Tony wants a UK football team...

**InsaneApache** · 07-06-2006, 13:24

As if this guy hasn't made a hash of everything he's touched. Now he wants a UK football team.

A year after the success of the city’s 2012 Olympic bid, the Prime Minister said that it would be fitting to field a British team for the first time in 56 years. “You have to get all the federations to agree,” Mr Blair said. “I think it would be a good idea. When you are hosting the Olympics and you have lots of countries who send their teams, it would be a shame if we didn’t have one of our own.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...258137,00.html

I do wish these politicians would stick to what they know.(stocking up the greenhouse effect with all their hotwindbaggery) The reason we don't have a UK team is because Blatter would love to see our 4 votes honed down to one. Blair not just an idiot, he's a populist idiot.

**rory_20_uk** · 07-06-2006, 13:30

And there was I thinking he was in charge of breaking up the Union...

Wanted

Some leaders to LEAD the country, not manoeuver in front of the largest mob.

**Boohugh** · 07-06-2006, 14:45

I think you've taken him slightly out of context InsaneApache. He only says it would be nice to have a GB football team entered into the Olympics because thats the banner we compete under, which is perfectly reasonable. He doesn't say that the 4 football federations would be combined to make a single GB team for all competitions.

**solypsist** · 07-06-2006, 15:39

football or futbal?

**InsaneApache** · 07-06-2006, 17:05

Originally Posted by LordHugh

I think you've taken him slightly out of context InsaneApache. He only says it would be nice to have a GB football team entered into the Olympics because thats the banner we compete under, which is perfectly reasonable. He doesn't say that the 4 football federations would be combined to make a single GB team for all competitions.

I understand that, however it would set a precedent that would be hard to counter.

football or futbal?

Soccer.

**Duke Malcolm** · 07-06-2006, 18:36

Originally Posted by solypsist

football or futbal?

fi'ba, to use the patois of the People's Republic...

I thought we already had a football team...

Nonetheless, I think the regional boundaries should be done away with, and that the UK should field a single national team. Do Bavaria, Hanover, or Brandenburg have teams? Siberia, Prussia, Muscovy, et al?
Although, seeing a field of Englishmen representing them would anger many a Scot, Welshman and Irishman, and might damage the Union...

**Al Khalifah** · 07-06-2006, 20:32

The UK have been given permission to field a special one off GBR time for the London 2012 Olympics - manily because they're their Olympics. They were uncategorically told that it would not be acceptable to enter all 4 member nations or indeed just one of them as an independant team.

Nothing to get excited about really, since the team is only allowed to field 3 players over the age of 23 (unless we want to play amateur players). That would only include one current member of the England squad and given that particular members 'contribution' to the World Cup finals that's nothing to think about.

**Louis VI the Fat** · 07-06-2006, 20:43

Nah, keep it the way it is. It is a nice tradition that honours the inventors of modern football.

Besides, only one of the home nations has got a half-decent team anyway, and they've clearly stated that they don't want to have a combined team with England but would rather stay Northern-Irish.

**InsaneApache** · 07-06-2006, 21:33

LoL, you bugger....

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 07-06-2006, 21:48

Its not going to happen, I don't have anything against it but it won't happen. Can you imagine:

Englishman: Pass the Ball!

Scotsman: What, first my country, then this ball, SASONACK!

*Punch up.*

Why the age restriction anyway?

**JAG** · 07-06-2006, 22:07

Bloody hell, is there nothing you wouldn't use to have a go at Blair...

If he said the opposite you would be the first to find a complaint with it, guaranteed.

On this issue I think he is quite right, in our own country it would be a travesty if our national sport was not represented by us. Simple as that.

**rory_20_uk** · 07-06-2006, 22:15

Ah, the kneejerk defence of Blair.

What about the rights of the Scottish and the Welsh? Is their devolution to be crushed in this manner (and the English too, but we seem to be forgotten).

**InsaneApache** · 07-06-2006, 22:22

Originally Posted by JAG

Bloody hell, is there nothing you wouldn't use to have a go at Blair...

If he said the opposite you would be the first to find a complaint with it, guaranteed.

On this issue I think he is quite right, in our own country it would be a travesty if our national sport was not represented by us. Simple as that.

NO. The mans a menace.

As an aside, I like the fact that you attempt to defend the most illiberal and unsocialist government the UK has ever seen.

He makes Thatcher look munificent.

**Marcellus** · 07-07-2006, 00:19

I'm not sure what all the fuss about, we enter the olympics as GB for other sports, so I don't know why football should be different. He's not arguing that the teams should unite for anything other than the olympics. I don't see why it would set a precedent - the olympics are very separate from ordinary football tournaments, so something happening in one thing is unlikely to affect the other.