Carshalton-born footballer Jack Cork has no fears Team GB's football team will be anything but a united nation for the forthcoming Olympic tournament.
The 23-year-old former Glyn Technology School student is in the men's squad preparing for the opening clash of the London 2012 competition against Senegal at Old Trafford next Thursday.
Manager Stuart Pearce checked his squad into the Olympic village this week to give them their first taste of the Games experience ahead of Friday's friendly meeting with Brazil in Middlesborough.
The squad's highly paid stars, including Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs, will share basically furnished two-bed rooms - with a bathroom between six - and eat in the communal restaurant serving all nations.
It is the first time Team GB, with players from Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland, have had a football team competing at the Olympics since 1960.
And Southampton midfielder Cork, who names US swimmer Michael Phelps as the athlete he'd most like to meet in Stratford, was only too pleased to be involved.
"It has been immense. We have had a great week and it couldn’t have gone any better really," he said.
"We needed to train hard and gel as quickly as possible and we have done just that.
"It has been amazing, not just for me, but for everyone else as well."
And Giggs hoped their would be a repeat appearance for the Team GB footballers in years to come.
"I hope it is not a one off, based on what I have experienced and how much I have enjoyed it this week," he added.
"I hope in future Olympics there will be more Great Britain teams.
"Both Craig (Bellamy) and I are Welsh and proud of it, but for me it was a chance I could not turn down, of playing in the biggest sporting event in the world."
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