England’s Euro 2012 stars will not be selected for London Olympics reveals Team GB boss Stuart Pearce

Team GB head coach Stuart Pearce has announced that England players selected to participate in Euro 2012 will not be eligible for the men’s football team at the London Olympics.

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Premier League managers including Sir Alex Ferguson had already expressed their opposition to their players featuring in both major tournaments next summer.

Pearce, who also manages the Three Lions’ Under-21 squad, said the decision was taken now to allow time to identify players who could feature in the Olympic Games next year.

In an FA statement, he said: “We have had discussions as we come now to notifying the long list of the players who could potentially be selected and it is important to make clear what we have agreed regarding England players who will be at Euro 2012.

“We have agreed that any player who boards the plane to the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine will not be considered for selection to Team GB.

“It's a sensible football decision when you consider the demands on players, and it now leaves no room for doubt for players and their clubs about next summer and the two major tournaments.”

The other home nations which Team GB can select from – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have not qualified for the tournament, meaning any of their top players are able to be selected by the former Manchester City manager.

Yet this may still prove problematic due to their reluctance to allow players to feature in the side, as they fear it would risk their sovereignty as individual nations in the eyes of Fifa.