Beckham in the frame as Pearce hopes to develop feelgood factor

Pearce will watch Beckham play for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Seattle on May 2 but insists he is under no pressure to pick the veteran midfielder as one of three over-age players to bring some glamour to the Team GB squad.

Pearce will announce the 18-man Olympic squad in the middle of May and said he will make his judgment solely on grounds of form and fitness.

He said: “David Beckham will be treated exactly the same as any other individual, whether it is young or over-age.

“Form and fitness will dictate what the make-up of the squad will be. David falls into the same category. I have a duty of care to the Great Britain squad to try and win a gold medal. I will pick the strongest possible squad I can.

“I will know a bit more when I go to the States to see what form (Beckham) is in.

“He’s made the shortlist and he has been a great ambassador for this country and the Olympics, but that’s no recommendation that he will get in the squad and that’s fair and square across the board for all players.”

Ronaldo, who was one of the ambassadors for yesterday’s Olympic tournament draw which saw Great Britain put up against Uruguay, United Arab Emirates and Senegal in Group A, played with Beckham at Real Madrid and is in no doubt that he should get the call by Pearce.

The Brazilian said: “David Beckham is a great player and a great friend of mine.

“I’m sure he would love to participate in this Olympic dream. It’s up to the manager to pick the best team available but if I was the manager I definitely would as he would guarantee quality.”

Of the 80-man list of contenders to feature at this summer, Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere remains in contention.

Arsene Wenger confirmed last week that Wilshere would miss Euro 2012 after failing to recover from an ankle injury that has kept him out of the entire season.

It was also suggested Wilshere would not be available for the Olympics, which would have been a back-up option for the 20-year-old, who had previously admitted he would relish the chance to be involved.

However, Wilshere was in the 80-man provisional squad Pearce selected last week. Pearce has confirmed he will not rule anyone out until he is satisfied they cannot play, even if the odds on Wilshere making the final 18-man squad appear extremely remote.

“He is on the shortlist,” said Pearce.

“We will look at everyone individually and check their fitness and the medical people will speak with the clubs.

“We do have to be acutely aware that with an 18-man squad, and possibly six matches in 16 days, all the players are fully fit.

“You can’t be losing two or three to injury, otherwise you will be on the back foot.”

The news is bound to alarm Wenger who, like Sir Alex Ferguson, is not convinced by the merits of Olympic competition in the first place.

Ferguson has already spoken of the havoc that could be caused to Manchester United’s pre-season preparation by a large number of British call-ups, in addition to David de Gea and Javier Hernandez, who will be playing for Spain and Mexico respectively. However, Pearce believes this attitude undermines the merits of the tournament.

“I am acutely aware that club managers have a duty of care to their individual clubs,” said Pearce.

“But once the tournament starts, excitement will be generated and people will see the greater good it will do for the individual players and the feelgood factor it brings.

“Plus we will be returning the players to their clubs before the season starts, so all they will be missing are pre-season friendlies.

“If I was a player, I would much prefer to be playing at Old Trafford, Wembley and the Millennium Stadium, competing for a medal and then going back to my club.

“The lift that would give me would be fantastic.”

After the women’s draw was revealed yesterday, GB coach Hope Powell said she was relishing the prospect of her team opening the Olympics against New Zealand in Cardiff on July 25.

It had already been confirmed Powell’s team would have the honour of featuring in the very first event, two days before the opening ceremony.

But yesterday’s draw merely added more spice to the occasion as New Zealand, so synonymous with Wales due to their legendary All Blacks rugby side, ended up being the opponents.

Britain will also take on Cameroon in Group E, also in Cardiff, with a mouthwatering fixture against Brazil to close the pool stages, at Wembley, on July 31.

“It was highlighted to me some time ago, when our dates were confirmed, that our first game would be at the Millennium Stadium,” said Powell.

“It is the opener and I am really excited by the prospect. The press could be unprecedented.

“That is a good thing. It gives us an opportunity to showcase the sport and raise the profile of women’s football in this country.”

In the context of any football match, Brazil bring a glamour no other nation can match.

However, they also provide pretty formidable opposition being the fourth-ranked nation in the world.

“Any game in a tournament of this magnitude is going to be tough,” said Powell.

“But we have to look at Brazil.

“It is a tough proposition to get out of that group. That is the first hurdle.”

Powell confirmed she has been placed under no pressure, either from the British Olympic Association or the Football Association, to select non-English players in her squad. However, given the entire furore surrounding Britain’s representation, it would be bizarre if there were no Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish players in the 18-woman squad.

“My job is to pick the best possible team from the players who are available,” said Powell.