GB Olympic Team

[Batman]

Wasn't suggesting that, just that of the whole Scottish nation the only ones that would LIKELY bbe considered (as in - will be, not should be) are Ferguson, Hutton and Gordon because of their profile.

Everyone knows the English team is picked on reputation, not talent, why shouldn't the Olympic one be any different?

[Tombwfc]

Gordon, as compared to Robbo or Carson, still good enough I would have thought? And yes, McGregor would be better than Bobo & Coco too.

Compared to those two clowns then yes, but if we're picking it today James gets in ahead of all of them. And in four years it'll be Ben Foster if he's still at the Mancs.

[Batman]

Not Hart?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Not Hart?

His career will be improved immeasurably by playing back-up to a 37-year-old Seppo

[communistworkethic]

hmm I hear there's a GB footy team at the paralympics, why's that ok?

[Little Green Man]

hmm I hear there's a GB footy team at the paralympics, why's that ok?

Because the SFA's disability committee were trying to oppose it, but they didn't have a leg to stand on.

Maybe I'm being a bit dim here, but what's to stop Scots/Welsh/Nornoirish U23 players from making themselves available for the London Olympics in 4 years time irrespective of what their FAs wish?

[Athers]

Go on then Batman

Hart

Hutton
Richards
R. Ferdinand
Bale

Lennon
Muamba(!)
Gerrard
Young

Rooney
Walcott/Agbonlahor

[LeeRoyBrown]

I really hope this does happen - I might actually watch the Olympics if it does. I don't understand the negativity on this one?? (Fatshaft et al)

Well if you don;t understand it, read it again then. As for your first ssentence, you are exactly who Coe is targetting, and the reaosn why. He knows that drugs have killed athletics and to a lesser extent the Olympics, so needs a carrot to get the UK public behind the expense of it all, and you're falling for it. Funny, I'm sure I've seen this already stated in this thread?

Also, a question for you. Do you watch the U21s at the moment, because very few do, and that's what you'd be getting, except of course it would be GB instead of England/Scatland/Wales & NI, so for those who already have no time for international football they'll have even less interest, many will have no interest in a combined team rather than national teams, and others like myself will be downright antagonistic to the whole thing.

As for getting Fergie to manage the team, that just shows how out of touch with football he is if he thinks he'd get involved

Coe can just feck off as far as I'm concerned.


EDIT: I should add I'm nott in any way against the olypics, but this is nothing more than a cynical attempt at gaining mass backing for the drugs taking championship in this country.

I'd watch the U21 if it wern't on SKY.

Personally I couldn't give a crap about drug abuse in the olympics. I want to watch my country play in the Olympics at the sport i most enjoy. Fear of being manipulated by Coe is the least of my worries.

The Fergie shout is crazy - he'd never do it.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

what's to stop Scots/Welsh/Nornoirish U23 players from making themselves available for the London Olympics in 4 years time irrespective of what their FAs wish?

Presumably the GB team wouldn't happen without the agreement of the FAs. Even if it did - if Seb Coe steamrollered over all four FAs and set up Team GB (well, team UK actually, as Norn Iron isn't in Great Britain, but there you go) – the realpolitik is that the unhappy FAs would mutter all manner of threats to young players about their chances of future selection.

[fatshaft]

I'd watch the U21 if it wern't on SKY.

Fair enough, not many like you though.

Personally I couldn't give a crap about drug abuse in the olympics. I want to watch my country play in the Olympics at the sport i most enjoy. Fear of being manipulated by Coe is the least of my worries.

Maybe you don't, but there's no doubting that the endless drug scandals have lead to massive public disinterest in what used to be one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, Coe knows this, and is simply using football to get interest and viewing figures on the up.

The Fergie shout is crazy - he'd never do it.

Agreed, not a chance in hell, but again shows how little Coe knows of footbal.

[CAPSLOCK]

I'd watch the U21 if it wern't on SKY.

Fair enough, not many like you though.

Personally I couldn't give a crap about drug abuse in the olympics. I want to watch my country play in the Olympics at the sport i most enjoy. Fear of being manipulated by Coe is the least of my worries.

Maybe you don't, but there's no doubting that the endless drug scandals have lead to massive public disinterest in what used to be one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, Coe knows this, and is simply using football to get interest and viewing figures on the up.

The Fergie shout is crazy - he'd never do it.

Agreed, not a chance in hell, but again shows how little Coe knows of footbal.

Thats not entirely true

Theres reduced interest cos we've no Wells, Thompson, Coe, Ovett, Cram or Christie

[fatshaft]

No, cos it's a fecking shite idea.

amazing how you sweaties are happy with a GB team in any other team game at the Olympics, or rugby and so on. But Ach nae, we dinnae want tae no aboot a gb fitba team.

The independence of the sfa is a bs argument. Blatter has said he couldn't give a shiny shite about a GB team, it's down to two things - scots being chippy and the fact it'd be embarrassing with just 1 jock in the squad.

Blatter warns the SFA (and Wales/NI) to expect the worst if there is a team GB. This abortion of an idea should be booted now before any more damage is done.

