Dokko Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 PM Backs British Football For 2012 Gordon Brown has told Sky News he wants a British football team to compete at the 2012 London Olympics. Britain did not enter a team at the Beijing Games due to a lack of support from the four constituent countries' football associations. But the Prime Minister is keen to see Team GB field a unified team on home soil in four years' time. He told Sky News: "I hope there will be a team by 2012. It will be team UK. I hope we can get an agreement on that. "Britain is the home of football, which we gave to the world, and people will be surprised if there is an Olympic tournament in football and we are not part of it." Mr Brown said he had met with head of FIFA Sepp Blatter, Olympic organisers and FA organisers in Britain in order to broker an agreement. The notion of a British football team has been regularly raised but always suffered from a lack of support within the domestic game. Criticism for the idea centres on the structure of the team. Some fear the team would rely too heavily on English players, while others resent the introduction of a fixed quota of players from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A unified British team could match up with Olympic champions Argentina in 2012. The South Americans claimed the football gold medal today in Beijing, beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 As long as we don't restrict ourselves to playing crap for the sake of keeping shitter nations happy, then this would be a great move. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. edit: pick the best players on merit, not just a representation of the 4 countries. we don't have an english, scots, irish and welshman in the cycling pursuit team, we have the 4 best riders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. That's what worries me, fuk that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. That's what worries me, fuk that. Kyle Lafferty and George McCartney would be a welcome addition to our current national side! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. That's what worries me, fuk that. Kyle Lafferty and George McCartney would be a welcome addition to our current national side! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Personally i'd take Craig Gordon, and field 11 Englishmen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Its a disaster waiting to happen for British sport this. It will take all the emphasis away from the competitors who actually have a chance and is going to give the wankers at the likes of the Sun and the Mail yet another chance to slaughter and to criticise the players.. Fingers crossed it doesnt happen. I just cant get away with Football in the olympics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. That's what worries me, fuk that. John Lennon and Paul McCartney would be a welcome addition to our current national side! That makes as much sense as originally posted tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 just invite all the british players to submit themselves for selection, anyone who doesn't want to play doesn't have to. would like to think we can cobble 9 englishmen and 2 norn players together. That's what worries me, fuk that. John Lennon and Paul McCartney would be a welcome addition to our current national side! That makes as much sense as originally posted tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Immsy7 Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 What are the rules for team selection? I mean like age wise? Is it under 23's? Who woud be manager? What team would you put out if we was in this year? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Have to be Under 23 but i think you can chose 2? over 23's For other countrys they are using the current national manager, but obviously we have different football federations so would have to be somebody impartial. But i think its a good move, its our national sport so we should participate at our olympics! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raconteur Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Have to be Under 23 but i think you can chose 2? over 23's For other countrys they are using the current national manager, but obviously we have different football federations so would have to be somebody impartial. But i think its a good move, its our national sport so we should participate at our olympics! Up to three over-23 players. In the case of Australia we took Archie Thompson, David Carney and Jade North - none of whom would start for a full strangth international. We were coached by the U-21 manager Graham "Souness" Arnold instead of the national manager Pim Verbeek. A unified GB Olympic team is a curious beast and the debate has been rumbling since London won the 2012 Olympics - haven't Scotland already said they won't participate? In fact, I'm sure Blatter has already opened his gob when he said if there was a unified GB Team then FIFA would review the unique status the "Home Nations" have within the FIFA hierarchy... (But that was years ago - failing memory and no links means take from that what you will ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicago_shearer Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 I don't understand the objections. Are FIFA really going to prevent the Home Nations from competing individually if they field a UK XI? Do they even care? It will more than likely affect nothing. This isn't about flags and f***ing politics, it's about fielding a team for people to enjoy. It isn't life or death, it's just a one off. So take 5 from each of the U-21 teams, pick 3 senior players, stick them in the Escape to Victory shirt and get the f*** on with it. It would be fun, don't spoil it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 gordon brown is a penis pimple useless git!!! the arse licking he has been doing around the olympic team in an effort to boost his own popularity is a disgrace! exactly what any politician with any common sense would do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Olympics inspires Harry Redknapp to go for the 2012 football team job EXCLUSIVE by Paul Smith 23/08/2008 Harry Redknapp wants to manage the Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics. The Portsmouth boss believes the chance to lead a team into the London Olympics would be an unbelievable honour. Redknapp said: "I'm absolutely flattered that my name is being mentioned about managing the Great Britain team. "Would I take it if they offered it to me? Absolutely, I would be a fool not to. "I've had some great managerial jobs during my career but there is no doubt this would be the icing on the cake. "The fact it is being held on my old stamping ground in East London makes it even more appealing." Sir Alex Ferguson had been widely nominated as an ideal Olympic manager. But the Manchester United boss recently distanced himself from the idea pointing out he'd be 70 and could not see the four home nations uniting into one team. The London Games organisers are adamant a football team will represent the nation and Redknapp added: "Can you imagine the talent at my disposal? The biggest problem I would have is who to leave out. "I would be able to have pie and mash and a tub of jellied eels at lunchtime, and then go down to the Blind Beggar pub." http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/08/23/olympics-inspires-harry-redknapp-to-go-for-the-2012-football-team-job-115875-20708798/ Who mentioned him like? Apart from himself obviously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 that fool of a son most likely Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericz Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 I wonder who the 3 over-aged players will be? - Any thoughts or potential preferred candidate for the matter? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I wonder who the 3 over-aged players will be? - Any thoughts or potential preferred candidate for the matter? You would hope it's the 4 best players from Norn Iron, Wales, Scotland and England at the time (i.e. in 4 years). Brown confirmed that he's spoken to SAF about managing the GB team Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Only just saw the back page help up on the BBC News but tabloid story would have us believe that Beckham is offering his services as a coach for the Olympic squad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest king harry Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Id imagine half the squad would be unheard of now, probably 15 and 16 year olds just comong through, who will be 20ish at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M4 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Probably a big chance Beckham will be playing tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I think Beckham will be one of the players, basically because clubs are going to have more power as to who does and doesn't go. A lot of nations are going to struggle to field good teams in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkhead Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Jamie Milner is the first name on the Olympic team sheet.. he'll have at least 200 caps for the U21s by then Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Nguyen Van Falk Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I think Beckham will be one of the players, basically because clubs are going to have more power as to who does and doesn't go. A lot of nations are going to struggle to field good teams in my opinion. That's if he is still playing then, will be 38 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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