Lord Coe rallis support for GB football team on eve of anniversary

As host nation, Britain would have automatic qualification into the football tournament, but there has been disagreements over the make-up of any integrated side.

The Scots, Welsh and Irish were worried entering a unified team would jeopardise their future status as independent nations under FIFA, the world's governing body.

A compromise was eventually reached whereby only English players would compete, with the squad of 18 having at least 15 members aged under 23.

New Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has urged the home nations to look again at the issue.

Lord Coe, who is the chair of London 2012 Organising Committee, believes public opinion is fully behind a joint GB team.

"If you are asking me do I think the people in Great Britain want to see a Great Britain football team put out, I am hazarding a guess that they do," said Lord Coe.

"However, that is not really for me to decide – it is a matter for the BOA and the FA."

Many of British football's top coaches, including Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson and new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, have been touted as possible contenders to take charge of the team at the Games.

But Tottenham's Harry Redknapp wants an English manager, rather than a candidate from the other home nations.

He declared: "It would be wonderful for anyone to have the chance to do it, and I certainly think it should be an English manager.

"It would be fantastic but there would be plenty of other managers who would want that, too."

The cost of the Games has continued to come under scrutiny, with the new coalition Government wanting a 27m saving from the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Lord Coe – himself a double Olympic champion after winning 1,500m gold at the 1980 Moscow Games and again in Los Angeles four years later – believes Britain can be successful in London, despite the difficult economic climate.

"I have said this many times – you do not get excellence on the cheap," he added. "The one thing governing bodies need to know is there is consistent level of funding and what sums they have over the next two years.

"If you take a look at our performance in Beijing, fourth in the medals table and second in the Paralympics, it clearly worked."

The ODA has already made 600m of savings since 2007 and Lord Coe added: "The world has changed. This is a very different environment than even a year ago but the project is in great shape."