Scotland fans

[Rich Pullen]

Sio you dont care if a team GB in the olympics leads to there being no england team in the future?

I don't care about Olympics in general - which is what I meant, although my liking of the England national team (which I do support) isn't as strong as it once was - you're right, I wouldn't want some track & field competition taking away my national team.

[janaage]

Stevo, I don't agree with taking the risk.  As for FIFA saying crack on, I wouldn't trust that lot as far as I could throw them.  Wouldn't put it passed them to say that then a few years down the line use the "you compete as one at the olympics now do the same for the World Cup" argument.

[Spencer_White]

It would be worth it just to see how gutted you lot would be.

But then you'd almost certainly get your own back by breaking up the Union.

Who knows what that nutter Blatter will do next anyway?

[Elvis]

Would you not be gutted to lose your national team then?

[Spencer_White]

It wouldnt make too much difference to me. Id support a British side.

The Welsh and NI would quite enjoy it once the got the vitriolics out of the way. Its only you lot who wouldnt.

It wouldnt be right I admit. I wouldnt like it, but Id accept it.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

It wouldnt make too much difference to me. Id support a British side.

The Welsh and NI would quite enjoy it once the got the vitriolics out of the way. Its only you lot who wouldnt.

It wouldnt be right I admit. I wouldnt like it, but Id accept it.

You really think the welsh would be up for it? They are as agaisnt it as we are. As our the NortherN irish fans. Infact so are the FSF

[Spencer_White]

You really think the welsh would be up for it? They are as agaisnt it as we are. As our the NortherN irish fans. Infact so are the FSF

The Welsh wouldnt be up for it at first, but theyd get used to it. What about the 300 Cardiff lads out in Belgium Euro 2000? Yeah they were out there for the trouble, but they drank with England. Theres loads of Welsh lads who follow England test cricket team, I feel a bit sorry for them because they should have their own ODI team. Football is a minority sport in Wales, its the rugby the majority care about. Both Cardiff and Swansea used to have a lot of Unionist minded supporters because to be a football supporter in the first place in 1970's/1980's Wales you werent a 'bread of heaven'/ Welsh pride sort of bloke, its changed a bit recently. But I dont believe a lot of their vitriol, they just like trouble and stiring things up. The Welsh chip on the shoulder thing only really comes into play when the English are in Wales. They hate English taking their houses and jobs and thats fair enough. Weve exported a lot of trailer trash to them, and places like Newport the house prices are inflated by English. Hold matches at Wembley and their football supporters would go.

The Northern Irish team is supported mainly by the Protestants in NI. It would be a shame, because anything that brings people in NI together has to be a good thing. Being off the mainland their supporters would be hardest hit in the pocket (games might be played at Ibrox, but not Windsor Park). But end of the day their supporters must realise now that any campaign in which they beat the eventual winners of the entire competition, but still dont qualify, they probably wont ever qualify.

Which leaves you lot. The Euro's are going to be expanded next time, so Scots do have a great chance. I dont suppose any Scots apart from hardcore Rangers would support a GB team.

I suppose it appeals to me in a way because so many people would hate it, in all the home nations. Supporting England has been taken over by jester hat wearing muppets who dont have a club side, world cup tickets £700 each, all that bollocks. The players are wankers.

But you really need not worry. Even someone like me who could see some benefits wouldnt want to see it happen. If Sepp Blatter had any brains (which is questionable, but someone at FIFA must have some), they would realise that a British Football association would also equal a British football league. With Rangers and Celtic as well, I think the Premiership bandwagon would be completely unstoppable. With the money generated, no one else would get a look in.

[dell boy]

The Welsh wouldnt be up for it at first, but theyd get used to it. What about the 300 Cardiff lads out in Belgium Euro 2000? Yeah they were out there for the trouble, but they drank with England. Theres loads of Welsh lads who follow England test cricket team, I feel a bit sorry for them because they should have their own ODI team. Football is a minority sport in Wales, its the rugby the majority care about. Both Cardiff and Swansea used to have a lot of Unionist minded supporters because to be a football supporter in the first place in 1970's/1980's Wales you werent a 'bread of heaven'/ Welsh pride sort of bloke, its changed a bit recently. But I dont believe a lot of their vitriol, they just like trouble and stiring things up. The Welsh chip on the shoulder thing only really comes into play when the English are in Wales. They hate English taking their houses and jobs and thats fair enough. Weve exported a lot of trailer trash to them, and places like Newport the house prices are inflated by English. Hold matches at Wembley and their football supporters would go.

