With football on everyone's minds today - for various reasons and not necessarily good ones - it got me thinking is association football really an Olympic sport? Hasn't it become too self important and in some ways grotesque? My mum always said dont get too big for your boots! Does anyone ever say no to a footballer?
As you'll know up to a million people who wanted one haven't yet got any Olympic tickets this summer - but as of this morning there are a still about a million men and women's football tickets available to be bought NOW (latest ticket sales close Monday Feb 6th at 6pm) even including Team GB's matches in Cardiff, Manchester and London. Why? Gilbert Felli, the IOC's director of sport, has told LBC 97.3 he's confident nearer the time of the games the Millennium Stadium, Old Trafford, Hampden Park and Ricoh Arena will have good crowds as 'people will not want to miss the experience of the Olympics'. To be fair (and that's my job it's not all about headlines!) London 2012 have just told me they've sold nearly a million Olympic football tickets - the best selling sport in the games! Hmmm time to re-write blog?
But don't you agree football has become too BIG for the Olympics - Euro 2012 is what matters this summer isn't it? Followed by the Champions League final, Premier League climax, FA Cup Final and even the Football League Play offs. How many of us are watching the African Nations Cup - where various Premier League players are competing? I couldn't even tell you who has progressed from group stages!
Also doesn't football - or rather the circus that surrounds it - damage the Olympic image too? I'd love to really know what do the likes of sprinter James Ellington and trampolinist Kat Driscoll - who train day in day out just for the chance to get some sporting recognition from the general public - think about the likes of David Beckham possibly being an Olympian? Nothing against Beckham - ask my colleague Jo Parkerson who spoke to him this week. He's apparently a lovely down to earth guy (as much as can be!) who after helping us win the bid for 'his manor' in 2005 at the height of his global powers just wants to play football for Team GB. I can understand that - but will it really be the pinnacle of his career? He's played (and been sent off) in World Cups, Euros, won titles and cups in England, Spain and US - isn't it just sentimentality about performing in front of his home crowd? If the Olympics do matter at the age of 37, might Becks be denying rising under 23 players the chance of international experience in a competition British manager Stuart Pearce told me he could only pick 18 players including 2 keepers. To be fair to Pearce he told me it's a 'great honour' for him and the players to be involved. He told me he remembers Mark Spitz winning 7 gold medals and watching Daley Thompson miss out on an Olympic medal in Seoul in 1988 'taught' him a lot about 'adversity' and always trying. In contrast Hope Powell - his women's counterpart - couldn't think of a past Olympic moment when I asked her - apart from being in Beijing (the last games!) That disappointed me as you'll have seen from my previous Blogs - the Olympics matters so much to many.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE football - I'm so worried its going to snow tomorrow might not get to and from Norwich City for their crucial Premier League clash with Bolton especially after dire display against Sunderland - but with the 2016 Olympics in Rio getting even bigger (golf for heavens sake the latest sport - another blog on that required!) with 28 sports instead of the 26 in London maybe the IOC should have a rethink? Big is not necessarily better - what's the old saying the bigger they are the harder they fall (ask John Terry and Chris Huhne)? I really hope football doesn't learn that the hard way.
But nothing will change for London 2012 so from now on I'm backing Britain and Becks (if he's picked) and maybe try and get my hands on some Olympic football tickets. The draw for the competition is made on Tuesday April 24th at Wembley and LOCOG have told me we'll thenhave a better idea of which teams (away from GB) playing where - so Brazil, Argentina, Spain anyone? Yes I think so too!
Follow latest Olympic news @2012cushing
Go Team GB!
John