Sam Allardyce backs Team GB football return

Sam Allardyce, manager of Sunderland looks on prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Southampton at Stadium of Light on November 7, 2015 in Sunderland, England.
© Getty Images
Sam Allardyce reveals that England will look into the prospect of resurrecting the Team GB football side for future Olympic Games.

England boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that he is in favour of seeing a Team GB football side at the next Olympics.

The controversial idea has been heavily opposed by officials in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who have stressed the importance of keeping the home nation sides fully independent.

Britain entered London 2012 as a one-off, having last competed as a united team in the 1960 Games in Rome, with the four national associations failing to reach an agreement for the current Games in Rio.

Allardyce has thrown his weight behind the idea of a return for a British side, however, telling BBC Sport: "I think it's a fantastic venue, once every four years and to turn it down is a great shame.

"When you see the delight on Justin Rose's face when he won the gold medal in golf it shows what it all means. It's something we may look at in the future and try to compete in."

England would need the full agreement of the ruling bodies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to get the green light from FIFA to compete in Tokyo four years from now.

Chris Coleman the Wales manager waves to the crowd during the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying match between Wales and Belgium at the Cardiff City Stadium on June 12, 2015
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CountryGoldGSilverSBronzeBTotal
1 United StatesUnited States433737117
2 Great BritainGreat Britain27221766
3 ChinaChina26182670
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City22006246
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd22005146
3Hull City22004136
4Chelsea22004226
5Everton21103214
6Middlesbrough21103214
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs21102114
8Burnley21012113
9West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom21012203
10Liverpool210145-13
11Swansea CitySwansea210112-13
12Arsenal201134-11
13Watford201123-11
14Leicester CityLeicester201112-11
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham201112-11
16Bournemouth201113-21
17Southampton201113-21
18Stoke CityStoke201125-31
19Sunderland200224-20
20Crystal Palace200202-20
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