The 2012 Olympic Games Football Draw

Good morning and welcome to the draw for the 2012 Olympic Games

Football Draw. It is time for Great Britain to join the party, in a

competition that guarantees moments COMMENTATOR: And Nigeria are the

Olympic football champions! And it has crept in, and Norway have won

the Olympic gold medal! That, in the truest meaning of the word, is

a golden goal. The title goes again And joining me in the studio this

morning, the experienced England Women's International and BBC

pundit Sue Smith. Experience is a nice thing, I am not being rude.

And a man who's going to follow Team GB's every move. And I am

never rude to you, Garth Crooks. A lot of women's footballers will be

very excited at the moment. Without a doubt. It is massive for women's

football, the fact that it is in this country, which is amazing, and

it is the first time we have been allowed into the Olympics.

Everybody is really excited. It is on Twitter and everything. Some

maybe unfamiliar names in the men's tournament, but no shortage of

talent. No, you saw in the opening titles so massive names, like

Lionel Messi. I do not think this time will be any different. It is

an under-23 tournament, with three over-age players, for the men, but

for the women, no age limit. Yes, it is the best of the best for the

women. The likes of Germany, ranked second in the world, are not there,

that's probably the only team who are you would have expected to be

there. But we have got the likes of Brazil, Japan, fantastic teams to

watch. As far as the men are concerned, they cannot meet Spain

or Brazil in the group stages. That's correct. Spain, the best

team in the world, as we know, they are always a very important team.

Switzerland, Ben Rhodes, who gave Spain a real fright. They will all

be in the latter changes. The draw will be starting at Wembley Stadium

very shortly. As far as the Great Britain women's team are concerned,

they cannot play Japan or the USA... Oh, are they ready? Let's go

straight to Wembley Stadium, we will speak to Sue Smith in just a

minute. First, here's Gary Lineker. Thank you, welcome to Wembley. This

is the biggest of the six venues that will stage the London 2012

Olympic football tournament. This magnificent stadium goes more than

130 metres into the sky, more than four times the height of the old

Twin Towers at Wembley. Or about twice the size of Peter Crouch!

This stadium is instantly recognisable to football fans all

over the world. London has been preparing to host these games for

the last seven years, so we are delighted that Wembley will be

hosting the gold medal events for both the men's and women's

tournaments. Sport has the power to unite people. As much as any sport,

football really does bring people together. Football has featured at

every Olympic Games since 1908, with just one exception. In that

year, it was won by Great Britain. I remember it well. In Beijing, the

Men's Final was won by Argentina, with the winning goal set up by a

young Barcelona player who you may have heard of, Lionel Messi. The

Women's Final was just as exciting as in previous Olympics, with the

USA winning gold at three out of four Olympic football tournaments.

Now, it is time to start finding the stars of tomorrow, both male

and female, because we're going to have two doors today. The men's

tournament will be an under-23s event, with each country allowed to

include three older players. I have not given up hope yet! There are no

age restrictions for the women's tournament. To start the

proceedings today, and set us up for what we hope will be one of the

most hotly-contested tournaments in history, please welcome the acting

President of the Asian Football Confederation and member of the

FIFA executive committee, and chairman of the FIFA Organising

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen... On behalf of the FIFA

president, Sepp Blatter, may I welcome you all to London today, to

the draw for the Olympic football tournament. It is a real honour to

be here at the unique Wembley Stadium today, especially in the

presence of Gary Lineker. The position of football at the Olympic

Games is a topic which often generates a great deal of debate.

However, four years ago, I saw first-hand in just how much esteem

the players, both men and women, hold this competition. In Beijing,

in 2008, I was the sporting director for the organising

committee, and I saw our task growing from the beginning to the

end, something which was hugely satisfying. Seeing the joy on the

faces of the American and Argentinian women and men left me

in no doubt about how much winning Olympic gold means to them. It is

incredible to think that this will be the 23rd men's Olympic football

tournament, dating right back to 1908. For the women, 2012 will be

the fifth competition. The calibre of footballers to represent their

countries down the years reads like a Who's who. I would like any

football fans, be they in Great Britain or around the world, to

take the opportunity to come and support their team in some of the

most iconic football stadia in England, Scotland and Wales. In

closing, I would like to wish all the team representatives here today

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 118 seconds

I congratulate all the teams that have made it this far, so far. To

all our host venues, many represents with us today, and also

thanks to the media, who have supported us right the way through.

