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Tartan army raps Brown's 2012 UK team plan



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Published Date: 24 August 2008
By Kate Foster
GORDON Brown yesterday provoked the wrath of Scotland's football fans by calling for a British team to compete in the 2012 Olympics.
Speaking from Beijing, the Prime Minister said he was "determined" the move would go ahead.

Britain has not entered a football team in the Olympics since 1960 because of fears it could jeopardise the future of the individual England, Wales, Scotl
and and Northern Irish national sides.

Brown's views were yesterday supported by England footballer David Beckham who said he believed football deserved its place in the Olympics and left the door open to possibly playing for Great Britain in 2012.

Brown said: "I think when people are looking at the Olympics in 2012 – Britain, home of football, where football was invented, which we gave to the world – I think people would be very surprised if there is an Olympic tournament in football and we are not part of it."

The English Football Association backs Brown, but an SFA spokesman said: "We are absolutely opposed to Team GB. We think it will threaten the independent status of the home nations."

Tam Ferry, the Tartan Army's spokesman for the No Team GB campaign, added: "I think Gordon Brown should be running the country, not sticking his nose in places where it's not wanted."





The full article contains 221 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 24 August 2008 12:58 AM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
 
1

Oldnat,

24/08/2008 01:21:43
What the hell has the Olympics to do with fitba? There's already the World Cup as the major international competition. The Olympics are fine for athletics and the smaller sports that don't have world-wide competitions. It would make absolutely no sense for country or club to commit top players to the Olympics. Maybe Brown simply wants Raith Rovers to represent GB.
2

a proud doonhamer,

Dumfries 24/08/2008 01:22:26
If there still is a UK in 2012, I would suggest the following

Let each of four nations play a home and home tournament with the top two in single game playoff at the home of the first place finisher.

The IOC to gaurantee that the winning team represents the UK at the Olympics BUT under their own national name and colours.

Watch how fast the IOC and Gordon Brown run away from this type of proposal.

Can you imagine a Scottish National Team playing in the Olympics in London of all places with no English team at all?

Irony is a delicious treat.
3

mesmiths,

fife 24/08/2008 01:25:17
Does Brown imagine that the Wembly crowd will be singing 'Britain!' or 'UK!' perhaps? And that they'll not be waving their English flags.
The whole thing is just absurd- but it will happen .

Just hope we're independent by then and can send our own team.
4

FrancesP,

24/08/2008 01:29:11
"Speaking from Beijing, the Prime Minister said he was 'determined' the move would go ahead."

Why? The mess Brown's in at the moment wouldn't it be wise to save his 'determination' for something just a little more popular with the public? Like the reintroduction of smallpox, perhaps?

Sepp Blatter let the cat out of the bag a few months ago - in fact he could hardly have been more specific. He contradicted all his previous meaningless reassurances by stating that a British Olympic football team would have implications for Scotland's separate status at other competitions like the World Cup. After that statement, no Scot in their right mind would support this proposal.

And Gordon Brown is, the last time I checked, a Scot. The obvious conclusion?
5

Coileach an taobh Tuath,

24/08/2008 01:39:57


oh mr brown...... waddling from crisis to blunder
6

Brian Hill,

24/08/2008 01:41:11
"Like the reintroduction of smallpox, perhaps?" A laugh out loud comment FrancesP, thanks.

Doonhamer your suggestion is excellent and you're right, the English would fly into freak mode at the very suggestion.

Poor old Gordon he really doesn't have a clue when it comes to ordinary punters, even Scottish ones. Every time the poor man opens his mouth he upsets some group or other in Scotland.
7

GrahamR,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 02:06:05
Better still - lets just cancel the Olympics completely. God what a yawn. And that's when its in a different timezone. What will it be like when it is in England?
8

Cammy,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 02:29:29
Gordon Brown is standing next to Olympic winners trying to look like he had something to do with their success.

Unfortunately he just looks like a desperate man. He really shouldn't do those fake smiles he does, as he just looks very creepy.

No combined footy team should take place as it would be pointless, but I've no objections if the English wish to put a team together and call themselves "the British team". I would imagine that it would probably be almost all the same players anyway.

