• Giggs wants to renew partnership with David Beckham
• Manchester United have given veteran permission to play
Ryan Giggs has confirmed he wants to play for Team GB at the London Olympics even though his presence would disturb the Welsh Football Association.
The association, in common with the governing bodies of Scotland and Northern Ireland, fears that a Great Britain side will undermine the right of the four home nations to appear separately on the international stage. However, the 38-year-old is relishing the possibility of taking part and, alongside his former Manchester United team-mate David Beckham, is likely to be one of the three over-aged players allowed in the squad.
Giggs ended his career with Wales in 2007. It still left him with a hankering to appear at a major international tournament – Wales last did so when they reached the World Cup finals in 1958 – and Giggs is the only player over 23 at Old Trafford to have been given permission to take part.
"I've put myself forward to be involved," said Giggs, who has already spoken to the GB head coach, Stuart Pearce. "Whether I get picked we'll have to see. Everybody is excited about the Olympics coming to London and different parts of Britain."
Giggs takes little notice of the supposed threat to Wales's independence in football. "People are going to have different views," he said. "I want to be involved in the tournament atmosphere. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't so be it."
If he is picked, there may be a mini-reunion in prospect, with Beckham and Giggs in action together for the first time since 2003, when Beckham left United in a £25m transfer to Real Madrid.
"Becks is obviously a friend," said Giggs of the 37-year-old, "and he remains a great player. If [featuring in the GB side together] was to be, it'd be great. I started my playing career with Becks in the [United] youth team. Twenty years later, to be still doing that would be great."
Giggs finds amusement, too, in the length of his association with Beckham, during which time has taken its toll. Each of them would have trouble envisaging themselves surging on the flanks. "I don't think it'll be like 20 years ago when we were both up and down," Giggs said. "We might be able to get up but we won't be able to get back down again."
It is a tribute to the enduring value of these players that there could be concern at their clubs over their exertions at London 2012. The final of the men's tournament takes place at Wembley on 11 August. There is no guarantee that the GB side will be in action that day but the mere prospect will unsettle club managers whose Premier League season begins just a week later.
Likewise, the MLS season will still be in full swing during the Olympics, although it is unlikely Los Angeles Galaxy will stand in Beckham's way.
Each nation must select a squad of 18, comprising 15 players under 23 and three who are over-age. Before Roy Hodgson was appointed as the England manager, Pearce hinted that he may name his squad before the end of May.
However, it is now likely to be next month, partly in order to see if any of those on Hodgson's standby list, including Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge, become available for the Games.
A provisional list of 35 players must be submitted by 8 June, with the final squad, plus four standby players, to be submitted by 6 July. As well as Giggs and Beckham, those in contention for an overage player slot include Joe Cole, Craig Bellamy and Steven Fletcher.
Pearce is likely to face a challenge in persuading some managers to release players for the tournament, which takes place in the weeks immediately preceding the new season and when many clubs are away on overseas tours. He has previously put the onus on the players, urging them to take up a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.
Pearce's side, competing for the first time in 52 years, will kick off their campaign against Senegal at Old Trafford on 26 July before facing United Arab Emirates at Wembley on 29 July and Uruguay in their final group match at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 1 August.
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