The bid was very clear and unambiguous. It was really too,

where possible, enshrine the games not just in London but throughout

the UK. I do not need to say to this audience gathered here today

that we are a football-loving nation. We are a football-loving

nation in all corners of the nation, to be able to showcase our great

cities and venues around the UK, from Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester,

Cardiff, at Coventry last night, a very good example, and of course

Today is a big day, 94 days before the Opening Ceremony. Today gives

us an opportunity to be able to say to the teams, the players, all fans,

that they will now know who they will be playing and where. We have

already sold one million tickets, which is a great indication of the

appetite for the national game, the appetite for the Olympic Games, as

we put the finishing touches to our testing processes in football. We

will have the remaining football tickets on sale some time at the

beginning of May, and we will confirm that timetable as we go

ahead. The remaining Olympic and Paralympic tickets will be

following on from there. This is a unique opportunity for the UK to

share in the Olympic Games, a unique opportunity to share in the

spirit of the games, and simply, at the end of the process, to say, I

was there. I am delighted to be here today, delighted that this

football tournament will play such an important role in the games. I

am equally delighted to be able to hand back to Gary Lineker, who will

put us out of our misery and tell us exactly where those fans,

players and teams will be over the course of the summer months.

Let's kick off the main event of the day, the draw for the Olympic

football tournament for London 2012. The draw will be in two parts, the

women's tournament First, with 12 qualifying teams, followed by the

men, with 16 qualifying teams. There are six stadiums, seven

groups and seven seeded teams, so you can imagine how complicated

this can get. I am delighted to be able to hand over to a man who has

conducted draws on several occasions, including the Olympic

trot at Beijing, and did his the FIFA Secretary-General. We are also

Those special guests include the celebrated Welsh midfielder Robbie

Savage. The only woman to top the UK official singles charts as a

solo artist as well as as part of a duo, triple, Quartet and quintet.

It's Melanie C. A striker who played for Blackburn Rovers,

Newcastle united and Coventry, and made 53 appearances for Scotland,

Kevin Gallacher. A woman who has played a major part in the success

of Arsenal Ladies and the England national women's team in recent

And someone who also happens to be a recipient of an Olympic football

Now we completed days women's draw. -- today's women's draw. Thank you.

I will first try to give you some information about the draw itself.

As you see, the allocation of slots, 12 for the women, 16 for the men,

3.5 per For A F C. Senegal got the last slot. You will see the venues,

which is the beauty of the Olympic football tournament, because it is

not only played in London but in six venues including Wales and

Scotland. Now you will see for the women's Olympic football draw. From

We have four pots, with two seeded teams. The USA are the Olympic

These teams will occupy the first position in the next slide you see,

with the three groups. There are only three goals, for the remaining

teams. -- bowls. We will start with the first pop, and this bowl.

Britain. Thank you. Now we move to And it is Japan. Japan in Group F,

position one, finally in number for, And USA in Group G, position one.

Now we come back to the first one, with the two European teams, France

and Sweden, as I understand. They will be allocated in Group F and

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 118 seconds

And France will be in its -- the last group. Thank you. It is two,

the first game in France against the USA. OK, we are done with the

first one. We can go to number two. We have no seeded teams, so we just

move through the letters. We start with Cameroon. Cameroon in group

Next? Thank you. South Africa. South Africa in Group F. To play

South Africa, position F four, will play Sweden. And the final one,

which is Columbia. Colombia, with USA and France. So Kevin? Position

three or four. Thank you. And it is positioned three for Colombia. OK,

number three, with New Zealand. The first team will be played in Group

So that is the first, the first event at the Olympic Games 2012.

Great Britain and New Zealand on 25th July, at Cardiff stadium.

Korea in Group G. Just for G4 for Korea. Now to the last pot

Pot E. New Zealand joining Great Britain and Cameroon. E4. And the

final, final 1, Canada. Canada in F2. So we have the three groups,

Great Britain, New Zealand, Cameroon and Japan in group three.

Sweden and South Africa in Group F. USA, France, Columbia and Korea.

Thank you very much to Gary Lineker and the team doing the draw.

Apologies for the poor sound quality during that. But we do know

first of all what the first event of London 2012 will be. That is

Great Britain's Women against New Zealand. July 25th in Cardiff. Also

in the group with Great Britain, Cameroon and Brazil. In Group F,

Japan the seeded side. Canada, Sweden and South Africa as well.