The Northern Irish team is supported mainly by the Protestants in NI. It would be a shame, because anything that brings people in NI together has to be a good thing. Being off the mainland their supporters would be hardest hit in the pocket (games might be played at Ibrox, but not Windsor Park). But end of the day their supporters must realise now that any campaign in which they beat the eventual winners of the entire competition, but still dont qualify, they probably wont ever qualify.

Which leaves you lot. The Euro's are going to be expanded next time, so Scots do have a great chance. I dont suppose any Scots apart from hardcore Rangers would support a GB team.

I suppose it appeals to me in a way because so many people would hate it, in all the home nations. Supporting England has been taken over by jester hat wearing muppets who dont have a club side, world cup tickets £700 each, all that bollocks. The players are wankers.

But you really need not worry. Even someone like me who could see some benefits wouldnt want to see it happen. If Sepp Blatter had any brains (which is questionable, but someone at FIFA must have some), they would realise that a British Football association would also equal a British football league. With Rangers and Celtic as well, I think the Premiership bandwagon would be completely unstoppable. With the money generated, no one else would get a look in.

Great post

[SwindonTartanArmy]

Right then, just to prove our point about Blatter's assurances meaning fuck all and how he changes his mind....

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says a Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympic Games should feature only English players.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football bodies oppose a GB team in case it affects their Fifa status, while England back the idea.

Blatter now says said the independent status of the four British associations could be harmed by a unified GB team.

"They should enter only a team composed of players from England," said Blatter.

"This will then not provoke a long and endless discussion of the four British associations."

The International Olympic Committee does not recognise separate teams from Britain's home countries.

Olympic qualification has been impossible as it is based on Fifa's under-21 competitions in which the four home nations compete individually.

Blatter was speaking from Gleneagles, Scotland, where the International Football Association annual meeting has been taking place.

The Scottish FA reiterated its opposition to a unified team during a meeting with Blatter on Saturday.

"I said that is the best thing for you to do," said Blatter.

"If you start to put together a combined team for the Olympic Games, the question will automatically come up that there are four different associations so how can they play in one team.

"If this is the case then why the hell do they have four associations and four votes and their own vice-presidency?

"This will put into question all the privileges that the British associations have been given by the Congress in 1946."

Great Britain would have a men's team for the first time since the 1956 Olympics and a women's team for the first time ever.

[janaage]

The Welsh wouldnt be up for it at first, but theyd get used to it. What about the 300 Cardiff lads out in Belgium Euro 2000? Yeah they were out there for the trouble, but they drank with England. Theres loads of Welsh lads who follow England test cricket team, I feel a bit sorry for them because they should have their own ODI team. 

Spencer are you fishing here, or do you really believe that?   

[Matchworn Shirts]

Surely the principle of having a British team in football is no different to having a British Olympic team in general?
Why not split the countries and let them compete individually?

[Spencer_White]

Spencer are you fishing here, or do you really believe that?  

Welsh aint that bad about it.

[janaage]

No I mean the welsh lads supporting england at the cricket.

"Theres loads of Welsh lads who follow England test cricket team, I feel a bit sorry for them because they should have their own ODI team."

Was that a fishing attempt?

[Tails]

I'd be for a Team GB. I really don't understand what the problem is at all, every other sport get along fine as a unified Great Britian, why can't the football? It will only be for the Olympics and I seriously doubt the idea would be incorporated for the World Cups, Euro's etc. I'd be intrigued to see how we'd get on as well.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

I'd be for a Team GB. I really don't understand what the problem is at all, every other sport get along fine as a unified Great Britian, why can't the football? It will only be for the Olympics and I seriously doubt the idea would be incorporated for the World Cups, Euro's etc. I'd be intrigued to see how we'd get on as well.

There have been several occasions in the past where other nations have tried to force a merger of the home nations. This would give a precedent for it and would give these countries more ammunition. Are you really willing to risk the identities of all the home nations, including englands, just so we can compete in a one off under23 tournament?