I still have no idea why professional "stars" earning millions somehow fit into the Olympic spirit.
9

tartangladbach,

EDINBURGH 24/08/2008 04:17:30
GB PLC! WILL GO BUST IN ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR! THERE WILL BE NO LONDON GAMES! A MAJOR (MAJOR) US BANK IS DUE TO COLLAPSE NEXT MONTH! WATCH THE SHOKWAVE FROM THAT ONE? OUR ONLY WAY OUT IS INDEPENDENCE! ENGLANDS EXIT DOOR INVOLVES LARGE LOANS FROM CHINA! WATCH THIS SPACE!
10

Willie Macleod,

Wick 24/08/2008 04:47:01
#9 Dont Shout people might listen!
11

steve 1511,

aberdeen 24/08/2008 06:49:05
why should scotland wales and n ireland give support to a poor footballing nation like england who are known world wide for their faiures in major competitions
12

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 07:00:42
In 2012, it is highly unlikely that Gordon Brown will be around!

Any political attempt to coerce players registered with the Scottish Football Association will undoubtedly endanger our unique articles of association with FIFA which allows Scotland to field a national team!

The Football Associations of Northern Ireland and Wales have the same concerns.

The Football Association of England is the only organisation that is willing to take part and, along with the arrogant British Olympic Association, is being encouraged by the government to field a UK Olympic team, which in the eyes of FIFA and UEFA simply does NOT exist!

IF, such a UK team ever plays in the 2012 Olympics then the Celtic Nations can forget ever fielding a national football team again!

This is more about the conniving FA of England and BOA attempting to extinguish Scotland's (and Northern Ireland and Wales) future to represent our nation in
the Euro and World competitions!

13

roughrider,

Glasgow 24/08/2008 07:28:31
Poor deluded Broon his head is firmly up his unionist @RSE on this one.
What a sad *unt he is.
You will always walk alone will be the anthem to this cowards utter BS.
14

connaughtboy,

stonehaven 24/08/2008 07:53:50
Is this the only political story in the SoS today?
15

Spoot,

Third rock pool on the left 24/08/2008 08:38:36
"Tartan Army raps ..." - a further descent into tabloidese by the Scotsman. In any case, it's difficult to envisage several thousand people rapping in unison.
16

Roy,

24/08/2008 08:54:05
Did I not say old union jack pants would highjack the Olympics? He thinks Team GB (yuk) stands for Team Gordon Brown.
17

eric,

Lothian 24/08/2008 09:05:41
Anything British ,Royal ,union,UK.is just too DULL .Not interesting enough.
18

MacGillicuddy,

24/08/2008 09:32:17
Another own goal from Broon means the final score is:

Scotland: 1 UK of GB & NI: Nil

#12 Well said!
19

Jacqueline Hyde ,

On the shelf 24/08/2008 09:34:52
Perhaps we should just forget football in the Olympics and replace it with shinty. Presumably a GB shinty team would be acceptable to all the above posters?
20

Boy Wonder,

24/08/2008 09:38:58
Team Britain in the Olympic football? NO! It's a non-starter.

Football should be taken out of the Olympics anyway. They have the World Cup. Isn't that enough??

Besides ... Scotland might very well be Independent by then!
21

bully wee alba,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 09:40:26
I have just watched Brown (G) basking in the afterglow of the (partial) success of Team GB in Beijing.

Seemingly he is of the opinion that “everyone” wants a UK football team to compete at the London games in 2012, and it may even have a Scottish manager in the form of Alex Ferguson.

As someone who has followed the fortunes of our national football team through thin and thin since the late 1960’s, I beg to differ.

I am old enough to remember the derision which greeted the playing of God save the Queen at international matches, when that song was being portrayed as our “national” anthem.

In particular, I have a memory of the then UK Prime Minister, Harold Wilson apparently being “shocked” when the Tartan Army made known their displeasure of this insulting dirge being played at a Scotland game in the West German world cup of 1974.

