Northern Irish FAs object to having an Olympic team as they worry it may lead to pressure to reduce some of their historic privileges (such as the UK having four teams compete in international football, Scotland having a separate league with entry into the Champions League, and their FAs automatically having a FIFA vice president). I recall the SFA and IFA didn't welcome the Olympic GB team, didn't want to participate, and applied pressure to ensure they wouldn't be part of it.

Otherwise I suspect Barry Bannon of Villa would have been in the Team GB squad as he's under 23, is a fairly regular premier league starter, and is a Scottish international. I don't know if NI have anybody good enough though.

As said, the Welsh FA had the same concerns. Ultimately there was nothing any of them could do to stop their players being called up. The sad fact is that no Scots are in for football reasons. Personally I'd have been tempted by Bannan but the squad does have a few decent central midfielders. I'd have taken Rhodes instead of Sordell but when you're talking a league one player over a premier league player then I guess it's making a larger point.

ArmaniJeanss

Beefy78 wrote: »

The sad fact is that no Scots are in for football reasons.

Yep, I was initially thinking it would have been nice for the 'all-inclusivity' to have a Scottish player, but then I couldn't actually think of one who'd fit

This competition has a fairly tough schedule with the three group games in 7 days (as opposed to 9 in the Euros), and then only two full days rest before the quarters and again the semis. All with squads of just 18 instead of 23.
Possibly a reason why Becks was overlooked, but again it would have been 'nice' for him to be selected.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_tournament#Preliminary_round

Kiwi_knock

Paully D wrote: »

Jack Cork ahead of Jack Colback is a joke.

Not a real surprise though that Cork was selected ahead of Colback. As far as I am aware Colback has not been involved in the England u-21 set up, while all the other English players have been worked with Pearce so it is understandable why he took players he is used to working with.

I think it is a good squad he has picked, they should play some nice football with the players they have available.

closeline

Some players dont seem up to standard but I suppose their pick is limited somewhat. Would definetly have taken Beckham over Giggs. Do they not have more left sided players than right.

eagle eye

Very surprised that Grant Hanley wasn't picked for that. He got loads of experience in the Premier League last season and did alright I thought albeit in a relegated team. He is only 20 and wouldn't have affected the overage players.

Sean7

Beefy78 wrote: »

Clubs don't have to give permission, as far as I'm aware. It's a FIFA sanctioned tournament. Barcelona tried to stop Messi going the last time and couldn't stop him.

The squad is drawn from players who have indicated their ability and willingness to go. No one will get picked against their knowledge.

Heard that he did stop it several places, including:

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/9258662/London-2012-Olympics-Ryan-Giggs-given-Team-GB-green-light-by-Manchester-United-manager-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html

Xavi6

NEDDURC wrote: »

Appears to be quite a few who have said they are injured or unavailalbe.

I think they should come out and name them as it's disgraceful that some players don't seem to want to play in the olympics.

Nonsense, the Olympics is the League Cup of international tournaments.

Dozen Wicked Words

Xavi6 wrote: »

Nonsense, the Olympics is the League Cup of international tournaments.

More like the Zenith Data Systems cup, now that was a tournament. Glorified friendlies that no one will care about. Regardless of quality or otherwise, Pearce should have had a bit of sense and picked a Scottish and Northern Irish player for the games. The only coverage this will get is if GB do well and suddenly the UK press will see it as bigger than the world cup!

LuckyLloyd

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

Fergie banned anyone (from United obv) but Giggs taking part. Anyone who defies that will do so at their own peril.

Cleverley in the squad...

Kiwi_knock

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

Fergie banned anyone (from United obv) but Giggs taking part. Anyone who defies that will do so at their own peril.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Cleverley in the squad...

De Gea also named in the 22 man preliminary squad for Spain's Olympic squad. Spain also name Mata and Jordi Alba in the squad. Very strong squad, they will be heavy favourites.

Goalkeepers: De Gea, Mariño, Joel.
Defenders: Montoya, Azpilicueta, Botía, A. Domínguez, San José, I. Martínez, Jordi Alba
Midfielders: Javi Martínez, Thiago, Ander Herrera, Koke, Isco, Mata, Romeu
Attackers: Adrián, Muniain, Tello, Rodrigo, Á. Vázquez

kitakyushu

Interesting to see Alba in there. I wonder will he get any game time after a full Euro campaign?

Jax Teller

There's 4 people to dropped from that squad so suppose Alba might be asked be Barca not to play .