Team GB Have Been Vindicated in Leaving Beckham out as Olympic Soccer Thrives

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: August 3, 2012

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“He’s a national hero. I would’ve thought Beckham would be first choice because of his huge contribution to getting the Olympics.

"But some idiot decided otherwise. I feel a bit sorry for the three over-23s because we’re going to be looking at them and saying, ‘That should’ve been Beckham.’"

That was the verdict of Sir Paul McCartney—former Beatle ceremonial conductor of mass-singalongs at momentous British events and beginner bandwagon jumper—on Stuart Pearce's decision to omit David Beckham from his Team GB football squad in an interview with British magazine ShortList just prior to the beginning of London 2012.

McCartney was not the first to jump in on the debate, famous or otherwise, but his response infuriatingly typified the completely non-football based reaction to Beckham's omission.

It was a feeling that seemed in-line with a wider apathy throughout the host-nation in regards to the Olympic football tournament as a whole, that only such famous names would make it worth watching.

Refreshingly, the first week's group stage has been an exercise in proving the opposite, both from the perspective of GB soccer and the tournament as a whole.

Even as Great Britain has been swept up in Olympic-mania, celebrating the efforts and triumphs of its competitors in sports such as cycling, gymnastics and rowing, football has been far from neglected with good numbers turning up to watch matches at Wembley Stadium and venues beyond London.



Attendances have generally been upwards of 20-25,000 in the men's tournament (the women's equivalent has drawn decently, if comparatively not as well besides the GB team), with the host nation and the competition's big two—Spain and Brazil—drawing especially good crowds.

Speaking to British newspaper The Mirror, Team GB goalkeeper Jack Butland captured the sense of enthusias...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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