No Scots in 2012 Olympic GB Team

[Jimbo 175]

No Scots for GB Olympic football

 

There will be no Scots in the 2012 Olympic team

Plans for a Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympics will go ahead without any Scottish involvement.

 

The Scottish FA ruled out participation but have no objection to the other home nations forming sides for the men's and women's Olympic and Paralympic teams.

 

England and Northern Ireland are in favour, while the Welsh FA, having initially opposed the idea, are now deciding whether to reconsider.

 

Once they have made a decision, team selection proposals will be drawn up.

 

The Scottish FA had been given written assurances by Fifa president Sepp Blatter that taking part in the 2012 Games would not affect their separate identity in world football.

 

But the Scots fear that Blatter may not be in power in 2012 and his successor may have other views.

 

An SFA spokesman said: "We are just being entirely consistent with the position we have held for years."

 

London 2012 organisers had promised the first event of the Games - the opening football match - would kick off at Hampden Park, Glasgow, if the Scots supported the idea of a British team.

 

The Great Britain team would be limited to players aged under 23 but three overage players would be allowed.

 

Britain qualify automatically as Olympic hosts.

 

But it is unlikely there will be a British Olympic football team beyond 2012, because no united British team plays in the European Under-21 Championships, which act as the qualifying tournament.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Yeah, thats the reason there will be no Scots in the team, they didn't want to...

[Bizza 105]

Yup, Just making sure they have an excuse.

[Wor Al 0]

is it cause they're shit!?

[Dr Gloom 21941]

what a tragedy - no paul dickov or barry ferguson

[Matty 0]

you never know, by 2012 Scotland may actually have a player who would make it into the GB team!

 

They have been investing a lot more money onto their grassroots football and some signs coming from their U21 teams looks as if they could.............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, no. They're shite.

[Rob W 0]

Saves us the bother of not selecting them..........

[Holden McGroin 6599]

Dont you have to be under-23 anyway. Although you can have 3 exceptions I believe.

 

I wonder who will be coach and if it will be taken seriously !?!!?

[Optimistic Nut 154]

Dont you have to be under-23 anyway. Although you can have 3 exceptions I believe.

 

I wonder who will be coach and if it will be taken seriously !?!!?

55220[/snapback]

 

That, plus they're not allowed to have played in a World Cup I think.

[BastianSchweinsteiger 0]

That, plus they're not allowed to have played in a World Cup I think.

 

Well, no problem for the Scots then

[Tom_NUFC 0]

The Scots should stop this and sort it out one way or another.

 

As it stands they're a willing part of the UK. They have their own parliament and they have the SNP whose aim is for Scottish independence, and yet the SNP is not the leading party in Scotland.

 

If they want independence and a Scottish Olympic team then they should vote for the SNP. If they did, I don't think they'd have any problem in getting independence whatsoever.

 

So either they do that, or we stick together and they remain as a willing part of the UK, but this notion of anti-Britishness or pro-independence whilst not opting to vote for a party that would get them that is just stupidity. They can't have it both ways.

 

FIFA have said its fine - for 2012 at least, I don't think they would/could go back on that now. I don't see the problem.

 

Football Venues for 2012

 

Wembley Stadium - London

Old Trafford - Manchester

St James' Park - Newcastle

Villa Park - Birmingham

Hampden Park - Glasgow

Milennium Stadium - Cardiff

 

 

The Scots and Welsh won't compete in the GB Olympic Football team, but they're obviously quite happy to host some games aren't they.

 

In view of what they have both said, if I was the London 2012 organising committee I would be rethinking the inclusion of Hampden and the Milennium Stadium as Football venues. We're not short of stadiums in England that are up to the job.

 

And while we're at it, lets kick Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham out of the ENGLISH league. They need us more than we need them, actually, English football doesn't need them at all. See how they like playing in the League of Wales.

 

The Scots could kick Berwick out of the Scottish League, but then there'd be room for them in the Football League, along with two other English teams.

 

 

We're not talking about getting rid of the 4 nations. (I don't want to get rid of England.) We're talking about only for the Olympics - in fact only as a one off for 2012. FIFA are fine with it, they themselves see that it would be ridiculous to have the host nation not competing in their national sport.

 

In Rugby, the nations usually compete seperately, but every few years come together for a few weeks for the Lions.

