By David Gold
November 26 – Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has welcomed the potential involvement of several of his young English players in the Olympic Games next year, but warned that he did not want any of them playing at both London 2012 and the European Championships.
Though the Football Association has said that players could take part in both competitions, it seems unlikely that this will happen with some more senior players such as Wayne Rooney as the Olympic football tournament is for under-23 year olds only.
There are three exceptions to the age rule who can be selected, with David Beckham expected to be one of them, and possibly Joe Cole another, but that means some of England’s younger talents could be selected for both competitions.
“Manchester United might well have a direct interest in this with our up-and-coming youngsters like Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones (pictured), Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley now on the international scene,” Sir Alex wrote in his programme notes for today’s Premier League match at Old Trafford against Newcastle United.
“I know they’re young, fit and eager, but they will need rest.
“I wouldn’t like to see our young players who might be involved in Euro 2012 being selected for the Olympics.
“I welcome their involvement at international level but if they go to the Euro finals they will need a break.”
Sir Alex’s words echo those of his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger, who has said that the prospect of some of his players playing at London 2012 “makes life impossible.”
“I am sure Stuart Pearce [the Team GB men’s coach] will bear this in mind,” he wrote.
“I certainly hope so because I wouldn’t like to see them burnt out before they have really started.”
The British Olympic football team has caused controversy as the British Olympic Association (BOA) have announced that players from the four home nations, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England, will all be available for selection.
This has angered the Football Associations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as they fear it would threaten the football independence of the other home nations.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has tried to dispel such concerns, saying earlier this year that “if they play, there is no sanction.”
Thought the Manchester United boss is opposed to the involvement of non-English players as part of Team GB, he suggested that he would not oppose Welshman Ryan Giggs, one of the finest players of his generation not to have played in a major international tournament, participating at the Games.
“Speaking as a Scot I would say it is a no-no for us in case FIFA seizes the opportunity to try to make the home countries play together as Great Britain all the time, and we wouldn’t want that,” Sir Alex wrote.
“Having said that, Pearce made sense when he pointed out that a player like Giggs, who has missed out on playing in the major international tournaments with Wales, might welcome the opportunity to play in the Olympics as one of the over-age players.
“It might well appeal, and at the end of the day I suppose it is probably best left to individual choice.”
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