ANOTHER occasion at Wembley is the final of the football portion of the Olympic Games. Of course, we already know the outcome of that, the very, very best of British joining hands and thrilling capacity crowds with performances of such wonder they’ve not been witnessed since 1966.
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will doubtless combine to allow Wayne Rooney to crash home the winning goal as Team GB win gold in a competition that is so electric it puts the athletics, rowing and swimming firmly in its place.
Football will become the showpiece of the London 2012 Olympics because we are very serious about it you see, it’s not a political or economic move of staggering cynicism at all. Of course not. I mean, it’s all about the legacy isn’t it?
Why else would you release an official Team GB supporters jersey (RRP £52) and then months later bring out the official Team GB players’ replica shirt (RRP £52)? I mean come on now, little Johnny’s parents will only need to fork out £104, that seems completely justifiable.
And sure, there might have been disinterest in the tournament with ticket sales so poor a million were still available last week, but don’t suggest the Team GB football team is the brainchild of politicians desperate to claw back the vast overspend compared to initial projections for staging the Olympics.
This of course is about the unified British football associations sharing a common goal, even though the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish have all made it clear they don’t wish to be involved in any way.
And we know it’s being taken seriously, what with it being indicated already that those who go to the European Championships (that means you Mr Rooney) probably won’t be selected and that David Beckham, now 37, almost definitely will, as captain. If Beckham is the key to winning a tournament that is to be taken seriously, then why won’t he come within 20 miles of the England squad for the Euros? Beckham is a box office draw and in that regard is perfect for the corporate led Team GB football team, the first for over 50 years and probably the last ever.
Once the Premier League elite impose their will over Stuart Pearce, you are naïve if you think otherwise, the Team GB squad will be politically picked based on perceived star power and a fairness to the top teams. It’ll be incredibly apt.
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