LONDON 2012: Attention turns to Pearce's Olympic selections after Hodgson reveals Euro 2012 team

By Sportsbeat staff

STUART Pearce now knows the pack from which he can choose after Roy Hodgson named his England team for the forthcoming Euro 2012 tournament.

DECISION TIME: Stuart Pearce cannot name any players selected for Roy Hodgson's Euro 2012 team in his Olympic squad (Getty Images)

Pearce, who will manage the first British Olympic Games football team in 50 years, knows he can't select any player who will take part in the tournament in Poland and the Ukraine.

He will name an 18-man under-23 squad later this month but can also include three over-age players.

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, Manchester United defender Phil Jones and striker Danny Welbeck would have all qualified by age but will now compete for England.

Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland, Pearce's likely first-choice for Olympic goalkeeper, is named on England's stand-by list, alongside fellow under-23 players, Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson and Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge.

They may be provisionally selected in Pearce's squad but should they be called up to Hodgson's team that will take preference.

There is also speculation that Tottenham Hotspur's Kyle Walker, another under-23 player who would have been selected for England were it not for a late-season toe injury, could recover to compete in the Olympics, which are staged several weeks later.

In addition, Pearce will have the option of calling up several players omitted from the Euro 2012 as his over-age selections, including Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon.

But Sir Alex Ferguson has already ruled out all Manchester United over-age players from Olympic action, with the exception of 38-year old Ryan Giggs, who has never previously played in a major international tournament.

And he has already proved good for his word, blocking Javier Hernández's selection for Mexico.

Giggs was named as the best player in the 20 year history of the Premier League this week and is desperate to play for Great Britain, despite opposition to the team from the Welsh FA.

He said: "I'm on the shortlist and if I get picked it would be fantastic, I think everyone is excited about the Olympics coming to London and coming to Britain but obviously I'd have to wait and see if I get picked or not.

"It is obviously a major tournament and I have never been involved before in a finals before. Hopefully it will happen but we will wait and see."

Great Britain will play their first Olympic group match against Senegal at Old Trafford on Thursday July 26th, 24 hours before the official opening ceremony.

Team GB will also play a friendly game against Brazil, one of the favourites for Olympic gold, at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium six days earlier.