Fifa 'to allow GB football team'

[karym6]

Fifa is set to back plans for a Great Britain football team to play at the 2012 Olympics, despite opposition from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The issue will be discussed by Fifa in Tokyo and the sport's world governing body is expected to agree to a British team participating at the London Games.

However, it will not yet sanction its participation beyond 2012.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has already expressed his desire to have the hosts represented at the Games.

And it is thought he would be happy for all the players to be English if the other home nations refused to allow their players to take part.

The one Fifa figure who might have opposed the move, vice-president Jack Warner from Trinidad and Tobago, now looks unlikely to do so, and insisted: "I remain open on the matter."


606: DEBATE Scotland are anti-Team GB because they realise if a team was picked on merit hardly any, if indeed any, Scottish players would feature

Huldrych_Zwingli
The Football Associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have openly expressed their concern that a Great Britain football team would threaten their ability to compete in future international tournaments as separate teams.
Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke has attempted to assure these bodies that this would not be the case but Uefa president Michel Platini has said he understands the nations' fears.

And an SFA spokesman responded to news of Fifa's likely impending approval of a Team GB by saying: "Our opposition to Team GB remains resolute.

"Our concern is that Fifa members and Fifa executives in the future would not have the same view as this one - and, subsequently, our status as an independent member would be threatened."

By 2012, it will be 52 years since a British football team has participated in the Olympics.

BBC SPORT | Olympics | Fifa 'to allow GB football team'

 

[NL7]

I dont really understand what the British football associations are all that worried about really.

So we will have a Team GB, but will we see any British premier league players in it?

i think it would consist of players who are on the verge of international footy. If the team was to be formed now (or for beijing), from england i could see the likes of agbonlahor, ashley young, joe hart included.

 

[Seedy_r0m]

I always looked upon Olympic footy as one of those "And finally" stories from the ten-o-clock news...Not to be taken seriously & in the same category as synchronised swimming.

I very much doubt any of the so-called top flight players would participate.
It wouldn't pay enough to keep them in hair products & moisturiser.

 

[NL7]

isnt there some kinda of an age limit? I think you can only have 3 players over the age of 23 who are allowed to participate (if someone could correct me on this).

Also i think player selection would depend on 'serious' the management team is and whether players want to play. We had bentley not wanting to play for the u21's (different scenario but u get my drift).

Argentina were pretty serious bout beijing and insisted that Messi went to beijing even though they lost an appeal, but messi wanted to play against barca's wishes. Mascherano also joined up and so did heinze i think. Anderson and lucas also went.

 

[MFCGMFC]

Would be nice to see some Welsh and Scots players in there though.

thats part of the associations being afraid of entering a a GB team

it would be nice but highly unlikely any players from outside england would be chosen

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[Baaheeduk]

thats part of the associations being afraid of entering a a GB team

it would be nice but highly unlikely any players from outside england would be chosen

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

Not so sure Gav. I'm sure I've heard mention of a rule that says at least two players from each home nation would have to be the team.

 

[HibbyDave]

I would like to see an Olympic team but can understand the SFA's position here, I dont think they trust Mr Blatter..he certainly has it in for GB and and may try to use this situation in the future to argue for a British national team.


cheers

 

[HibbyDave]

Would a Team GB be such a bad thing for other competitions?

One thing I thought of this evening is if we were allowed to put both a Team GB as well as the home nations into tournaments. Its always good to have a backup...

LOl Like in the world cup a GB team and then the four nations?


cheers

 

[HibbyDave]

FIFA and UEFA would have a fit m8...like I said they are both already looking for an excuse to with draw our individual status...they fooking hate us lol.


cheers

 

[HibbyDave]

Not a bad idea m8...as long as the GB team is made up entirely of Scots if England qualify it could be our way in via the back door lol.


cheers

 

[Seedy_r0m]

Jimmy Hill's still a poof!

That goes without saying.

 

[MFCGMFC]

Jimmy Hill's still a poof!

That goes without saying.

with his pointy chin!

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[countryboy]

thats part of the associations being afraid of entering a a GB team

it would be nice but highly unlikely any players from outside england would be chosen

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

i dont want this and im sure most scottish fans wouldnt either . we are a nation . we have a national football team ok they are crap but they are ours . lets keep it that way .

 

[Falkirk_Bairn]

i dont want this and im sure most scottish fans wouldnt either . we are a nation . we have a national football team ok they are crap but they are ours . lets keep it that way .

I am with you pal.

If such a team was to be formed they would not have my support.

Scotland and only Scotland!

 

[Bronto]

Lets be Honest if there is a Team GB thats the end of the Scotish, Irish and Welsh ..

I mean how would any of their players get into the team ? unless we were FORCED to pick a token one from each one :tongue:

PMSL

 

[v14]

Lets be Honest if there is a Team GB thats the end of the Scotish, Irish and Welsh ..

I mean how would any of their players get into the team ? unless we were FORCED to pick a token one from each one :tongue:

PMSL

what?.... you mean team GB would be just as pish as engurland are?

oh well

 

[countryboy]

Lets be Honest if there is a Team GB thats the end of the Scotish, Irish and Welsh ..

I mean how would any of their players get into the team ? unless we were FORCED to pick a token one from each one :tongue:

PMSL

see this is exactly why we should never ever ever . do this . . they already think they are the greatest team in the world even though they win f all . can you imagine if we didnt have our own team it would just be like supporting england cause even if any our countries prouduced the next pele best dalglish baxter johnstone . they would never even be looked at cause to them we are second best .

 

[charlie senator]

I think you're over estimating the strength of the English players a bit here.If you go back a few years there were guys like Ian Rush George Best Jim Baxter etc that never really got to show their talent on the world stage even Ryan Giggs and quite a few others would walk into most National teams .How good would it have been to see Best and Rush lining up in a GB team at a world cup and who's to say there aren't a few more world class players coming through from the other nations ? Darren Fletcher is first on the team sheet for Man U and isn't there a young Welsh guy at Arsenal that everyone is raving about . So it would be a shame to slam the door shut on these guys and not let them get the chance to show the world how good they are

 

[Seedy_r0m]

... and some really good Scottish player ( I dont know the name of one).

That's it pretty much in a nutshell.

If a player is outstanding up here, it doesn't really matter, as we are classed as a 2nd rate league.

We had a Premier league before them sarf of the border after all.

Of course it's universally recognised that the best football managers are all Scottish, so we would indeed have a presence in the Team GB Soccer team

 

[charlie senator]

That's it pretty much in a nutshell.

If a player is outstanding up here, it doesn't really matter, as we are classed as a 2nd rate league.

We had a Premier league before them sarf of th eborder after all.

Of course it's universally recognised that the best football managers are all Scottish, so we wold indeed have a presence in the Team GB Soccer team

Thats got to be rubbish mate . The english prem hunts players from all over the world there are players here from some countries who's premier league is about on a par with the conference . If another Baxter or Jonstone or Dalgliesh turns up playing for Dundee do you not think Man U/ Liverpool /Arsenal would be all over them ?