GB Olympic Team

[spickroyal]

There may be an existing thread but I really can't be bothered to trawl through and find out. Scottish & Welsh FA's "furious....

Former Scottish Football Association president George Peat told the Press Association: "I am absolutely astounded that they have put out this statement. I know nothing about any such agreement and we want nothing to do with this tournament."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/13854492.stm

F**k off then the lot of you, it's not like any of your players are any good anyway!

[Alan Partridge]

I am truly astounded they'd even argue against it. Seriously why shouldn't there be a GB football team. Someone needs to tell Scotland and Wales it's not 1450 anymore.

[Mr Angry]

I am truly astounded they'd even argue against it. Seriously why shouldn't there be a GB football team. Someone needs to tell Scotland and Wales it's not 1450 anymore.

They are worried that if there is a GB Olympic team, there will be pressure for a GB National team rather than the current situation of the 4 home countries having their own teams; as well as losing all their own National sides, the blazers at the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FA's are more concerned about losing their individual voting rights at UEFA/FIFA and all the attendant perks that go with that particular job.......

Incidentally, Blatter has given his PERSONAL assurances that a GB Olympic team WILL NOT lead to demands for the above........but for some reason which I can't quite work out, no-one believes him!

[Hoop Blah]

I love that the quote they've got from the Scottish FA is the former President. Is that the best they can do?

Yesterday 'a Scottish FA spokesman' said that although they didn't think there was any appetite for the team they wouldn't stand in any players way if they wanted to play. I'm pretty sure that because it's a FIFA sanctioned tournament they can't do anything about it even if they wanted to.

A squad of 18 is going to be interesting though, especially if they come to some quota agreement to get some NI, Wales and Scotland representation in there (they don't do it in any other sport though so lets hope not).

[Friday's Legacy]

i love how irate the n'irish, welsh and scots are about this, but at the same time don't much like the idea of them in a largely english team either!
we will actually be weakening ourselves by adding some scots and n'irish, and welsh into the team. there will probably have to be a minumum 3-4 of each in there?
ideally id just play an english side with bale, keane and doyle in. the scottish lad goodwillie or what ever his name is from scotland.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Football should NOT be part of the Olympics (like Tennis etc.) in the first place and having to invent a team just so we can embarrass ourselves in a different competition is patently ludicrous.

[Tails]

Once again we should be looking to learn from Rugby IMHO. If they can do it, so should football.

Alas, football is full of pcunts.

[Terminal Boardom]

Apart from Gareth Bale, who else could get a sniff who isn't English?

[Friday's Legacy]

Apart from Gareth Bale, who else could get a sniff who isn't English?

i don't think it'll be a case of who can, it's who will? there will have to be a minimum of each country - i hope not, but think that's how it'll play out.

scots: goodwillie, scott brown, the sunderland keeper?
welsh: giggs for a last hurrah, bale, bellamy
n'ireland: <help>

english teams are bad on a big stage anyway, but with having to mix it up some (not all) substandard players, we're just set for more failure. shirt sales will be prove a massive flop as well.

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

Can't believe no one has said Danny Wilson for Scotland yet. John Fleck is also supposed to be promising.
As for Northern Ireland:
Lafferty? He's 23 now, so he'd be an overage
Jonny Evans?
Wasn't the guy who scores against us when we were playing Hull Northern Irish too? He's only 20ish

[The Rouge]

Charlie Adam would walk into the team. Amazing player.

[sheshnu]

Charlie Adam would walk into the team. Amazing player.

Except he's over 23, so Wilshere's maybe a better bet in that position.

[Seal]

The big issue here, which I know is not "new" news to everyone, is concerning the independence if the home nations if this precedent is set. However, it is not as simple as being about the independence of the home nations to compete individually in tournaments, FIFA don't really give a toss about that, the key to this concerns the central governance of the game.

The laws that govern football (the Laws of the Game) are are maintained by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). FIFA has members on its board and the other four are provided by the home nations (i.e. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). The key significant of this is that any changes to the Laws of the Game must be agreed by at least six of the eight members, which in effect gives the home nations the right of veto over FIFA. You can imagine what FIFA think of that.

Therefore any opportunity FIFA have to change this situation would be pounced upon, so if this precedent gave them a chance to do so they would take it. If it also affected the home nations' ability to play independently then so be it.

Bearing in mind the current shenanigans at FIFA, and the fact that the guy who would probably sign any "letters of assurance" is Jerome Valcke, who has a history of screwing people over (as per the sponsors court case document I shared on the FIFA thread), you can understand the other home nations' reluctance to value the paper such a guarantee is written on.

[leww_rfc]

Ramsey, Bale and the English under 21s would be the team?

[roadrunner]

Charlie Adam would walk into the team. Amazing player.

Except he's over 23, so Wilshere's maybe a better bet in that position.

You have to be under 23 to play in the Olympics? Someone should tell David Beckham.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Don't you get to pick 2 "over age" players in your Olympic squad? That certainly used to be the case.

[Seal]

According to the BOA:-

18 players - 15 under-23s and three 'open age' players

[Super_horns]

Don't you get to pick 2 "over age" players in your Olympic squad? That certainly used to be the case.

Beckham would be one probably...

The Scots/Welsh and NI are worried about what FIFA would do but they backed them against us during the recent vote didn't they?

[Svlad Cjelli]

The Scots/Welsh and NI are worried about what FIFA would do but they backed them against us during the recent vote didn't they?

That wouldn't save them - it's the whole wider issue. Most of FIFA hates the fact that there are the 4 home FAs for one "country" (in UN terms) and they'd happily find any excuse to get rid. As pointed out above, IFAB has 8 votes - 1 from each home FA and 4 from FIFA. FIFA would love to have complete control over what happens to the laws of teh game.

[Hoop Blah]

Charlie Adam is a good shout actually. The big guns of the England team won't be involved, so that rules out people like Wilshire who would qualify by right of age and I'm sure they will look to select a spread of players from each of the home nations to make it an inclusive GB team.

I can't think of an NI player who'd justify inclusion in an 18 man squad so perhaps they should approach Martin O'Neil as manager to represent them.