Eventually, the SFA took cognisance of the wishes of the vast majority of the Scottish football fraternity and dropped this abomination, initially in favour of that somewhat twee Cliff Hanley musical hall number, “Scotland the Brave”, before settling upon the fan’s choice of the Corries’, “Flower of Scotland”.

Incidentally, and for the avoidance of any doubt, I did not participate in, nor do I condone, the disrespectful attitude shown by some towards the song chosen by the Northern Ireland F.A. to represent themselves prior to the recent friendly international at Hampden.

Now that we have our own, popularly acclaimed national anthem, it is of no consequence to me which song other nations may choose as their anthem.

However, I for one, and I suspect many thousands of my fellow cohorts within the Tartan Army, will have no truck whatsoever, with any concept of a UK international football team playing at Hampden Park in a competitive tournament.

In the immortal words of Ronnie Browne at the end of his most recent rendition of our national anthem, at Hampden last week……………


Saor Alba!
22

beckypumps1,

Fife 24/08/2008 09:40:55
With statements like these he must be working undercover for the SNP or maybe he is just a t1t!
23

McMillar,

Fife 24/08/2008 09:53:24
I hope this goes ahead. Would be great to see a GB team compete and pull the best players from home nations. Will never replace the world cup but should be giving everyone the chance to compete on this stage. Football is always a bit ‘funny’ when it comes to the petty politics that go on behind the scenes. Some people will never be happy but this a good idea. It’s unlikely that Brown will be prime minister in 2012 but that doesn’t change the fact.
24

Guga II,

Rockall 24/08/2008 09:55:41
So, Maggie Broon is "determined" is he. What happened to the "listening government"? If he listened to the majority of Scots, he would realise that they are also determined, determined that it will not happen.

In any event, it is time that Scotland entered into the Olympics in its own right, not as an appendage, and prop, to the English team.

If the likes of Guam and Hong Kong can field their own team, so can Scotland, and with a lot more justification than Guam or Hong Kong. Or are we going to continue to let the English treat us as inferior colonials, only good for subsidising the English?

Anyway, Maggie Broon is unlikely to still be around in 2012.

25

tsimsee,

24/08/2008 09:58:59
Where do Ranger's fans stand on this one, surely they would prefer a GB team to a Scotland team, what with them being big unionists "born under the Union Jack" and all...
26

me-here,

home 24/08/2008 10:01:49
Brown trying to divert our attention away from the real problems we have!
What will the petrol cost 2012? Milk? Bread? Gas? Electricity?
That is what he should be looking at, that is his job, not football teams.
27

The Spook in Leith,

24/08/2008 10:11:53
The English Football Association backs Brown, but an SFA spokesman said: "We are absolutely opposed to Team GB. We think it will threaten the independent status of the home nations."

What is team GB? Team Gordon Brown!!Agrr no wander he wants a team GB. If England want to Field a team GB then good on them. Im not over excited about being British so it doesn't affect me in any case.

Does G B not get it?? the more he belts on about Britain the more he is weakening the union north of the border, the guy is his own folly.
28

The Spook in Leith,

24/08/2008 10:14:31
#27

I thought it was the british lions but in any case they or the Barbarians have failed well short of inspiring me, in fact i could not name one player in the said teams, hmm nope sorry.
29

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 10:17:00
#29

You are correct. The British Lions are the British Rugby Team. Barbarians are Welsh I think.

30

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 10:18:35
If Britain were to have our own football team in the Olympics then the English National football team would change English for British during the competation...

The country is not united and Gordon Brown is quite foolish in his attempts to force Britishness upon us all collectivly.
31

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 10:20:08
BTW, the British Lions first game had only English players playing the main majority of the game. Since Scotland and Wales were smaller countries with less players we did infact not play until the last 10 minutes I think...when it was clear we were going to loose anyway.

Fair?
32

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 10:27:26
#34

I thought Scotland and England founded Britain on the basis of equality?

I'd rather see our own Scottish Olympic Team all together then we can do as we please.
33

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 10:28:46
#34

But thanks of pointing out that Scotland will always have less, be given less since we are a smaller Nation. Britain was founded on equality but you have pointed out quite well that Scotland will always be left short and England will always be put first.