And the last group, the USA, France, Columbia and Korea. The top two in

each group automatically qualify and then the two best third-placed

sides as well. That is an interesting group for Great Britain.

Very interesting and to be honest I think we can get through. Brazil

will be a tasty game and they are fantastic to watch. They are

similar to the men in the way that they play and their skill levels.

The first game against New Zealand will be exciting. They are an up-

and-coming team. He started off earlier in the year not too well,

then they gradually had some good results. They are starting to peak

for the tournament. 24th in the world, New Zealand. Their Olympic

debut was in Beijing but they held Japan to a draw, the semi-finalists.

And that shows the type of team that they are. They are very

defensive but I think they will build. I think they will peak

during the tournament. It is a good grip and we can get something out

of it so I think it will be exciting. The men's draw will take

place very shortly. They are just rearranging the balls to do that.

Great Britain's women will hope that they qualified by the time

they played New Zealand last. it is interesting. The footballing

nations are featuring, including Brazil. Japan have become very

strong. The way that country has embraced the game and really

invested in it, that does not just impacted on the men's game. The

women's game has also benefited as a consequence so I am really

interested. OK. Back to Jerome Valcke for the men's draw.

Information about the straw, you will see firstly that the teams

qualify for each of the six confederations, with Japan, United

Arab Emirates for grade C. Gabon, Morocco and Senegal. Honduras and

The pot on my right with the seeded teams with Great Britain as the

host a number one. Spain are the reigning champion from South Africa

2010. Brazil and Mexico are also seeded and it was in agreement with

LOCOG and FIFA that all of these teams were seeded. In number three,

we have the United Arab Emirates and Korea and New Zealand. In

number four, the four African teams. The first position is occupied by

seeded teams and they will immediately start. We start with

the white one. You are keen to do Position A1. Thank you. Now we move

on again. The first part, the red Spain in poistion D1. Again we have

two teams in this pot. It will either be Mexico or Brazil. It is

Mexico. Mexico, B1. Finally, the last red one. Brazil. Brazil, the

five-times World Champion, never Olympic champion. But five times

World Champion. And the next organiser of the FIFA World Cup. We

are done with the top teams in the first position, and we can move

back to No. 1, where we still have Belarus and Switzerland. In pots B

and C. Switzerland in Group B. With Mexico. Switzerland, the last time

they played, was in 1928. It's B4 with Mexico for Switzerland. The

last team will be in position see, Belarus goes into Group C, to play

with Brazil. That's third position in Group C, for Belarus. Pot 2,

let's go. We have Uruguay and Honduras, so they will go in Group

A and Group D. Uruguay will be in Group A. Uruguay have won twice the

Olympic football tournament, in 1924 and 1928. Fourth position in

Group A, for Uruguay. Next, Honduras, going in Group D. Third

participation for Honduras. Playing with Spain. Third position in that

group. So, we move to Pot 3, where we have Japan and New Zealand. And

we have Japan and New Zealand. And then we go from Group A to Group D.

UAE in Group A. And it is third position for UAE. Next one. And it

is Group B for the Korean republic. To play Mexico or Switzerland,

first game. And it is second position in Group B, Korean

Republic player in Mexico. Japan and New Zealand... Thanks. And it

is New Zealand. New Zealand in Group C with Brazil and Belarus.

Position 2 or 4. New Zealand, the second time they have played in the

Olympic Games, after Beijing. Fourth position in Group C, New

Zealand, playing Belarus. And last up, Japan. Japan to join Group D,

with Spain and Honduras. Thank you. Japan, who got the bronze medal in

1968. Second position in Group D for Japan, playing Spain. That's in

Group D. OK, we are done with Pot 3, we can move on to Pot 4, where we

have the African teams. And the first team to conclude Group A is

Senegal. That's with Great Britain, UAE and Uruguay. Just confirmation,

please, on that one. Senegal, Group please, on that one. Senegal, Group

A, second position. Next one, for Group B. This is Gabon, in Group B.

This is for the third position in that group. That's Gabon. Egypt and

Morocco... To be in Group C - it is Egypt. That's with Brazil, New

Zealand and Belarus. And Egypt is in second position. And to conclude

the draw, we have one team, Morocco, so that's Morocco to play in Group

D... And soon it will back -- it will be back to you, Gary Lineker.

