But he said that he would only do the job if it does not affect the status of the four Home Countries.

Nevertheless the admission of the Birmingham City manager will cause consternation among his countrymen who are campaigning against the idea of a united British team at London.

They fear that FIFA will use the opportunity to insist that Britain play as a single nation in competitions like the World Cup and European Championships. 

"As long as it does not affect the position of the Home Countries in FIFA I am all for such a team," McLeish told the Daily Record.

"It would be a great honour to coach it."

McLeish, the 51-year-old former centre-back who played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Aberdeen, was one of Scotland's most successful managers of recent years, winning seven of his 10 games in charge before quitting to take over at Premier League Birmingham.

The favourite to coach Britain's team at London 2012 is currently Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp.

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