GB Olympic Team

[Silver Fox]

LOLz @ everyone saying they don't want Scots, welsh and NI players in becasue it would make the team worse, after all that England U21 side really set the world alight didn't it!

[Hoop Blah]

LOLz @ everyone saying they don't want Scots, welsh and NI players in becasue it would make the team worse, after all that England U21 side really set the world alight didn't it!

So who are these U-23 Celts that would improve the team then SF?

How well did their U-21s do at the Euro's?

The team obviously needs to perform better than the U21s did in Denmark, and attempt at being more of a team, but it's still going to be better if we can select a squad from the best players available isn't it?

Personally I think the Olympics might just see a GB team perform quite well because it won't have the pressure and stigma of being the England team. I'm hoping that means that whoever is selected just go out there and play instead of freezing as we keep see the England side.

[Mr Angry]

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.

Hmmmmm - anyone spot the deliberate mistake???

[Row Z Royal]

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.

Hmmmmm - anyone spot the deliberate mistake???

COL

[PEARCEY]

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.

Yep. Pointless in the Olympics.

[Ferris]

Stuart Pearce is managing the GB team for the 2012 olympics http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 53,00.html

[roadrunner]

Has anything been decided yet where you have to have so many Scots, Welsh, N'Irish to weaken the side?

[RobRoyal]

Has anything been decided yet where you have to have so many Scots, Welsh, N'Irish to weaken the side?

Yes. Each side in the tournament may have only three players aged above 23, and each team must also field at least one Scotsman.

It's only fair.

[who are ya?]

Team GB???? Not for me, ta

[ZacNaloen]

Tbf Bale and Ramsey wouldn't weaken the GB side...

[Red]

I think it's a gr8 idea. Thoroughly fed up with the current England team anyway, lets give a few youngsters who actually want to play football a chance.

[Stuka]

Red's right. Olympic football isn't considered an important competition within the sport, so just field some youngsters from around the UK and let them get on with it.

[soggy biscuit]

Bale + England players.

When Darren Fletcher is on form he could force his way into that squad too I reckon.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Why not use the England C team (non league players)....

[Fox Talbot]

Has anything been decided yet where you have to have so many Scots, Welsh, N'Irish to weaken the side?

Yes. Each side in the tournament may have only three players aged above 23, and each team must also field at least one Scotsman.

It's only fair.

What - in goal?

[No Fixed Abode]

I thought Scotland and Wales would be up for having a GB team full time, so it will give them chance to qualify for World Cups and Euro championships. Seems unfair on the likes of Bale etc when they're held back by playing with no marks like Simon Church.

[Ferris]

Expect us to win gold now that Hal Robson-Kanu has made himself available http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... mpics_call

[SLAMMED]

play an english side with bale, keane and doyle in.

[Compo's Hat]

Expect us to win gold now that Hal Robson-Kanu has made himself available http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... mpics_call

Just waiting for Simon Church to announce his availability and Britain will be a shoe in

[swansea jack]

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.

'xactly! It not only oxf*rd us, Scot & NI over but you little Eng-ger-landers too.

GB team in the Olympics = GB team in the World Cup