It is Morocco in Group D, and the last ball for the men's Olympic

football tournament draw, it is fourth position in Group D, so,

just to recap... Gary, the draw is concluded. Am I right in saying

that Great Britain-Senegal will be the opening game? Correct, for the

men's tournament, it will be. Let's get a quick reaction. Robbie Savage,

tough group for Team GB, as you would expect, they are all going to

be tough, but can you see it being successful? The stand-out game will

be against Uruguay, but I think Great Britain under Stuart Pearce

should progress. As for the ladies, Kelly Smith, that so tasty fixture

against Brazil, isn't it? Yes, certainly England at least has

never played Brazil, so that will be a great opportunity. We look

forward to two wonderful competitions. Thank you to all our

guests, and also to Jerome Valcke. So, we now know what lies ahead for

the qualified teams, and there are sure to be some brilliant matches.

Don't forget, tickets go back on sale in early May. You can visit

the website for more information. Now, let's look at the agenda for

the rest of the day. In a moment we will be asking all team

representatives and liaison officers... We will leave Gary

there because I don't think we need to know the agenda! Let's take a

look at how the men's groups are now formed. So, Great Britain are

in with Senegal, Uruguay and UAE. Great Britain have not been in the

Olympics since 1960, the first ever time for UAE, and the first time

for Uruguay since 1928, when they Belarus, who has under-21 side

pushed the Spanish side so hard in What do you make of Britain's group,

Garth? I am lowered to say it is an easy group, but it is an easy group.

You have mentioned about teams being in the competition for the

first time, or lucky to be there. Senegal just qualified, they will

be delighted with that draw. We know that African countries laugh

Premier League football, they love British football, they will be very

excited, I can assure you, the fact that they will be playing against

possibly the likes of David Beckham, possibly Craig Bellamy, Gareth Bale,

players that they know very well. For those reasons, you cannot take

Senegal lightly, because they will want to play well, and it has such

an impact back home. That's where that draw becomes dangerous. But in

all honesty, our players should get through this group. We should not

take Uruguay lightly, either. In this qualifying competition, they

put Argentina out, and that will be the last game for Team GB. Without

a doubt, I have got to agree with Garth, any team that gets there, it

is a one-off competition, they will be desperate to do well, and that

is what they will do. I think that will be quite an interesting game,

with Uruguay. They have had some good results. Just to be able to

play against the likes of David Beckham would be exciting for any

player. Turn that around, actually, depending on the squads that are

picked, and the over-age players, that Uruguay side could conceivably

contain Diogo Forlan, Luis Suarez, they are not coming in as innocents,

are they? That changed dramatically, if those players are in. Just

looking at the venues, the opening game, at Manchester, will be

fantastic, that will be a full house, no doubt about it. I am just

wondering to what extent those venues will affect the likes of

Uruguay. I believe that game is in Cardiff. I think it is all about

Team GB. Providing our players are settled and injury-free, I think we

have got a fantastic chance of getting to the quarter-finals.

will get reaction from both coaches now for Team GB, James Pearce is

with both of them. Yes, I have got Stuart Pearce and Hope Powell

alongside me. First of all, happy birthday, Stuart Pearce - has the

draw been good for you? I am looking forward to this summer,

certainly, and I think, after this draw, the focus will be on the

Olympics, and everyone knows who we are playing now. One team perhaps

you might have wanted to avoid, Uruguay, with players like Diego

Forlan and Luis Suarez possibly, that could be a tough fixture for

you. Yes, I would not dismiss anyone in the group, or any of the

teams coming here. With three over- age players, it can contribute to a

really strong side. It will be tough, it always is, that's

tournament football. We will be looking forward to it. Let's bring

in Hope Powell Major, and the fixture which stands out for the

women, Brazil. Undoubtedly. It will be played at Wembley, it will be a

great game for us. Undoubtedly the toughest team in the group, they

are always there or thereabouts in major tournaments. But it is just

about the preparation now for us. In the women's, two of the third-

placed teams go through, so you have got every chance of

progressing. Yes, but we cannot take it lightly. We played New

Zealand in the World Cup, it was a very, very tough encounter. Brazil,

and then, obviously, who have we got? Cameroon, yes, who we have

never experienced before, so that will be a tough challenge, unknown

quantity. But as I said, it is all about the preparation. What do you

think this tournament can do for women's football in this country?

