JORDAN RHODES could miss out on an Olympic Games call-up because of football politics.
The 22-year-old Town and Scotland hitman was among Team GB coach Stuart Pearce's 35-man pool.
However it has been suggested there will be no Scotland or Northern Ireland players in the final 18-man squad to be announced today.
Neither of those country’s associations have had any direct involvement in Team GB.
And both the football bodies had made it clear they do not want their players involved for fear of losing their individual identity within world football.
With the bulk of the squad having to be Under 23, Rhodes, who hit 40 goals for Town last season, the highest tally in all four English divisions, and has chalked up eight in as many appearances for Scotland Under 21s, would have been an ideal candidate.
And Pearce has tracked his form for much of the season, making a personal check on Rhodes at Wycombe, where he netted five times in a 6-0 Town win. Confirmation that he was in the 35-man party raised hopes he would become Town's second Olympian after keeper Ronald Brebner, who helped Britain win gold at the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
But it now seems the Town striker will be watching with the rest of the nation as Team GB take on Senegal, UAE and Uruguay in the group stages.
Meanwhile Tottenham and Wales ace Gareth Bale will miss out because of a back and hip injury.
