2012 Olympics: No British Football team?

[TightEnd]

I am aware of the reasons why the Scottish/N Irish and Welsh FA's would decline to be part of a British Football team: the risk to the future of their national teams is perceived as too high.

but surely no British football team at the Olympics..our Olympics..would be a great shame, not least for young Scottish, Irish and Welsh players at the time (the Olympics being an U23 competition I think, for football) who would have a unique opportunity to participate in their home Olympics

You would think the BOA would do a deal with Blatter/FIFA to allow it as a one off.

I note Blatter's comments at the end of this article, which may or may not be worth a candle, I don't know

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7067642.stm

Do you sympathise with the FA's here or are they showing a parochial and short sighted attitude?



p.s I am not criticising the Scots/Welsh/N Irish!

[Rod Paradise]

I'm hoping we'll have a Scottish team in the 2012 Olympics. 

[celtic]

Why would we want those crap English players in our Scottish team and who would manage it? Steve McLaren?

By 2012 tho we could snap up Gary Megson by which time he will have guided Bolton to Champions League  glory (twice) and numerous other trophies.

[Graham C]

I've always thought it was a shame not to have a British side in the football at the Olympics, but I can understand why we don't.  It would be exciting looking at the current U18's squads working out who's going to be going for a spot in the main squad for 2012.  Even if the players don't come from a professional club level, it would be good to see us enter a team.

[GlasgowBandit]

I don't see the point in a Brit team it would be dominated by England.

[Graham C]

Not necessarily, it's all U23's, I'm sure there would be a few Scottish, maybe one welsh in there