Pearce keen to avoid watching on

The Pearces have tickets for both athletics and equestrian events at the Games, but the former England international fullback will not be using his if his men's team progresses to the latter stages of the competition.

He said: "I'm interested in the equestrianism because my wife keeps horses. We have got tickets to go and see that in Greenwich, but I'm not sure I will be able to make it, I certainly hope not, anyway.

"I have also got tickets for an athletic event in the stadium and once again, I hope my wife's going on her own and I'm not with her."

In the meantime, Pearce and his players are continuing their preparations, which see them face tournament favourite Brazil in their final warm-up game at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on Friday evening (local time).

Great Britain has not fielded a team in the event since the 1960 Olympic Games and while Pearce, who made his international debut against Brazil, has tasted action at World Cup and European championship finals, this will be something entirely new to him and his squad.

He said: "We know there's something special. When I've spoken to the players individually and said 'how are you feeling about it?', they say they find it different.

"There's just something special about it that probably we can't put into words. There's something of a magnitude which is just incredible, that we are involved in.

"The advice to all the players is, 'Look we are in it, let's give it our best and try and win the tournament'. That's what we will prepare to do.

"But you must enjoy it too. Couple those things together ... I probably haven't got the right vocabulary to put it into words, but there's something just slightly special about this one."

Goalkeeper Jason Steele, who will hope to be involved at his home ground, admitted he is making sure the Olympic experience will stay with him forever.

He said: "To be honest, I don't really think it'll sink in properly until it's all over.

"In years to come, I'm sure I'll cherish this forever. I'm forever being reminded by my Dad to keep little things because I'll look back in years to come with my children and grandchildren and it will be something to hold on to."

Pearce knows from his experience of tournament football with England just how Great Britain's campaign could take off if it progresses to the latter stages of the tournament, and he is desperate to do just that.

He said: "I played in my first tournament at the World Cup in 1990, and a quarter of a million people met us at Luton Airport even though we had been beaten in the semi-final. That generated huge excitement within the country.

"Then at EURO 96, it was football in an environment like I had never known it.

"If these players get a taste in this tournament of what I experienced in 1996, they will be the richer for it, that's for sure. It blew me away and blew my family away.

"It was an experience that no-one in that squad will forget. It snowballed and the excitement around the country was just enormous.

"It gives the country a feelgood factor, and as football, we hope we can play our part in it.

"But we will also be supporting the other athletes, and the more gold, silver and bronze medals we can achieve as a team, the better the feelgood factor in this country is going to be."

Pearce will make a decision on Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, who is battling to overcome the after-effects of a bout of viral meningitis, after the Brazil game, in which he is expected to play some part.