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/ ... -21162785/

[fatshaft]

Looks like it will be team England now...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic ... 072981.stm

A deal to allow an England football team to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics is set to be agreed on Friday, the Press Association reports.

Under it, the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh football associations will have no involvement in the 2012 Games.

But they will not seek to prevent England from representing Great Britain in London on a one-off basis.

A document has been prepared by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and sent to the others bodies to sign.

Football's world governing body Fifa had set a deadline of the end of the month for the four home nations to come to an agreement over Olympic representation.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter made it clear he would accept an English side representing Britain but warned the other three associations from becoming involved in case it threatened their separate status in the future.



The development should see the end of a dispute that has raged since 2005, when London won the right to host the Games.

The SFA was furious last week with FA chairman Lord Triesman, accusing him of breaking an agreement for the issue to remain confidential until a deal was signed.

That led to fears the SFA board meeting on Tuesday would reject any move to allow an Olympic team.

However, it appears concerns about international opinion have changed their stance.

SFA spokesman Rob Shorthouse told PA Sport earlier this week: "We've been testing the water, speaking to countries, getting opinion from within Fifa and various other places about the mood at the moment.

"The worry is, by just saying 'No' all the time, we're doing ourselves a bit of damage internationally."

[superjohnmcginlay]

Looks like it will be team England now...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic ... 072981.stm

A deal to allow an England football team to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics is set to be agreed on Friday, the Press Association reports.

Under it, the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh football associations will have no involvement in the 2012 Games.

But they will not seek to prevent England from representing Great Britain in London on a one-off basis.

A document has been prepared by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and sent to the others bodies to sign.

Football's world governing body Fifa had set a deadline of the end of the month for the four home nations to come to an agreement over Olympic representation.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter made it clear he would accept an English side representing Britain but warned the other three associations from becoming involved in case it threatened their separate status in the future.



The development should see the end of a dispute that has raged since 2005, when London won the right to host the Games.

The SFA was furious last week with FA chairman Lord Triesman, accusing him of breaking an agreement for the issue to remain confidential until a deal was signed.

That led to fears the SFA board meeting on Tuesday would reject any move to allow an Olympic team.

However, it appears concerns about international opinion have changed their stance.

SFA spokesman Rob Shorthouse told PA Sport earlier this week: "We've been testing the water, speaking to countries, getting opinion from within Fifa and various other places about the mood at the moment.

"The worry is, by just saying 'No' all the time, we're doing ourselves a bit of damage internationally."

It would have been anyway.

[Jakerbeef]

The independence of the sfa is a bs argument. Blatter has said he couldn't give a shiny shite about a GB team, it's down to two things - scots being chippy and the fact it'd be embarrassing with just 1 jock in the squad.

I'm disappointed with that opinion. I'm Scottish and watch English football too. I won't even pretend our league is as good as yours but it's just narrow-minded to write off the whole concern as us being 'chippy'. Did anyone notice that N.Ireland and Wales also vetoed the idea? Maybe the 3 nations don't like it because there is no real upside for them, only possible dangers, and that there would most certainly be a selection bias.

I just don't see the point endangering anyone's national game for the sake of a few exhibition matches.

[americantrotter]

I get it, I mean I support England cause I was born there, but FFS it's one legal country. There should be one team. Why not just separate them into separate legal entities and be done with it then?

Alabama doesn't have a separate team from Massachusetts for crying out loud.

[Prufrock]

The independence of the sfa is a bs argument. Blatter has said he couldn't give a shiny shite about a GB team, it's down to two things - scots being chippy and the fact it'd be embarrassing with just 1 jock in the squad.

I'm disappointed with that opinion. I'm Scottish and watch English football too. I won't even pretend our league is as good as yours but it's just narrow-minded to write off the whole concern as us being 'chippy'. Did anyone notice that N.Ireland and Wales also vetoed the idea? Maybe the 3 nations don't like it because there is no real upside for them, only possible dangers, and that there would most certainly be a selection bias.

I just don't see the point endangering anyone's national game for the sake of a few exhibition matches.

Or you're just worried none of your lot would get in it. Tho it could be what you said.

[Tombwfc]

It was only ever going to be the England U21s + Aaron Ramsey anyway.

Anyway, it looks as though a compromise has been reached. It'll make no difference to the team, and it'll just stop the Scots moaning, so I'm all for it.

[Jakerbeef]

Actually it's a bit more complicated than that American Trotter.

Or you're just worried none of your lot would get in it. Tho it could be what you said.

So which one you plumping for; the one about eventual steps towards a british football team, or the scotch nice person option?

[Prufrock]

Actually it's a bit more complicated than that American Trotter.

Or you're just worried none of your lot would get in it. Tho it could be what you said.

So which one you plumping for; the one about eventual steps towards a british football team, or the scotch tw*t option?

I'm going for: GB team, which as Tom says would be England plus Aaron Ramsey, and wondering how the other three FAs are getting so shit scared. They're either scared FIFA will try to make a GB FA, which is a fecking stupid idea, coz if they wanted to...they would. Or they're scared they'll have no players in it.

Its ONE of those options, I'm just not too sure which.....