Progress on 2012 GB football team

England's football team could represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, following agreement from the other home nations not to block the idea.

A joint letter has been sent to Fifa, which has yet to ratify the proposal, saying that Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would have no involvement.

But it goes on to say that it would not prevent England from fielding a team.

full article

I gather that by saying that Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would have no involvement, they are protecting themselves from FIFA claiming that since Great Britain was represented by one team in the Olympics, then they should be represented by one team in the World Cup.

Too bad that only England is involved, because at that level, an Under-23 team (with three over-age players), there would a few players from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, that could make that team.

Not sure if that will help them if FIFA do get around to debated this issue for real. There is a number of people in FIFA who would vote in favour of limiting Great Britain's representation to one team.

Have to say the scariest part of that article, was when they were talking about a successor to Blatter and they mentioned Jack Warner of CONACAF. They didn't actually say Warner will follow Blatter as head of FIFA, but just to have Warner's name in the same paragraph talking about successors of Blatter is frightening. Warner is a bigger idiot and certainly a bigger crook than Blatter.

FIFA and Blatter have already said that any GB team would not have any effect on their respective teams at the moment.

Warner is the guy who openly said "nobody likes England"...now that would be fun,lol

huzup wrote:

FIFA and Blatter have already said that any GB team would not have any effect on their respective teams at the moment.

Warner is the guy who openly said "nobody likes England"...now that would be fun,lol

The key phrase there is at the moment. Blatter has said he can't say what his successor will do on the matter.

I can't honestly see Jack Warner succeeding Blatter, because he is too big of a crook and everyone knows it. However, unfortunately with his voting block in CONACAF he will have a big say in whole does succeed Blatter.

next week FIFA's Congress are expected to scrap current rules where players in the men's Olympic tournament must be under 23, with each team allowed three over-age players.

Instead, the proposed new rule is that players must be under 21 with no over-age players allowed.

I like this change. Now clubs will not be all that affected by losing players for a month to play in the Olympics and it is more in agreement with the traditional meaning of the Olympics.

So to be eligible for 2012 they have to be eligible for the under 18's at this time.

I have seen Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and Henri Lansbury, who has already played some first-team games. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and striker Sanchez Watt from Arsenal are possibles.

Liverpool's Tom Ince, a left winger who is the 17-year-old son of Paul Ince, and 18-year-old David Amoo who can play on the right wing or up front. Have not seen either, so don't know anything about them.

Middlesbrough's seems to be doing a good job of developing players and trio of Nathan Porritt, Jason Steele and Jonathan Franks all played in for England at the last FIFA under-17 World Cup.