 

Apparently in initernational hockey we all compete seperately as well, but are able to compete as GB in the Olympics.

 

Now surely, as a one off, for a few weeks during the Olympics in 2012 we can do the same.

Edited November 12, 2005 by Tom_NUFC

[Guest Sima]

Wales look set to pull out as well.

[Optimistic Nut 154]

As the SFA have said, it's Sepp Blatter who's said he'd approve of it...but the next President of FIFA (who'll be in charge well before 2012 I guess) might have different ideas.

[Guest alex]

Someone on the Radio the other day said the four Home nations should play off with the winner representing GB in the Olympics in 2012. Seems like a decent idea to me.

[Renton 21636]

Someone on the Radio the other day said the four Home nations should play off with the winner representing GB in the Olympics in 2012. Seems like a decent idea to me.

56082[/snapback]

 

 

Somehow, I don't think it would be that simple.

 

But anyway, who cares? The fact that the team has to be made up of young amateurs who are not of international calibre means the whole thing is pretty pointless imo. I bet SJP gets less than 25,000 for this non-event.

[Guest alex]

Someone on the Radio the other day said the four Home nations should play off with the winner representing GB in the Olympics in 2012. Seems like a decent idea to me.

56082[/snapback]

 

 

Somehow, I don't think it would be that simple.

 

But anyway, who cares? The fact that the team has to be made up of young amateurs who are not of international calibre means the whole thing is pretty pointless imo. I bet SJP gets less than 25,000 for this non-event.

56094[/snapback]

I think it's an under-23 tournament rather than an amateur one. I agree about the attendances though, I went to Romania - Bulgaria at SJP in Euro 96 and it was half-full (back when it was only a 36,500 capacity). Hopefully the tickets will be cheap but I doubt it.

[Renton 21636]

Someone on the Radio the other day said the four Home nations should play off with the winner representing GB in the Olympics in 2012. Seems like a decent idea to me.

56082[/snapback]

 

 

Somehow, I don't think it would be that simple.

 

But anyway, who cares? The fact that the team has to be made up of young amateurs who are not of international calibre means the whole thing is pretty pointless imo. I bet SJP gets less than 25,000 for this non-event.

56094[/snapback]

I think it's an under-23 tournament rather than an amateur one. I agree about the attendances though, I went to Romania - Bulgaria at SJP in Euro 96 and it was half-full (back when it was only a 36,500 capacity). Hopefully the tickets will be cheap but I doubt it.

56095[/snapback]

 

Yeah, I went to the Euro games and was surprised by the low attendences; still found the matches enjoyable though. People aren't going to pay much to watch any team other than Newcastle or England at SJP. We'll probably get Moldovia versus Fiji or something.

[rikko 20]

The Scots should stop this and sort it out one way or another.

 

As it stands they're a willing part of the UK. They have their own parliament and they have the SNP whose aim is for Scottish independence, and yet the SNP is not the leading party in Scotland.

 

If they want independence and a Scottish Olympic team then they should vote for the SNP. If they did, I don't think they'd have any problem in getting independence whatsoever.

 

So either they do that, or we stick together and they remain as a willing part of the UK, but this notion of anti-Britishness or pro-independence whilst not opting to vote for a party that would get them that is just stupidity. They can't have it both ways.

55556[/snapback]

 

The reason the SNP don't get the most votes is their aim for independence; its certainly the reason I won't vote for them. Most scottish people don't want full independence, the country is alot stronger as a part of Britain then it would be by itself.

 

To link polotics to what the SFA does is utter bollocks. They care more about trying to qualify for major tournaments then competing as GB for a football tournament no one gives a toss about. Especially when there is a risk that the next fifa president will use the "you competed as GB in the olympics why do you need 4 national sides?"

 

Do you really think that scottish fans will support a side that at the moment would contain 0 scottish players. Would they fuck. Its more important to keep the national side then lose it by FIFA be arses; on which they have a good track record. The SFA is just playing it safe rather then taking a risk. Which they are perfectly entitled to do.

 

Of course this whole situation could change when the new fifa president is appointed, if his views are the same as that of blatter in this case then the situation might change. Time is on our side here, the olympics arent for what 7 years yet. The side won't be chosen for well over 6 years.