Scepticism over Olympic football baffles Stuart Pearce

BRITISH coach Stuart Pearce ridiculed critics of the Olympic football tournament yesterday when he said the country would go “absolutely wild” if the home team had any success in this year’s London Games.

Pearce said Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who do not want their players to represent Britain, were wrong not to embrace the team and added the tournament could capture the public’s imagination in the same way as Euro 96 when he played for England. Addressing the Soccerex business convention, Pearce told delegates: “It is a really exciting tournament for me and probably is one of the most exciting tournaments to take place for players in this age group ever. It is on home soil and the only tournament I played on home soil was Euro 96 which was probably the best experience I had as a footballer and as a man. . . it just went off the Richter scale really.

“And, if we have some form of success in the Olympics, I am sure the country will go absolutely wild.” Britain last took part in the Olympic finals in Rome in 1960, while the team played in the qualifiers until 1972.