It seems British football fans’ love of the beautiful game is alive and kicking as nearly three quarters of interested respondents would welcome a Great British football team at the London 2012 Olympic Games, with Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp at the helm of such a squad.
And from a list of fifteen top football coaches, Harry Redknapp emerged as the frontrunner, with one quarter (25%) of fans choosing him as their preferred manager to steer the would-be team to victory. Veteran Manchester United stalwart Sir Alex Ferguson came second at 22%, with current England manager Fabio Capello trailing several places behind on just 2%.
Controversial contenders
The ‘Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team’, formerly overseen by the Football Association (FA) from 1908, has been inactive since 1972, but despite controversy, plans are in place to try and reform it for the London 2012 Games, as Britain has the right to enter a team through virtue of being the event’s host. Despite opposition from the Welsh and Scottish Football Associations, the British Olympic Association has said it is pushing ahead with the plans.
Among other suggestions, including the popular Harry Redknapp, Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has been touted as a serious contender for the manager position (although he only gained 2% of the football fan vote in our poll).