It gives us a great opportunity to showcase our sport. It is a great

platform, the opening match against New Zealand, it allows us to

showcase the game, to get more females involved. One player

everyone talks about more than any other when it comes to selection is

David Beckham - when you choose the squad, will it be simply on merit,

or will it be a bit of star quality as well? I would like to think

everyone in the squad will have star quality, but it will be simply

on merit. So, how would you rate David Beckham's chances at the

is in. He has made a short list, which constitutes about 80 players

at this moment. He has been a great ambassador for this country, in the

Olympics, but that is no recommendation that he will get

into the squad, which goes for all players. I will ask you the same

question in a minute, Hope Powell, if I may. How important is it for

you, as coaches, to pick a team which a representative of the whole

of Great Britain? I am picking it on form and merit alone, nothing

else. That is the fairest way I can do it. Every time didn't put in

front of the camera, if I can pick a squad which turns around and

perhaps does not reflect every home nation or any particular celebrity,

but the best 18 players and four standby players, which are the

moment -- which are at that moment the best in my opinion. That is the

only criteria I am working to. would echo that. It would be about

form, injury, it is our job as coach is to get the best 18 and

four reserve players, so it will definitely be on form. Politically,

people trying to sell tickets, for them, it would be helpful to have

some people from Scotland and Wales involved. The good thing is, we are

not politicians, we are coaches. Our job is to pick players who were

on form, want to play and are You are a busy man at the moment

and you have been in Poland. We still have no manager. Do you think

you will be doubling up and doing both tournaments? I don't know. I

will be doing the Olympics and if I am needed I will take the team to

the euros. I am more than happy to take both tournaments this summer

and I are more than capable of doing both jobs. How advanced is

the planning if you were to step aside and someone else was to take

on England job? Everything is totally down. The planning is

totally done, if it is me or someone else. They will be happy

with the decisions that have been made over the last few months,

started by Fabio Capello and continued by myself. There will be

no problems. Someone can come in and take the job tomorrow,

basically. If you did the job, do you have a squad in mind that he

would select? Of course. I do for the Olympic squad and for the

England job as well. That is why ago to five games at least every

week. Thank you. Thank you to everybody there. I am

not surprised that Hope Powell for got one of the sides in the group.

Our heads are still spinning. stressful! Who would have thought

that picking up balls was so stressful! If you get that wrong,

then you really are stressed. was interesting that she said that

we are not politicians, we are poachers. We know a bit more about

how the argument in the men's game have gone. -- we are coachs. Is it

the same in the women's game? very similar. Hope Powell can only

send the letters out to the players that she thinks are playing well.

If they want to play, then they can. Any player would want to play in a

massive event like this. important do you think that there

are representatives from all of the home nations? I think that would be

great because we play two games in Cardiff, so it would be fantastic

to have the Welsh fans supporting us. But like Hope Powell said, we

just have to pick the best 18 players at the time. If that

includes Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, then that is wonderful,

but otherwise she might just pick a team of English players. Where do

you stand on this argument? I think that we have got a selection of

such fabulous players, I really don't see whether it is political...

I think the margins between the players that will be on show of

that fine, that I think that Hope Powell and Stuart Pearce can afford

to be political if they want because the class is so good. Craig

Bellamy or David Beckham or Joe Cole? Come on! We should be

breezing through the first group. It might get tasty in the knockout

stages, no doubt. But I should think that those two people can

afford to be a little bit political because football unites the nation.

It happened with the British Lions and I don't see why it cannot

happen in football. Let's not be so much like that. We can afford to be

generous in this competition. Pearce has been joined by Lord Coe.

Lord Coe has a different job compared to the coach. They have to

sell tickets, 1.5 million still to sell. The venue that has sold the

least his hand and Park in Glasgow. Looking at the fixtures, the first

match is Spain against Japan. -- Hampden Park in Glasgow. That is a

good game. Ben Bella rose's game might not be so easy to sell. --

then Belarus's game. I think today helps because then people will know

of who is playing. Don't forget we have already sold millions of

tickets, which shows the appetite in this country and around the

world for the game. How many tickets can you sell? We will work

hard there. We know whether teams are and the fans know where the

teams are. We have got some great names. The opening match is at the

Millennium Stadium, with the Great Britain's women's team playing and

then the next day at Old Trafford with Senegal. I think people know

whether venues are now. They also know which teams are playing, which

players will be available and I think they will start moving.

women's football this will be a real boost for the country. The

first event is the women's match you were just talking about in

Cardiff, Team GB against New Zealand. Exactly. The women's

football team is a very strong team at the moment. They are as good.

