sport

'FERGIE SHOULD MANAGE BRITISH 2012 SIDE'

The chairman of the British Olympic Association has confirmed that Britain will field a football team in the London 2012 Olympics, and recommended that Alex Ferguson should manage the side.

Lord Moynihan is quoted in The Daily Mail as saying that, despite the potential political problems in entering a side from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Britain should be represented at 2012.

Lord Moynihan said: "The impact of a British team on the public and their support of the Games will be enormous.

"We would also expect that team to be a strong medal contender and thereby generate tremendous excitement throughout the country. We must have a team in these Games and we will have a team."

In the past Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have resisted moves to enter an Olympic team in the past, as they fear FIFA would force them to surrender their footballing independence and enter a GB team at World Cups and European Championships.

However, The Mail claims that should the other home nations refuse to co-operate with a GB team for 2012, a side comprised entirely of Englishmen will be entered.

Moynihan went on to back Seb Coe's choice for coach of the 2012 side - Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson will have retired from his post at Manchester United by then, so the prospect of leading a British side at the Olympics would most likely appeal to him.

Moynihan said: "We would want the most highly-qualified man for that job so obviously I would support Fergie as well as considering, of course, any English manager the FA might put forward who had comparable credentials."

Britain last won the footballing gold medal in 1912, and last entered a side in the 1972 Munich Olympics.