Would you be in favour of a Team GB

[emmie]

for the football in the the 2012 Olympics, it was on news earlier. Wonder if anyone had any thoughts.

[redman41]

The Olympics is supposed to be an Amateur Sport so not sure how professional Footballers would fit into this.
Cannot see it happening although all other events are Team GB !

[jno]

I would have thought it was a way of giving GB a chance to win... they already do it in rugby league (not that they win anything much there, of course). And it's more of a sport than Synchronised Grinning.

[jno]

woohoo, I got my notification today - the men's 800m final, and some other finals too. Actual tickets don't come for another year.

[pa___ul3]

why shouldn't football be in the Olympics? I'd be happy to see a GB team in there, I'd rather it be under 23's though, not sure if that still is (or ever was) the rule.
I'd like 7's rugby to be an Olympic event too, that'd be ace!

[jno]

paul, it will be in Rio, but not in London.

[pa___ul3]

yeah? ace! Although that means I'd probably have to get up at about 5am to watch it!

[pa___ul3]

you know when you wish you could cancel a post after you've hit submit....! Brazil's behind us isn't it so it'd be shown late evening!! Dozy ol' me!

[jno]

go to Rio! Probably easier to get tickets there than in London, as Brazilians will all be playing football, plus you get sambas in the streets.

[pa___ul3]

E falo português tambem! I've never even considered that until now, and now you've got me thinking!

[emmie]

i think it is a serious consideration by the powers that be, the story came from Sky News, but i was listening to it on the radio initially.

[rowanwitch]

yes to sevens rugby too fast fun and short enough duration even the americans would have a long enough attention span

[emmie]

i prefer rugby any day, sevens is fun, and there's always the bar after the match.

[mightyWBA]

"Team GB"...Another Americanism.
Really grinds my gums.

[emmie]

I didn't invent it, just asked the question.

[mightyWBA]

There has been a Great Britain football team at 10 Olympic games in the past (We won Gold twice).
Football has appeared at 25 Olympiads and we last entered a team in 1960.

It's a shame the Scots,Welsh and Northern Irish F A's don't feel that they should allow their footballers to represent what is their country i.e The United Kingdom.
Whether they like it or not they are British after all!

For now ;-)

[Manwithnoname]

Not having read any posts on this topic, I feel that creating a GB football team may have repercussions on the future of the World Cup European Championships & placings in the Euro comps.

However, it may be a blessing considering the rubbish we have been turning up over the last 40 years at national level.

[Stephen_G]

According to today's Daily Star, that's what the Football Associations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are most worried about, manwithnoname. A possible team GB & N.I. instead of the five nations playing as separate entities.

I couldn't see too many of the players getting into the England side, TBH - Gareth Bale and Ryan Giggs (At his best, would have been a fixture on the England left flank for years). Northern Ireland players? I wouldn't even know who to look at and I don't watch Scotland games very often. Maybe a midfielder or two might give something different to the usual Gerrard/Lampard debate.

Does the Under-23 + 3 senior players rule still apply? Perhaps there are some decent Under-23's in the Home Nations squads to pick from.

[emmie]

its not been ruled out, and I as to calling it Team GB, well Team UK, if you prefer. Personally i don't care for football, but i posted the question the other day, thinking you would all be jumping up and down at the story, going no way, so no one would really mind.

[Arksided]

I wouldn't mind it, but to be honest. I would rather see the return of the 'Home nations cup' at International full level.

However if it gives Opportunities for younger players to prove their worth to the bigger clubs then it could be a stepping stone for their careers.

I for one do not understand how any of it would work though, with the bigger clubs having their own agenda for next season.