Is it any wonder Nationalists are becoming more popular?
34

SHILTRUM DEFENCES,

24/08/2008 10:53:31
Totally daft idea, and the SNP will be rubbing their hands at this one. What a loser Brown is!!
.......and as for the wider question of the Olympics...Bolt and Hoy apart, what a boring procession overseen by sycophantics commentators and celebrities on the BBC.
Forget a London Drugsfest...just let the whole thing die and spend the money more wisely....like on the cancer drugs that NICE will not approve...that'd be a good start!!
35

ochone,

sauchie, clacks 24/08/2008 10:53:33
Sombody tell kenny over on the opiion page.
36

Boggle fey the Bog,

24/08/2008 10:54:17
12 reasons why the Home Countries should have separate teams in the 2012 Olympics.

Non Countries participating in the Peking 2008 Olympics

1. American Samoa (a territory of the United States)

2. Aruba (part of the Netherlands)

3. Bermuda (a territory of the United Kingdom)

4. British Virgin Islands (a territory of the United Kingdom)

5. Cayman Islands (a territory of the United Kingdom)

6. Cook Islands (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

7. Guam (a territory of the United States)

8. Hong Kong (special administrative region of China)

9. Netherlands Antilles (a territory of the Netherlands)

10. Palestine (Palestine is not a country.)

11. Puerto Rico (a territory of the United States)

12. U.S. Virgin Islands (a territory of the United States)

From the list of non-countries participating is there any justification of NOT allowing Scotland to have it's own Olympic Team

If you want to make a difference, go to the No 10 website and contact Broon with that information and ask him the simple question.

If Palestine (a non country)can have an Olympic team why can't the Oldest country in Christian Europe (Scotland) not have it's own National Team in the Olympics?

Over to you Gordo!!!
37

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 11:06:30
#39

Ah but you see Scotland is a colony. A strategic area that has useful resources offshore.

Thats al;l we are and thats how we will be treated.
38

,

24/08/2008 11:11:11
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
39

Boggle fey the Bog,

24/08/2008 11:25:14
41 Angus Mannie,Montrose 24/08/2008 11:11:11

Aye ah kin jist see tha history books noo

Chaiptur Nine:

'The War o' Broons Baws'
40

,

24/08/2008 11:26:45
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
41

,

24/08/2008 11:33:21
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
42

,

24/08/2008 11:35:05
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
43

LEAL,

24/08/2008 12:08:08
Angus Mannie on 11.35

Gordon Brown
What a clown
Wants to pull the saltire down
44

Andrew BOD,

Aberdeen/shire 24/08/2008 12:20:58
27 & 32 Dave from Barra

The British Lions represents the nations from 'The British Isles', which includes two sovereign nations, the UK and ROI. Just like the Ryder Cup team represents Europe.

So you miss the point. The UK, if represented by one team at the Olympics, could lose it's status as individual sporting nations. As a 'sovereign' country, UEFA and FIFA may well choose to default it to that status in other competitions. It would have set a strong precedent, especially in the glare of the London Olympics.
45

tsimsee,

24/08/2008 12:22:44
Originally the Olympic Games didn't have national teams, that sounds like a great idea to me, nationalism is always going to be hijacked by politicians. Let's go back to having individuals who qualify and compete in their own right and get away fro all this jingoistic claptrap.
46

,

24/08/2008 12:27:56
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
47

,

24/08/2008 12:29:36
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
48

faddy,

hampden in the sun 24/08/2008 12:38:38
Who wants to stand side by side with English supporters?
49

LEAL,

24/08/2008 12:49:20
faddy 51
at least some rangers fans
50

LEAL,

24/08/2008 12:51:47
and toom tabbard
51

tsimsee,

24/08/2008 12:55:15
Angus Mannie,24/08/2008 12:29:36

In my nationless olympics the best individuals would compete against each other, if an athelete is from your town or country you will probably cheer them on regardless of whether they are part of a national team. For team events it would be the best teams, eg tennis doubles needn't be from the same country, football teams could be the top 16 club teams in the world as ranked by Fifa, etc. etc... "imagine there's no countries..."
52

Ugly George,

edinburgh 24/08/2008 12:55:17
47 Andrew BOD
FIFA have confirmed in writing that a GB football team for 2012 will not jeopardise the individual status of the four associations. The claim that it such a team would do so is, therefore, unfounded scaremongering.

