Wayne Rooney could play for Great Britain at the Olympic Games in London next summer.

Rooney is banned for the first three matches of Euro 2012 — but on the day former England captain and current Under-21s boss Stuart Pearce was unveiled as the head coach of Team GB, the Football Association appeared to shift the goalposts.

They had intimated that no players involved in Euro 2012 would be selected for the Olympics.

But, when asked if Rooney might be included if Fabio Capello's England side went out in the group phase, Club England managing director Adrian Bevington said: “Our real hope and aspiration is that Wayne can be available for the European Championships.

“Once we know where we stand there, it is one for Stuart with Fabio (Capello) really.”

Capello's squad for Euro 2012 is likely to include young players such as Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and Manchester United's Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones, all of whom are eligible to play in the Under-23 Olympic squad.

Without Irish FA backing, Northern Ireland’s participation in the GB squad is unlikely.