[internet tough guy]

Thoughts?

I think it was the wrong move by Stuart Pearce, practically speaking. Beckham would've helped attract more attention to football at the olympics which apparently still has many tickets unsold. Also it would've been nice to let him have his moment. This is probably one of the few occasions where I think sentiment should have more weight placed on it, because lets be honest olympic football is hardly the pinnacle of the sport, so I think you can afford not to pick the best team for the sake of giving fans what they want. But regardless of that, I think Beckham is good enough for olympic football, its not the world cup or euros where obviously the standard of play is alot higher.

I think this is one of those moments where the guy (Pearce) makes a decision just for the sake of making a point , he was probably pissed off by the amount of people in the media talking up Beckham being in the Olympic squad, so maybe he felt the need to flex his muscle to prove he's not some hapless yes man who gives in to popular opinion easily.

[DaveSmith99]

Absolutely gutted for him.

[DaveSmith99]

The three overaged players are apparently Richards, Giggs and Bellamy. Craig ****ing Bellamy over Beckham.

[The Baron]

The Uruguay team, likely to include Suarez and Cavani, is gonna dog us with or without Becks. I'd have taken him though, can't see Bellamy playing games in quick succession, he has a dodgey knee.

[bluenose14]

How many people who are raging about this have seen him play for Galaxy recently? I'm not saying he's been playing poorly or anything but how many people know he hasn't been?

I can't understand why he left at the age he did to got to America. He still had a lot to offer to one of Europe's top clubs.

[TheWalkinDude]

When does the full squad get announced? Sick of all this build-up! Just tell us the squad!

[DynamicSyngery]

The Olympics is meant to be for amateur athletes, so including Beckham seems to violate the spirit if not the letter of the rules.

Although you could say the same for all the athletes who received extensive taxpayer-funded selection and coaching, like the entire PRC team among others.

[TheRustaman]

The guy is 37 for goodness sake.

Should have retired, but is still milking the endorsements and adverts from his past-fame.

Good decision i reckon, hopefully now he will hang up his boots.

[fnm]

I get why some people don't like him, but the arguments for him not being in for football reasons isn't great. He should easily be in over Bellamy/Richards, I'm sure he's just as good. Richards who rejected a stand in place at the Euros and Bellamy who's been unprofessional in the past. I mean he's done so much for the games, it's clear he was desperate to play, what a snub by the poor coach that is Pearce. Football in the Olympics stupid? Maybe, but that has nothing to do with Becks.

Honestly, Becks has always been a bit of a hero and a good role model to me and a lot of our generation, so it's a shame.

[DaveSmith99]

(Original post by DynamicSyngery)
The Olympics is meant to be for amateur athletes, so including Beckham seems to violate the spirit if not the letter of the rules.

Although you could say the same for all the athletes who received extensive taxpayer-funded selection and coaching, like the entire PRC team among others.

Just exactly how many footballers in the squad do you expect to be amateurs?

[L18]

Good.

Shall we get Sebastien Coe to run the 100m too after all the good work he did?

[internet tough guy]

(Original post by L18)
Good.

Shall we get Sebastien Coe to run the 100m too after all the good work he did?

Thats completely different. Beckham is still playing football, he's not retired. I would say he's definitely got it in him to play olympic football.

[TRS-T]

According to Tim Vickery this will be the Brazil team:

4-2-3-1

GK
Danilo Thiago Silva David Luiz LB
Sandro Rômulo
Hulk Oscar Neymar
Leandro Damião

Beckham is not good enough.

[checkolad]

I think people are letting sentimentality cloud their view. It's clear Pearce wanted to pick one over age player in defence, midfield and attack and has chosen Giggs over Beckham. Why not let Giggs play? He is still playing top level football. BTW if you think the standards of football at the Olympics is poor you will be mistaken, what would be sad is to see Beckham huffing and puffing down the right flank as he's not that great in the middle.

[BlueSmarties]

Let's include Beckham for sentimental reasons and forget about the potential medals, fantastic idea.

[ajp100688]

Beckham grew up in the area where the Olympics is being hosted and probably did the most out of anyone to win London the Olympics other than Seb Coe and Tony Blair and is still perfectly able to play at that level. So yeah I think he deserved his place and I also think he probably would have retired this year having done it, Stuart Pearce just made this decision to make a point and act like he's totally in charge. Ridiculous.

[L18]

(Original post by internet tough guy)
Thats completely different. Beckham is still playing football, he's not retired. I would say he's definitely got it in him to play olympic football.

He's still playing football, but he's ****.

No room for token gestures when medals are at stake.

[JamesNeedHelp2]

What a shame, Beckham is good enough for Olympic Football.

[BlueSmarties]

(Original post by L18)
He's still playing football, but he's ****.

No room for token gestures when medals are at stake.

The more I think about it the more adamant I am that this thread is WUM'ing.

[ajp100688]

(Original post by L18)
He's still playing football, but he's ****.

No room for token gestures when medals are at stake.

He's actually still pretty good, his main attributes were always his passing and crossing, which are only slightly worse now than they were at his prime. Sure his ability to run has gone but if you stick him in central midfield alongside a combative high energy midfielder he does just fine. MLS is an even more physical and high tempo league than the EPL and he gets by.