It therefore seems that this is all a fuss over very little. Apparently the FA in England are willing to press ahead and the other associations are free to join them if they wish. If they do not want to do so - end of story so what is all the fuss about.
53

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 13:01:25
#55

If Britain enters a football team under 'Britain' then why can we not enter a British team for other events?

That is what could happen...

Plus the British Lions were not a great success in terms of showing Scottish rugby talent either with the few Scottish players in it.
54

Anne, Glasgow,

24/08/2008 13:03:20
Suggest you read a story in the Sunday Times today about how Gordon Brown's government refused to pay compensation to John McDougall, but still turned up at the man's funeral. Now there is hypocrisy.
55

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 13:04:19
39 Boggle fey the Bog
Your comparison with the other countries is not valid. Countries like American Samoa and Bermuda do not elect representatives of the US or UK governments respectively (is there an MP from Bermuda in the House of Commons?) They cannot therefore be compared to Scotland, Wales or NI. A more accurate comparison would be to compare American Samoa with Jersey or the Isle of Man.
56

Geoff,

sa 24/08/2008 13:38:13
55 ugly george-precisely.
57

Brian Hill,

24/08/2008 14:13:00
If this isn't a topic for an on line poll I don't know what is.

So come on SOS, Scotsman, Herald or Sunday Herald. Whose going to be first:

Do you think Scotland should have its own team at the 2012 Olympics?

58

Clydesdale,

Lanarkshire 24/08/2008 15:21:48
Ugly George - Perhaps you should read what Sepp Blatter said at the IFAB meeting at Gleneagles in March when he warned against the home nations forming a GB team for 2012. Also you should understand the growing resentment towards the 'priviledged' position of the home nations and their independent status within FIFA, led by Vice President Jack Warner. National Associations like the Spanish FA have internal problems with Catalonia claiming to have a national football team and national FA (currently not recognised by FIFA). Also there are issues over the large number of European teams that take part in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers (the creation of a British team could create pressure for this to happen for other tournaments). The Scottish FA and Welsh FA have not blocked the move out of spite. There is genuine concern. FIFA is rife with 'politics' and the FIFA Congress can easily overturn any existing agreements currently in place.
59

The Scotchman,

Scotland 24/08/2008 15:32:08
Already Max Headbroon (have you seen his uncanny resemblance recently!) has held high-level talks yesterday with Sepp Blatter on the very issue!!!

http://tinyurl.com/6cobeb

Footballing nations have been lobbying FIFA for years to take away these rights. The "artificial one" is out to stop Scotland's international presence!
60

Clydesdale,

Lanarkshire 24/08/2008 15:37:19
Some links to what I have said above.

For Sepp Blatter

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/football/
7286011.stm

For Jack Warner

http://www.sportindustry.biz/news/view/310/warner-wants
-to-end-uk's-fifa-'privileges'
61

The Federalist (the poster formerly know as NAUON),

24/08/2008 16:24:11
The opposition to a GB&NI Olympic team is not being done for any nationalistic reasons but because it will be used as an excuse by corrupt FIFA officials like Jack warner to attack the home nations.
62

Buckpool Loon,

Cheshire 24/08/2008 16:42:30
Perhaps Brown was only ruminating on the amount of MP's labour would have by 2012?
63

Boggle fey the Bog,

24/08/2008 16:43:34
58 Ugly George,Edinburgh 24/08/2008 13:04:19

I think you have missed the point me owld son, American Samoa is NOT a Country, it is a colony of the United States, as is Puerto Rica, just as Trinidad and Tobago is a Colony of UK, and Hong Kong is part of China (the British Empire formally handed back the Crown Colony of Hong Kong to he Chinese Peoples Republic in 1997), and Palestine only exists in the imagination of the Arabs in that region, it is NOT a country.

