Olympic & Paralympic Games London 2012

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Bellamy and Beckham would be a hard pick, probably Bellamy as he can scare defences. But aye, I would take both over Richards given his attitude.

And fuck off with his work to get us the Games. If you think that, then why not start a campaign to have Coe run the 1500m for us?

Because Coe is 55 years old and retired?

I'm not saying he should be included because he played a small part in helping us get the games, that's just a side issue coupled along with the fact that for me, Beckham is still a very good player capable of performing at a top level. Of course he plays in the US though and apparently not at 'OMGZ TOP LEVELZ USA SHITZ'.

[9 to 5]

It was an extreme example but it amounts to the same thing.

Beckham is 37 and he said himself recently he hasn't played well since LA won the cup. An out of form aged midfielder isn't ideal for a tournament which has us in a tough group and a quick turn-over of games. I am not sure if I would have picked him either, I am on the fence over it, but let's not make out it is a crazy stupid decision to leave out David Beckham because, it isn't.

[Lineker]

Arguing with JohnnyPerfect? Are you drunk again David?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Arguing with JohnnyPerfect? Are you drunk again David?

We were having a lovely friendly debate and you had to come in and spoil it Lineker

Edited June 28, 2012 by JohnnyPerfect

[Lineker]

Jack Rodwell, the England international who launched Team GB's Olympic football kit in a blaze of publicity, has not been selected for the London 2012 Olympics by the coach Stuart Pearce.

The Everton midfielder was chosen by Adidas to model the Stella McCartney-designed strip earlier this year but will not be wearing it competitively at this summer's Games.

Compared to David Beckham, however, Rodwell's omission is less of a surprise after he suffered a series of hamstring injuries last season that cost him a place at Euro 2012.

The 21-year-old had hoped to appear at the Olympics despite his injuries but was advised by his club manager, David Moyes, to use the summer break to recuperate from his hamstring problems.

[Dingle]

Giggs and Bellamy are not the players I'd want to be taking either. Giggs hasn't done anything this year to deserve it, and Bellamy is a diamond amongst the dull at Liverpool, but he's not exactly the leader I'd want. Shame Rio can't go because of Fergie, as he'd be a great 'leader' for the group. I take it no one from the Euro's can play?

And on Micah Richards, when did he say he wouldn't sit on the bench? I thought the whole deal was that he doesn't listen to instructions?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Not sure if we have an athletics thread, but this was from the European Championship. Truly sickening, hard to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1lywOjK4ccE

[Lineker]

Fucking hell, put a warning on that.

FYI folks, dude breaks his leg.

[Summers]

holy fucking shit. oh my god.

[MJB]

Who is it and what event is it? Want to make sure I don't catch a replay of it somehow.

[Baddar]

ugh

[EddieG]

Fuck me. :/

[Dingle]

Seen enough MMA videos with leg breaks, don't need to see another leg break ever.

[Liam]

Yeah, I can deal with blood and such, but breaks are horrible. Really set my teeth on edge.

[Adam]

Holy christ, that is absolutely horrendous. Poor bloke. How does that happen doing a sprint?

[Sam]

Jesus, never seen anything like that before.

[Lineker]

There will be no Scottish or Northern Irish players in the men's British Olympic football squad when it is announced on Monday.

BBC Scotland has learned that manager Stuart Pearce will list 18 players from England and Wales.

Fifteen of the squad must be under 23, with Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards the three permitted overage players.

None of the England players at Euro 2012 were considered.

Four reserve players will also be put on stand-by, should anyone withdraw from the squad.

There were Scots, including Steven Fletcher and Barry Bannan, on Pearce's shortlist of 35 players.

The Scottish Football Association, along with their Northern Irish and Welsh counterparts, have taken no direct involvement with Team GB and have made it clear they do not want their players involved for fear of risking their countries' separate identities in world football.

But they cannot block players from participating.

Team GB were drawn in Group A at London 2012 alongside Senegal, Uruguay and United Arab Emirates.

They begin their Olympic campaign against Senegal at Old Trafford on 26 July before facing the United Arab Emirates at Wembley on 29 July, and Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on 1 August.

[Sam]

Bit disappointed that there isn't a player from each home country to be honest.

[Adam]

When Chris Brunt is the best player from Northern Ireland, I can live without any of them in the squad.

[Lineker]

Gareth Bale will miss the Olympic football tournament after picking up an injury, dealing a huge blow to Team GB’s prospects of success in the London 2012 tournament next month.

Telegraph Sport can reveal that Bale picked up the injury in the last 48 hours and informed Team GB coach Stuart Pearce that he will be unavailable for selection.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is understood to have aggravated an old injury to his back and hip area while on a training run to stay fit for the Games.

Following medical advice and a scan, he is not prepared to risk exacerbating the problem in the Olympics football tournament.

With up to six games in a 19-day period, the Olympics offered minimal time for recuperation and Bale could have expected to start every game.

He is understood to be determined to be fit for the start of Tottenham’s Premier League campaign, which begins a week after the end of the Olympics on Aug 12, but there must be a chance he will not be ready for the first game, away to Newcastle United.

Bale signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham earlier this week, and news of his injury will be a concern for the incoming manager, expected to be confirmed as Andre Villas Boas early next week.

Bale’s injury is a major blow to the profile of the Olympic football tournament as well as Team GB’s prospects, and comes 24 hours after David Beckham was informed that he had been dropped from the squad by Pearce.

Along with Beckham, the Welshman was expected to be the major draw of the Olympic tournament, appealing to supporters in the principality and home nations uneasy at a squad that is understood to feature no Scottish or Northern Irish players.

It will contain at least three Welshmen, with Bale’s compatriot Aaron Ramsey selected alongside over-age players Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy. Manchester United’s Tom Cleverly, City’s Micah Richards and Chelsea duo Daniel Sturridge and Ryan Bertrand, the latter as a replacement for Bale, are also expected to be in.

Like Beckham, Bale has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Olympic football tournament despite significant opposition from his home union, the Football Association of Wales.

Bale made his support for the event clear a year ago, appearing in a promotional campaign for it, and was photographed in the Team GB supporters shirt.

More important than his ability to help raise interest in the tournament, his dynamism and goal-scoring potential was key to Team GB’s prospects of making an impression on the tournament.

Bale is the second Tottenham player to drop out of contention for the squad, with England’s Kyle Walker also unavailable as he recuperates from an injury picked up in the final week of the season.