Football Olympics 2012

**Shilts** · 20/10/2011, 12:13 PM

Under the Good Friday Agreement (and FIFA ruling) Northern Ireland born players can be eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland team. Some players have already taken advantage of this ruling by heading south.

Also, players born in the Republic can be eligible to play for NI.

For next summers Olympics, GB is entering a football team from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
All players in this competition must be under 23.
3 overage players are allowed.

Taking into account the Good Friday Agreement, the FIFA ruling and the fact that overage players can be selected, I would like to officially make myself available for selection for TEAM GB!!!

Stuart - PM me asap!

**Dodge** · 20/10/2011, 1:02 PM

Realise you're, eh, joking but this comes up a fair bit...

Northern Irish footballers have always been eligible to represent GB in the the Olympics, and have done so in the past

**Shilts** · 20/10/2011, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Realise you're, eh, joking but this comes up a fair bit...

Northern Irish footballers have always been eligible to represent GB in the the Olympics, and have done so in the past

But this would be the first Olympics that "Freestaters" could play for Team GB in a long while

**Dodge** · 20/10/2011, 1:36 PM

No they couldn't

Its nothing about good friday.

**Shilts** · 20/10/2011, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

No they couldn't

Its nothing about good friday.

Are you saying that those born in the Republic can't declare for the North???
I believe that they can.

**Dodge** · 20/10/2011, 2:22 PM

lock the thread

quick

**SwanVsDalton** · 01/11/2011, 12:44 PM

I don't really want to, eh, post anything on top of what's gone before, but I do have a question about the GB Olympics team.

Haven't looked into it much, but there's obviously been a fairly sizeable home nations kerfuffle about the GB Olympics team, with the IFA, SFA and FAW all getting very shirty about the prospect, refusing to co-operate, encouraging players not to play etc all because of the dangers posed of them losing their autonomy as footballing nation. For the latest see these Welsh fans giving off about Gareth Bale.

My question is - why the consternation? Is there actually any realistic prospect of a potentially one-off GB Olympic team becoming a full-time GB team in FIFA, with the resultant loss of Wales, Scotland and NI?

To me it seems completely hysterical to think this could actually happen, yet the respective fans appear genuinely fearful about it. Are they off their tree on fear pills or should they actually be worried? Actually keen to know - it just seems like an incredibly overblown panic. Although I do understand many fans might have an issue with becoming the lesser partners in what could be simply seen 'England + 3'.

**KK77** · 01/11/2011, 1:25 PM

Have tickets for one of the quarter finals at Wembley. Looking forward to it and the atmosphere around London during the Olympics.

**Gather round** · 01/11/2011, 3:26 PM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

My question is - why the consternation? Is there actually any realistic prospect of a potentially one-off GB Olympic team becoming a full-time GB team in FIFA, with the resultant loss of Wales, Scotland and NI?

No, there's no realistic prospect but the likelihood would be a bit greater if we (supporters and FAs in NI, Scotland and Wales) hadn't complained. The hysteria isn't quite as you suggest- aren't you guilty of the exaggeration you've accused me of when gurning about the clamor for an all-Ireland side?

There've been a few press statements and website chatter, little more. The Olympics isn't taken seriously as a football tournament in Britain anyway, using it as a Beckham marketing exercise is likely to emphasise that furtther.

I can't speak for Scotland and Wales, but NI don't have any U-23 players good enough for the squad at present. Jonny Evans was the closest but he's a year too old.

Although I do understand many fans might have an issue with becoming the lesser partners in what could be simply seen 'England + 3'.

Indeed. If the squad was picked proportionate to population even without considering player quality, we and the Welsh would have one each and the Scots two to add to 19 Englishmen.

**SwanVsDalton** · 02/11/2011, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by Gather round

No, there's no realistic prospect but the likelihood would be a bit greater if we (supporters and FAs in NI, Scotland and Wales) hadn't complained. The hysteria isn't quite as you suggest- aren't you guilty of the exaggeration you've accused me of when gurning about the clamor for an all-Ireland side?

There've been a few press statements and website chatter, little more. The Olympics isn't taken seriously as a football tournament in Britain anyway, using it as a Beckham marketing exercise is likely to emphasise that furtther.

I can't speak for Scotland and Wales, but NI don't have any U-23 players good enough for the squad at present. Jonny Evans was the closest but he's a year too old.

Don't think it's an exaggeration. The article I linked to has the Welsh Supporters Federation chairman saying: "This could be the end of the home unions and I think that would be sad." Even that seems pretty hysterical and it chimes with other things I've read over the past couple of years from various home nation FA's and supporters groups (if I could really be bothered, I'll try and find some links!)

Without particularly going looking for it, I've noticed this issue come up in national press many times over the past 3/4 years (maybe longer). Seems more than a few press statements. And even then why would the press statements keep making reference to the dissolution of the home nations? It just seems really absurd to even contemplate.

Are you suggesting if various supporter groups/FA's didn't kick up a fuss it would be tacit approval of a GB side? Or something like that?

BTW I saw a newspaper had a possible XI with Cathcart in it, not sure how realistic that is. Maybe Corry Evans would come into a squad berth too?

Originally Posted by Gather round

Indeed. If the squad was picked proportionate to population even without considering player quality, we and the Welsh would have one each and the Scots two to add to 19 Englishmen.

I certainly find that feeling more understandable. Still, just out of curiosity, if there was a player for NI (perhaps even Jonny Evans) who aspired to the squad, would you (or other supporters) or the IFA encourage him not to participate?

**Gather round** · 03/11/2011, 7:17 AM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

the Welsh Supporters Federation chairman saying: "This could be the end of the home unions and I think that would be sad." Even that seems pretty hysterical

There's no danger of the smaller British international sides disappearing while international football continues generally. That guy sounds both scare-mongering and understated at the same time, if that's possible. If my football team suddenly ceased to exist I'd be a little more than 'sad'.

and it chimes with other things I've read over the past couple of years from various home nation FA's and supporters groups

Aye, but as I suggested it hasn't been a long-standing story in the Belfast, Cardiff or Glasgow media. Not like the eligibility row, the decline of the SPL in Europe or what Robbie Savage is up to on Strictly, say.

And even then why would the press statements keep making reference to the dissolution of the home nations? It just seems really absurd to even contemplate

I'll admit it's cliched hyperbole. But that's what feeds the media nowadays, that and PR fluff passing itself off as editorial.

Are you suggesting if various supporter groups/FA's didn't kick up a fuss it would be tacit approval of a GB side? Or something like that?

That's how some of the media would have reported it, yes. My own contribution to the fuss, apart from ranting on here, was to attend one photo op outside a pub in Westminster while Seb Coe and his mates were drumming up Olympic interest to Parliament. There's a Daily Mirror photo somewhere, our old mate Ealing Green to the fore

BTW I saw a newspaper had a possible XI with Cathcart in it, not sure how realistic that is. Maybe Corry Evans would come into a squad berth too?

Not at all, in Cathcart's case. He was like a fish out of water in recent games, partic. Estonia at home. Corry is a D2 journeyman, I imagine the Olympics side will be EPL stars plus Beckham.

Still, just out of curiosity, if there was a player for NI (perhaps even Jonny Evans) who aspired to the squad, would you (or other supporters) or the IFA encourage him not to participate?

I would, yes, as would (I think) most fans, and certainly the IFA.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 20/12/2011, 10:10 PM

To be fair on the basis of the few Welsh & Scots who've put themselves forward, their fans whilst not supporting the team haven't suggested they withdraw. Their associations have basically washed their hands of them and said "It's up to the player".

But if there was ever a reason for the Scots to vote for independence...