Of the 195 'recognised' countries in the world all but 3 took part in the Olympics, the total of 204 competitive 'entities' included the 12 'Non-Countries' I listed at #39.

So for the IOC to project the idea, with the collusion of the Westminster government, that there is no mechanism for Scotland, Wales or N.I. to have teams in the Olympics, is blatant lying. It would appear that to 'qualify' for the Olympics all that is required is for the Country or 'Entity' to have a 'National Olympic Committee' recognised as such by it's Liege lord and the IOC, in the case of Scotland, Wales and N.I. , the 'Liege Lord' (Westminster) has refused to sanction 'individual NOC's for the 'Home' Nations'.

over to you Gordo!!!
64

Miss H,

24/08/2008 17:13:55
While not really caring about the issue I would suggest that it is up to the SFA to decide, they are the proper body to take any decision and politicians should not intervene either way as they have no locus.
65

Max FM,

Plymouth 24/08/2008 17:23:08
Lets face it- you scots are only angry cos you know none of your 2nd Division players could play for England anyway.
66

MacGillicuddy,

24/08/2008 17:23:58
#57 Anne. You mean this:
"The Labour MP John MacDougall, whose death prompted the latest by-election to threaten Gordon Brown’s premiership, was suing the government for refusing to pay compensation for the illness that killed him.
The 60-year-old former Labour MP for Glenrothes had launched a court action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) last November after the government turned down his request for a £300,000 payout. MacDougall believed that his lung cancer was contracted a result of working at the Royal Naval dockyards in Rosyth in the 1960s and 1970s when he was exposed to asbestos.
The disclosure that Brown’s government blocked the payment will be acutely embarrassing for the prime minister, who paid tribute to MacDougall at his funeral last week, describing his illness as the “cruel legacy” of his exposure to asbestos on the dockyards of his youth.
Other senior Labour figures who attended the funeral included Jack McConnell, the former first minister, Douglas Alexander, the international development secretary, and Des Browne, the defence secretary who was ultimately responsible for refusing MacDougall’s claim. Friends said that the dispute added to the strain on MacDougall and his family before he died. "

Absolute hypocrisy all round in the Liebour Party.
67

ThomasP,

24/08/2008 17:27:20
#68

Why would Scottish players want to play for England in the first place?

Half of Englands team are foriegn born anyway lol
68

bully wee alba,

Edinburgh 24/08/2008 17:30:04
In the red corner in this debate we have the rabid, foaming at the mouth unionistas, some of whom apparently believe Scotland should be restricted to fielding a tiddlywinks and Buckfast consuming team, and in the blue corner we have the Scottish football supporting public, including for once, even the SFA.

Anyone who thinks that the notion of a “separate” Scottish international football team does not have “nationalist” connotations has obviously never attended a game at Hampden.

Gordon Brown of course, recognises this fact only too well.

This is why he is so set upon the course of having Scotland de-recognised by the world football authorities.

Make no mistake, this is the prime reasoning behind Brown’s move to form a GB football team at the next Olympic.

Remember his threat to “do everything necessary to preserve the Union”?

The game’s afoot!
69

danielrober,

24/08/2008 17:37:58
# tartangladbach,EDINBURGH

For goodness sake it's only a game.
70

livilion,

livingston 24/08/2008 19:40:12
Was it only the SNP voters who booed the British national anthem at Hampden on Wednesday sung by the Northern Irish/Bruttish.
71

livilion,

livingston 24/08/2008 19:45:10
68 Max FM,Plymouth
Not too many of your Premiership players are even eligible for your England national side, and with Premiership football(socca)academies largely populated with young foriegn talent not a situation I see changeing any time soon.

I expect the language difficulties are why you tend these days to go for non-English managers?
72

Neil Waugh,

Old Strathcona 24/08/2008 19:45:10
So under it's present compsition, which member of the English squad gets dumped for a Scot???
{Long silence, multiple heads are scratched,)
Broon's dream team will not be Team GB. It will be Team B. All dressed up in their fancy Butcher's Apron strip. Kind of like a black face minstral show for the token Scots lads.
The Scots will simply ride the pines or become training ground "opponents" for the Londoners.
I only hope that Lex takes this to the Fife by-election and forced that idiot Brown to score an own goal.
73

livilion,

livingston 24/08/2008 19:51:43
Under the present rules the Olympic football teams are chosen from the ranks of the U21s.

