Team Great Britain: David Beckham May Captain Aaron Ramsey, Charlie Adam Et Al.

Stuart Pearce was appointed coach of Team Great Britain for the 2012 Olympics. This is the first time since 1960 that England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will come together to compete in an international soccer tournament.

Olympic rules sate that teams must be composed of players under the age of 23; they allow three senior players to be selected.

With four countries at his disposal, who will Pearce pick for Team Great Britain?

Joe Hart, England

The last thing club managers want is their stars to play in two international competitions during their summer breaks. Thus, many high-profile English players will not be part of Team Great Britain.

Fortunately for Stuart Pearce, goalkeepers are not susceptible to overplaying.

Joe Hart should be Team Great Britain’s keeper. The Manchester City star has cemented his starting position for the England national team. The only negative about selecting the 24-year-old is that he takes up one of the senior spots on the team.

Nonetheless, he is a world-class keeper and Team Great Britain should not think twice about selecting him. Their young defenders would benefit from having such a talented keeper.

Chris Smalling, England

Chris Smalling is playing so well for Manchester United that he may get called up to the Euros. The young defender has gone on record saying he would like to play both tournaments but Sir Alex may not be too keen on the idea.

Injuries to Nemanja Vidić, Rio Ferdinand and Rafael have forced Chris Smalling to play center-back and right-back. Stuart Pearce could use Smalling's versatility during the tournament, especially if another defender gets injured. 

Phil Jones, England

Phil Jones is another versatile defender who can play anywhere in the back line or even midfield. Two assists to Wayne Rooney in a 5-0 victory over Bolton proved he can hold his own as an attacking threat.

Rio Ferdinand’s injuries and lack of form have meant more playing time for Phil Jones. The 19-year-old has not failed to impress and should be a regular started as the season progresses.

After a full EPL season under his belt, Phil Jones could have the skill and experience to be one of the best defenders of the Olympic tournament. 

Jonny Evans, Northern Ireland

Why not select three Manchester United defenders? By the season’s end they will all be extremely comfortable playing alongside one another. Team Great Britain will need that kind of chemistry if they want to succeed.

Like the other two defenders, Jonny Evans has been thrown into the fray this season. He is starting to develop a strong partnership with Phil Jones at center-back.

Some fans may be worried about his red card in United’s humiliating 6-1 defeat to Manchester City. However, Jonny Evans is young and has plenty of opportunities to learn from his mistakes by the time the Olympics roll around. 

Micah Richards, England

Micah Richards is another English player who could be selected for Euro duty. Glenn Johnson and Ashley Cole seem to be on top of the pecking order—but one injury or impressive performance could change that.

The 23-year-old is quick and extremely powerful for a left-back. Playing against young competition in the Olympics will only make his power a greater threat.

With this defense, Stuart Pearce will be able to shut down the opponents' offense—and challenge their defense at the same time. 

Gareth Bale, Wales

Last year’s PFA player of the year has already expressed interest in being part of Team Great Britain. Wales failed to qualify for the European Championships so there is no fear of playing two tournaments.

Gareth Bale can change the game at any moment. He has the ability to score or set his teammates up at any moment. The speedy Welshman is a handful for any opposing defender, despite his age. 

Aaron Ramsey, Wales

At 20, Aaron Ramsey is the captain of the Wales national team. The young midfielder plays well beyond his years. When Cesc Fabergas and Samir Nasri left Arsenal this summer, some people believed that Ramsey and Jack Wilshire could step up and fill the void. That is extremely high praise for two young stars.

Aaron Ramsey has become one of the best passers in the game while playing for Arsenal. He has the vision to see anyone on the pitch—and the skill to get the ball to them.

The England National team often gets criticized for playing the long ball and trying to out-shove the competition. With Aaron Ramsey at midfield, Team Great Britain would have the finesse to silence those critics.

Charlie Adam, Scotland

The Scottish midfielder has been a rock for Liverpool this season. Charlie Adam is a box-to-box midfielder who can dictate the tempo of a game. Stuart Downing and Jordan Henderson may have grabbed more headlines during the summer transfer window, but Charlie Adam has held his own at Anfield.

Charlie Adam and Aaron Ramsey could form a deadly duo at midfield. With its passing skills, Team Great Britain would be one of the most creative sides in the Olympic tournament.

Apart from his brilliance as a passer, Charlie Adam is not afraid to chase down an opposing player to win the ball back. He would be a great compliment to Ramsey’s style of play.

David Beckham, England

England’s former captain has been vocal about his desire to represent Team Great Britain. His leadership and experience would be a huge benefit to the rest of the team.

Although he is a bit past his prime, the L.A. Galaxy midfielder still has plenty to offer. This past fall, Tottenham Hotspur expressed interest in signing him.

Some could argue that Ryan Giggs should take the last senior spot on the squad. And while it would be great for the Welshman to compete in an international competition, Becks has expressed a greater desire to represent his country.

Nothing against Giggs but I think Beckham wants it more, and the Olympics are all about heart. 

Danny Welbeck, England

Danny Welbeck broke into Manchester United’s first team this year after an impressive loan spell with Sunderland. He is playing well enough to challenge Chicarito Hernandez for a starting spot.

Danny Welbeck usually plays up front, but he is quick enough to play wide on the wing. Standing at 6'1", he can jump over defenders as well as outrun them.

With Aaron Ramsey, Charlie Adam and Gareth Bale feeding him passes, Danny Welbeck would not have a problem finding the net.

Daniel Sturridge, England

Daniel Sturridge has a lot of competition at Stamford Bridge. It may surprise some that, on a team with Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, and Fernando Torres, the 22-year-old is Chelsea’s leading goal scorer.

Daniel Sturridge is very quick and has the ability to score from outside the box. He also stands reasonably tall at 6’2”. He and Danny Welbeck would be extremely dangerous in set-play situations, especially with David Beckham feeding them the ball.

If he continues to earn minutes for a competitive squad like Chelsea, there is no reason he shouldn’t be a starter for Team Great Britain this summer.

Substitutes

Finally, here are some substitutes that Stuart Pearce could pick.

Frank Fielding: The Derby County goalkeeper has represented the England U-19 and U-21 sides and he has been in the mix for a call-up to the senior squad.

Tom Cleverly: He finally broke into Manchester United’s first team this year.

Jordan Henderson: He made a big money move to Liverpool this summer and is fighting for a starting spot.

Craig Cathcart: One of Northern Ireland’s most promising prospects, the Blackpool center-back is used to playing alongside Jonny Evans for his country.

Kieran Gibbs: The Arsenal defender is being called upon to fill the void that Gael Clichy’s departure left.

Theo Walcott: It shocks me to know that this guy is still only 22 years old.

Andy Carroll: Enough talent to be a starter on the team. The Liverpool striker only needs more consistency.