2012 Olympics GB football team...

[Reg Smeeton]

....apparently, the Olympic wallahs have said we must have a men's and women's GB team.....the Sweaties, Sheepshaggers and Ulsterpersons wont have it,  and will refuse to play ball.

  What do you reckon?  

   Olympic football is u 23.....someone say like Gareth Bale, would be 22 then.....he'll most certainly never get a chance to play at a major tournament.

[Simon Pieman]

I always thought we couldn't have a football team in the Olympics because the football associations are affiliated with countries and not Britain.

[Peter Venkman]

From the NOTEAMGB website -

International Fans organisations from around Great Britain oppose the formation of a joint Great Britain Football team at the Olympic Games.

It is our view that such a move toward a joint team could severely jeopardise the independent status of the four Home Associations. All four Associations' have a proud tradition of very long standing which fans from the four countries wish to retain and any move toward a joint team is seen a major threat to this status.

There is a view within FIFA, the world governing body, that England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should compete jointly under the banner of Great Britain on a permanent basis. It is our view that a joint Great Britain football team at the Olympics would further enhance their case.

---------------------------------------

Historically that has always been the problem with a GB team at the olympics...FIFA recon that if we can do it at olympic level we will have to do it at International level....which is right.

I think if we do enter one then we will have to enter an all English team...but to be fair the other nations would have trouble breaking into our Under 21 team let alone the U23 level.

[Reg Smeeton]

I always thought we couldn't have a football team in the Olympics because the football associations are affiliated with countries and not Britain.

  The only thing to prevent it is the other parts of GB being concerned about losing their status within FIFA....which is fair enough...but for this occasion as we enter the Olympics as GB, we have to have a GB side, all the relevant powers that be accept its a one off.

[donkey]

I'll play...anyone else in?

[redbullzeye]

I reckon as we invented the game we should be able to do what we want - so play a UK team at the Olympics without this setting any precedent for any other competition.  Oh and we should also be able to ban the Germans and Argentinians from winning anything

[Batch]

I'm confident a deal will be reached and we will have 'team GB FC' or something equally as gay sounding in the Olympics.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

Team GB can fuck right off. Quite a few african and asian coutries are pissed off that Britain get four teams. And are also pissed off at the power we hold over the executive committee. A GB team for 2012 will set a precedent that will give these corrupt cunts the chance they have been waiting for. As for FIFA assuring us that it wont happen. I dont trust those cunts as far as i can throw them. Especially that Warner cunt :evil:

[Matchworn Shirts]

Team GB, sounds like a yanks team

[janaage]

Simple solution, enter the names of england, Scotland, Wales and N.I. into a hat.  Draw who plays each other in the semis, the winners then play in a "Olympic play off final" and the winner of that gets the opportunity to represent Great Britain using their players only.

No mixing up of nations, no example of a mixed GB team, just one of our countries (or principalities or province if talking about Wales and NI) representing the British Isles.

[Colin Todd]

Heard something with Matthew Pincent on 5live about this last night, aparantly NI and England are up for it, the jocks and taffs are not. Sepp Blatter has been saying he see's it as a one off and wont affect anything.

As for the african pissed off obout our influence within the game, we invented it and have the most popular domestic league in the world - that makes England (& the rest of the UK) worthy of greater infulence that namibia for example.

I actually think it would be good to get a GB team to support,m even if it was a one off for 2012. The nest question would be how do you select the squad?  Ability, an equal spilt, or pro rata by population?

[janaage]

Personally I would not be in favour of a mixed GB team.

[flammableBen]

To be honest I don't really give a shit. I couldn't tell you who won the last few Olympic football competitions it seems a bit hypocritical to start going all yey go team GB.

[sonic youth]

ben's right.

who gives a shit?

[pumbaa]

To be honest I don't really give a shit. I couldn't tell you who won the last few Olympic football competitions it seems a bit hypocritical to start going all yey go team GB.

  Closet yank  

(BTW, I agree, I don't give a shit either).