Fifa 'to allow GB football team'

woo hoo
cheers red.
Fifa is set to back plans for a Great Britain football team to play at the 2012 Olympics, despite opposition from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland .

The issue will be discussed by Fifa in Tokyo and the sport's world governing body is expected to agree to a British team participating at the London Games.

However, it will not yet sanction its participation beyond 2012.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has already expressed his desire to have the hosts represented at the Games.

And it is thought he would be happy for all the players to be English if the other home nations refused to allow their players to take part.

(full article http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/7785935.stm)

It's a interesting concept and it brings up all sorts of issues.

I suppose they are sticking to the same rules that Olympic football has played under with 3 overage players (over 23) allowed and the bulk of the team to be under 23. There is no way that FIFA would sanction something like the USA dream basketball team where teams could play their best players regardless of age. It would in fact become a second World Cup and devalue FIFA's World Cup.

The main problem for the Home Countries, is this the thin edge of the wedge and will it led to a joint Great Britain team in the World Cup. That's what the Scots in particular and to a lesser degree the Welsh and the Northern Irish fear. I can't say I blame them, I expect that FIFA would like to get rid of the present situation where all four countries in Great Britain can qualify for the World Cup and each have one vote when it comes to decisions.

The idea that the other countries feel that it would be packed with Englishman is a concern, but there are some decent players at the under 21 level that could make this team. Alan Hutton and maybe Craig Gordon as one of the over 23's , Ramsey and Baines of Wales, Johnny Evans from Northern Ireland and Fletcher another over age player at United to name a couple.

If the other home nations decide to boycott the event and not give blessing to their players to take part - would that call into question the manager who I believe is to be SAF?

He has already been approached.

Plus - Olympics is total bollocks - Not only we shouldnt have a team in it - No professional player from any land should play in what is sopposed to be a Amateur event.

Answer me this - How can European professional football go to court and win (Barcelona) stopping thier players from taking part in the event and we in this country look to have our young players represent us in the competition for the first time cause its in this country??

I think all fans should get on at the clubs NOW to stop any of our players playing in the Olympics.

If we allow our British born to play in it - every other country will ask for our clubs players for all Olympics to come.

I agree that the Olympics should be amateurs and it was the 84 Olympics in Los Angles that changed that. The Americans were more concerned with making money than sport. I felt there was nothing more ridiculous than the Americans celebrating a US win at Basketball with a team of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson beating the crap out of Tongo or somebody as small.

But you can count on other nations coming after players of their nationality in the Premier if GB fields a strong side.

I don't think SAF will be managing the team he has recently indicated he's no where near retiring from United yet.

As far as I understand, Olympic football is set to be a strictly U23 event with no overage players allowed. This is a good move for a start. I think it should be even less, and be an U21 or even an U19 or schoolboys events.

No player playing for any full international should even be considerable, nor should any player at any top league.

The Olympics will never carry the substance that the World Cup does and so for me that is not an issue. There is no chance of it being a "second World Cup" and could certainly never devalue the FIFA one. If its U23, how could it.

abcdef wrote:

As far as I understand, Olympic football is set to be a strictly U23 event with no overage players allowed. This is a good move for a start. I think it should be even less, and be an U21 or even an U19 or schoolboys events.

No player playing for any full international should even be considerable, nor should any player at any top league.

The Olympics will never carry the substance that the World Cup does and so for me that is not an issue. There is no chance of it being a "second World Cup" and could certainly never devalue the FIFA one. If its U23, how could it.

They just had the Olympics in China and they were allowed three players over the age of 23. That was were the controversy was in the summer and some teams losing players for the month of August.

The way it would become a "second World Cup" is if they eliminate any age restrictions. Can't see it happening but Blatter will be looking to top up his retirement fund soon, so anything is possible.