In England these will be as plentiful as hens teeth by 2012.(see my contribution @ #74)

Now if we have an U21 Home International Olympic qualifying tournament then that's a different matter.
74

stracathro,

provence 24/08/2008 19:53:47
only a game but broon has brought the politics into it.
there's no fixture with england for obvious reasons - the union's a farce.
75

Neil Waugh,

Old Strathcona 24/08/2008 20:03:55
If Broon is really insistent on Team GB why not have an internal tournament to choose who gets in. Team Scotia vs Team England. The winner gets to be the "British" rep at the London Olympics.
It would give the Tartan Army an opportunity to take the show on the road to Wembly. It the Manchester cops provocation of the Rangers Firm was a sign of the times, it could be fun.
76

livilion,

livingston 24/08/2008 20:08:53
55 Ugly George
Most of the world still thinks that England means the same thing as Britain.

During the recent fly on the wall documetaries about 'our' Royal family, it was quite noticeable how much England and English was used to to describe all things British, including the Queen of England.

The FA(English) will assume that getting rid of the other home nations' FAs influence will boost their own.

Who could blame them for putting their English interests first, its what they're paid to do?

Gordon Brown on the other hand fessing up that Gazza's goal against Scotland at Euro96 is his favourite sporting moment has me reaching for the chunderbucket.

Personally I reckon we should perhaps revisit the rules on treason for our onetime countryman.
77

livilion,

livingston 24/08/2008 20:29:50
Does anyone else suspect that this debate might soon be rendered irrellivant?

Consider: The UK Labour party are in a hole and frantically still digging away, as evident by the PM's contribution today.

Labour in England is a busted flush, and has been since the last days of Honest Tony's regime.

Westminster is set fair for Tory leadership for the next generation or more, depending on the amount of bloodshed and bitterness in the post Brown inquest and subsequent Labour leadership contest.

Scotland will be faced with the choice of re-electing our old 'protectors from the bosses' or Cameron's Home County-centric Tories - they don't really hate Scots, only they couldn't give a monkey's cuss about us either way, there are no Tory marginals in Scotland to take into consideration for a start.

So where does the Scottish voter turn when the London based parties don't care, or repeatedly take us for granted and sell us out in favour of SW1 and W1 interests?

I don't expect the Treaty of Union to see many more UK general elections, I hope the next will be the last and England can have its own Olympic football team that we can gub in the final.
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24/08/2008 21:23:45
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24/08/2008 21:27:31
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Eve,

Scotland 24/08/2008 21:28:46
Oh it doesn't even bare thinking about how many Scots would be in such a team? (0,1,2 or 3!!!)

Scotland should have it's own Olplimic (so I can Learn how to spell it, well that and)because I don't think it's fare that Hong Kong should be allowed a Team and NOT Scotland. When Scotland is more or very bit as much of a country as they are. It's symbley unfair.

I'm no fussed if England want have there own team at the olypics Just as long as they don't do any thing to destroy Scottish football.

As it is I don't have many team in sports that I support. I personaly only feel confortable suporrtiong a team thats labled Scottish.
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24/08/2008 21:32:03
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Eve,

Scotland 24/08/2008 21:38:19
#51 faddy: It would depend on what they where doing or where it was!!

If it was the likes of a Bus stop, that would fine.
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24/08/2008 21:39:56
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weh,

24/08/2008 22:06:33

Ferguson to lead UK football team-(G Brown 24 August)


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080824/tuk-sir-alex-backed-to-lead-2012-team-45dbed5.html
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Oldnat,

24/08/2008 22:09:11
For any of you who think that Scotland is the only place where "God Save Lizzie" and Olympic Britishness is an embarrassment - this from Bob Piper, a London Labour Cooncillor.