They are in the top three or four in the world now. It is a great

opportunity for people to get behind the Great Britain women's

team as well, and just a few days before the opening ceremony, as he

said. There are still 1.5 million tickets on sale but you cannot buy

them at the moment. Why not? We are finishing our testing procedures

all the time. We were testing at Coventry last night, when Senegal

beat Oman to grab the final place in the Olympic football tournament.

We want to make sure that we have got all the testing done. It is

only a matter of days. We will announce the sale of those tickets,

probably in early May, and confirm that timetable quite quickly.

asking Stuart Pearce about David Beckham earlier. You would probably

like to see him playing because that would sell tickets. He would

like to pick his team on merit. How keen are you to have someone like

David in the team? This is absolutely for Stuart Pearce. He

must pick the team on merit. Whatever team that he picks will

attract a lot of attention. important is it for the British

team to have representatives from all the home nations? Well, if

possible that is wonderful, but on merit. You do not select on a quota

basis but on merit. Stuart Pearce will put together the best squad

that two things is available and the best squad will lift the trophy.

-- that he thinks is available. I don't think Stuart Pearce should be

forced into bigging on a quota basis. I want to see a team that

plays at the very highest level. Thank you very much and best of

luck. Thank you. When Under 21

internationals are played in this country, home nations all of them,

they sell out very well. Actually, ticket sales for Team GB should be

fine, whether David Beckham was there or not. I think it will be

phenomenal. We are pining for football. We want something to do

on a Saturday afternoon. We miss that staple diet, so I have no

doubt that they will go. You can't tell me if there is a hint of a

Scottish flavour into the GB squad when they play at Hampden Park, it

will go mental. Should that be a consideration? I said earlier. I

think there is such an array of British talent that they can afford

to be generous. Let's look at the group's again, starting with the

went it? They come here to win the gold medal. I have listened to some

interviews and they don't want a medal, they want the gold. That

doesn't sound like the Americans! We will build stories up over the

course of the next 92 days until Great Britain and New Zealand play

each other. Also in that group, Brazil. They have one of the world

superstars of the women's game. Without a doubt. She has won five

times, world player of the year. Brazil are like the men, very good

to watch and difficult to play against because you don't know what

they are going to do. As a manager, coach, it is difficult to

tactically set up against them. We have never played them before, so

that will be interesting to see how that happens. I am quite excited

about that. I will be reporting with the Great Britain team. On

July 8th, we will find out what the final 18 is. I am very keen to find

out how up they are for the tournament. We have not won a major

tournament since 1966. A major football international tournament

and they have a real chance of winning this one. We have to take

it seriously and we have a fantastic chance. This is the men's

draw again. Senegal, Garth Crooks was talking about the young players

that might be involved from Senegal point of view. They will love being

here and they will love playing here. Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse,

that will interest the Newcastle fans. You mentioned the opportunity

that Uruguay have with Luis Suarez and people like that. Again Senegal

can bring in those players. I wonder to what extent they will be

playing England in the opening game. Britain! Britain, I beg your pardon.

Playing to be in the opening game attract the likes of Demba Ba and

Papiss Cisse. It suddenly becomes an attractive proposition. Things

are changing all the time. That is Team GB's opening game, Senegal.

Then United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. Alex Ferguson has said

that having a short list of 80 is chaotic for Stuart Pearce. I think

so. We do not have the European Championships coming up, that his

next year for us so we have no issue with that. Regarding the

Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish players, for me there are probably

only two or three that could get into the England set-up. That is

probably critical but that is my opinion on that. It think it will

be easier for Hope Powell and Stuart Pearce. It will be

fascinating. David Beckham, but to make it? If he is fit, he probably

will. Will the tickets go? You had better believe it. I believe you,!

Goodness me. Other things coming your way on BBC's board. Day four

of the world snooker in Sheffield, live on BBC Two from 1 o'clock.

Ronnie O'Sullivan continuing his first-round match against Peter

Ebdon. You can follow Chelsea's Champions League semi-final second

leg in Barcelona live on five Live tonight. The game kicks off at

7:45pm with Chelsea defending that lead from the first game. And after

West Ham winning at Leicester, the one remaining promotion place from

the championship is still up for grabs. We are going to be at St

Mary's on Saturday lunchtime. It is Southampton against Coventry,

12:15pm on BBC One. If Nigel Atkins's side wins, they will be

going up. The football tournament at the Olympics starts before the