Lord Coe denies putting pressure on Pearce to pick Beckham in Team GB

London: London Olympics chief Lord Coe has denied putting any pressure on Team Great Britain football coach Stuart Pearce to select former Manchester United star David Beckham. Beckham was in Athens Thursday night for the handover of the Olympic flame, and will be on the plane, which brings it back to Britain this evening.

Lord Coe insists using Beckham for ceremonial duties is not a way of pushing Pearce towards selecting him. “That is absolutely not the case, any more than we would expect a recall for Steve Red grave or Daley Thompson,” The Sun quoted Lord Coe, as saying. “We put no pressure on Stuart. He has to pick the team that he thinks can lift that trophy. I wouldn’t expect any coach to operate on any other basis, whether it’s wrestling or Olympic football,” he added. “Anything David joins, he brings glamour to it. Having him around the Olympic programme is a fantastic thing, but selection is not for anybody other than Stuart to decide,” he said. (ANI)