"Much excitement in the Piper household today as we watched a re-run of the Olympic closing ceremony on Sky+.

Not excitement because of the ceremony, because frankly I think I would pay good money not to have to sit through an opening or closing ceremony of anything. Nor about the quite shocking segment from London (with one exception). Whoever thought a bus, acrobats with umbrellas, a privet hedge, and an aging, gurning rocker singing to a young woman - in the week that Gary Glitter's image has been flashed around the world - was a good idea needs their bumps feeling, and should not be allowed anywhere near the 2012 arrangements.

No, our excitement came when the British flag was raised and the national anthem was sung. Whaaaat... You may scream! Well, one of the people chosen to sing the anthem inside the stadium was my son's girlfriend, Yolande, who just happens to be in Beijing with the National Youth Theatre."
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Fanling,

Switzerland 24/08/2008 23:31:07
#30 ThomasP

The Barbarians were born in northern England in the 19th century. They do have a strong Welsh connection though.
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stracathro,

opposite side from ye 25/08/2008 01:39:00
Dave from Barra ©,Western Isles 24/08/2008 10:11:12
Um, there is an already proud and well founded Great British rugby team whom are selected from all the home nations. They are calld the Barbarians (the Ba Ba's) and have been around for a very long time.

Nowt wrong with the proposal. The Tartan Army should look to their couth rugby chums for inspiration.

hi min - read the article will ye: -
Britain has not entered a football team in the Olympics since 1960 because of fears it could jeopardise the future of the individual England, Wales, Scotland
and and Northern Irish national sides

- are ye really fae barra?
88

Castaway,

25/08/2008 04:55:22
Gordon Brown said he would be surprised if there was not a team from the country which invented football competing on home turf in 2012.Now he means England invented football.
Sepp Blatter, the president of world football’s governing body, FIFA said that fielding Scottish, English, Welsh and Northern Irish players as part of an Olympic team could threaten each country’s football bodies.August 24,2008
89

donald,

glasgow 25/08/2008 08:21:12
This will beBrown's, more than any world events.
90

Alan B,

25/08/2008 09:53:27
Brown's an idiot.


Really do not see why the olympics should include football anyway. Just like adding tennis to the olymics a few years ago it does nothing for it.

Britain does not compete in the football at the moment and i see not reason for that to change. What does it matter where it is hosted.

Having a gb football team and destroying our national football teams which is far more important is daft. Browns desparation to apeal to an english electrate by selling out scotland seems to know no bounds.


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Highland Mighty©,

25/08/2008 16:40:53
Nats going off the deep end, leaving all reality behind as per usual.

Brown has said he will only pursue a Team GB if he has guarantees that the four home sides maintain their current status.

Is that too difficult to grasp?

(My frickin' God, these nats are dumb.)
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Highland Mighty©,

25/08/2008 16:42:09
90. I think you mean the British Lions....
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25/08/2008 17:59:27
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Raymond Thomas Brooke,

Leven England 25/08/2008 19:40:00
#11 piper
Nice one remind me once again of the successes of Scotland Wales and Ireland!!!
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Raymond Thomas Brooke,

Leven England 25/08/2008 19:41:32
#11 sorry that shoulsd have read Steve not piper
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Raymond Thomas Brooke,

Leven England 25/08/2008 19:49:15
#various posts
many of your country men are appalled at the booing of the National Anthem and if it is done to boost the standing of the Scottish Nationalists I am afraid it has the opposite affect.I welcome your independence but your disrespect will not help your cause nor gain support fron non SNP voters over the long term
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Raymond Thomas Brooke,

Leven England 25/08/2008 19:53:37
#70Thomas p
Are you racist
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ThomasP,

25/08/2008 22:07:58
#100

Nope. I have made clear that those who play for England are not all actually born in England and why would someone Scottish want to grow up to play for England?

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SHANGHAI SCOT,

Shanghai 26/08/2008 01:58:21
Just a load of balls
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donald,

glasgow 26/08/2008 09:00:21
The Tartan Army is more progressive then GB, He will have to rely on his Old Firm Onionists to back him noo

 

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