With all of the hoopla surrounding the appointment of Roy Hodgson it’s easy to forget that we have another manager diligently preparing for a summer of international football. Stuart Pearce is currently planning Great Britain’s route to success in the football at this summer’s Olympics.
However, regardless of who Stuart Pearce chooses for his squad and who he leaves out, there is only one name that will make the back pages the following day, David Beckham.
Will David Beckham make it into the squad for London 2012?
Even at 37 years of age Becks is still a draw for the fans and the press. But in a squad that only contains 18 players, and only 3 aged over 23, does Beckham warrant a place?
David Beckham’s record in international and club football is phenomenal. Numerous League titles in England, Spain and the USA, a Champions League winners medal, England’s most capped outfield player. All impressive feats.
His off the field fame sometimes masks the fact that at the heart of all of the success lies a truly gifted footballer. At his best this would be a no-brainer, David Beckham would walk into the squad. But is he at his best?
David Beckham has, overall, been a success in the USA’s much maligned MLS, and the league probably gets a bad rap. The standard of the game in the States improves year on year and boasts established internationals such as Landon Donavan and Robbie Keane.
It’s definitely not the Premier League, Serie A or La Liga- nobody, not even in America, would claim that it is. But neither is it a walk in the park. And Beck’s not only competes but actually flourishes in an increasingly quick and physical league.
Beckham’s age could still be a stumbling block for many. Although in truth time hasn’t affected him the way it would many who play his position. Becks has never been the type of winger to rely on pace to glide past full backs. His game has always been about accuracy. Delivering pin point passes from open play and set pieces as only he can. With a dead ball at his feet he may still rank amongst the world’s very best.
Of course, Beckham’s value to the squad and the Games itself goes far beyond being able to play football. He’s still a draw, popular as ever. People want to see David Beckham play. There is still a feeling of expectancy when he puts the ball down to take one of those trademark free kicks. And he played such a big part in bringing the Olympics to England in the first place it could be argued that he deserves to be a part of it.
The story of Great Britain entering a team in the summer games has been met with so much negativity by the FA’s of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Already visibly divided, maybe Beckham’s inclusion is the good news story we need to keep us interested. Still, whoever you are, your place isn’t guaranteed until the squad is announced.
Competition for places will be fierce and Beckham is just one of a number who could fit the mould. It seems that we don’t have the England Euro 2012 squad to pick from, but there is still a wealth of top flight players who could fill one of the three ‘over-23’ spaces. Many of whom have not seen their 30th birthday.
The likes of Craig Bellamy, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe, Paul Robinson, Grant Holt, Joey Barton, Jamie Carragher and Kevin Davies could all be available. It appears that either John Terry or Rio Ferdinand could be omitted from the Euro’s, perhaps one of them would see an Olympics on home soil as a decent substitute?
Baring all of this in mind, there are also many people out there who would view a Beckham omission as a welcome end to the sporting media circus that surrounds his every move. A squad really shouldn't be based upon reputation or sentiment, but rather on form. And even in the case that it was, we could argue more logically for Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes to be the old sage.
Stuart Pearce has a decision to make and it is a big one. The chances are that we will not see another Olympics here in our lifetime. Pearce has one chance to get this right. And who knows, by the time the Olympics come around, he may be responsible for consoling England (and the other home nations) after failure at the Euro’s?
No doubt we will see a lot of David Beckham on TV this summer. But whether his role within Team GB is that of an Ambassador or of a Right Winger is anybody’s guess. Only one thing is for certain. As always with David Beckham, whatever happens will fill a lot of column inches in the next morning’s papers.