• London Olympics 2012

Premier League stars to stay in Olympic village

ESPN staff
September 16, 2011
David Beckham will be expected to stay at the Athletes' Village if he plays in the Olympics © PA Photos
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Team GB's footballers will stay at the Olympic Village with the rest of the Great Britain team at London 2012, the FA has confirmed.

Great Britain will play their matches around the country with likely destinations including Manchester and Cardiff, but rather than stay at England's favoured luxury hotel the Grove when in London, the players, most of whom earn more in a week than most Olympians receive in a year, will stay in shared rooms and eat in the communal dining hall.

Sir Clive Woodward, the British Olympic Association's director of sport, is determined to promoted the egalitarian spirit of the games, and the big name stars such as David Beckham, Jessica Ennis and Sir Chris Hoy will be expected to mingle with athletes from archery, taekwondo and volleyball.

England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce is expected to be named as coach for the men's Olympic team, while long-serving England women's coach Hope Powell will lead the GB women's team. The initial squads are set to be announced in November, while the final 18-man squad can feature a maximum of three players over the age of 23.

With the FA suggesting that players who feature for England at Euro 2012 next summer are unlikely to play in the Olympics, Beckham is hopeful of securing a place as one of the three senior players.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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