Here is Stuart Pearces squad list for the London Olympics What do you think

01/07/2012

It may be the off-season in domestic football but if one thing is dominating the sports pages it’s, eh, football. Just as the Premier League season was winding up we were plunged directly into Euro 2012. And upon that tournament’s conclusion football once again distracts our attention with the announcement of the Team GB squad for the London 2012 Olympic games.

Stuart Pearce announced five Welsh players and 13 English players in his 13 man squad so the talking point has naturally been; where are all the Northern irish and Scottish players?

If England’s Euro squad were described as Liverpool in disguise - because of their large proportion of players from the Anfield club - Team GB is Swansea. Scott Sinclair, Joe Allen and Neil Taylor all hail from the Welsh club and contribute to Team GB’s distinctly Welsh feel.

Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards were named as the overage players. With the rest of the squad under 23 to adhere to Olympic rules. Olympic football was envisioned as a youth event.

Olympic ambassador David Beckham may not be best pleased to see his old United chum Giggs taking his place in the squad. Many people have justly argued that Beckham’s contribution to securing the games for London merited his inclusion in the squad. ‘Football reasons’ be damned. This is hardly a competition that whets the appetite to begin with.

A little Beckham star dust would have been just the thing to ignite public interest in a second tier competition. It would also have been a fitting coda to his career at the top of the international game.

Even if he is getting on a bit.

Team GB last competed in an Olympic football competition at the Rome 1960 games. Team GB fans may have to wait another 52 years - or more - to see them compete again. If at all.

Team GB start their campaign against Senegal on July 26, followed by the United Arab Emirates on July 29, before their final group fixture against Uruguay on August 1.

All games will be broadcast on the BBC. In some capacity.

Snap up those Team GB shirts. They’re sure to be collectors items.

Team GB squad: J Allen (Swansea), C Bellamy (Liverpool), R Bertrand (Chelsea), J Butland (Birmingham), S Caulker (Tottenham), T Cleverley (Manchester United), J Cork (Southampton), C Dawson (West Brom), R Giggs (Manchester United), A Ramsey (Arsenal), M Richards (Manchester City), D Rose (Tottenham), S Sinclair (Swansea), M Sordell (Bolton), J Steele (Middlesbrough), D Sturridge (Chelsea), N Taylor (Swansea), J Tomkins (West Ham)