"Great Britain" football team will play at the Olympics

[METALMAN]

Sky News has learned that the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Football Associations have privately agreed to turn a blind eye to a one-off British team for the Olympic Games.

In return for their co-operation it is thought that the English FA will not ask players outside England to join the team.

The agreement should put an end to an argument which has raged since 2005, when London won the right to stage the Olympics.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been against the idea for fear it would set a dangerous precedent and jeopardise their independence in future competitions.

The four FAs had until this Sunday to deliver a unanimous decision to FIFA.

The move means there will now be a men's and women's Under-23 team at London 2012.

Under the rules of the Olympics only three players aged 24 and over can compete on the team.

That would mean there would be the possibility of seeing David Beckham and Michael Owen line up alongside Wayne Rooney, who will still be within the age category.

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott will also be available for selection.

Although an announcement has not yet been made officially, that is expected at the FIFA congress which is being held on the June 2 and 3.

The timing of the decision means that the English FA can concentrate on convincing the congress that they would make good hosts for the 2018 World Cup.

Souce: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Deal-Reac...ky_News_Reveals

Well that's guff.

[The Kraig]

And no one cared.

[METALMAN]

Yeah well you know what Sepp Blatter's like.

[Matt]

I still think that the other associations are just being childish but it's not as though more than a couple of their players would've got in anyway.

[AJ]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

[The Kraig]

I still think that the other associations are just being childish but it's not as though more than a couple of their players would've got in anyway.

I doubt that. Most of the team that will be picked won't even be that well known at the moment due to the age limit. Only three players older than that would be allowed. I'd be picking Gerrard, Rooney and Terry if it was me. But the players would have changed by the time 2012 comes so it's pointless trying to pick now.

Scotland have a good youth team, and Wales' national is mostly youngsters. Northern Ireland aren't bad at that level either. If there was a GB team going, I honestly don't think it would nearly all English players. Maybe more than a quarter, but not the majority.

[Crybaby Bunting]

The annoying thing is that many of the current 'youth' stars are likely to be just overage by the time the Olympics come.

That include Jack Collisson, Gareth Bale, Micah Richards and Ashley Young >_<

How the hell are we going to build up the new 'next' generation if we're already failing the current 'next' generation

Edited May 30, 2009 by The General

[Adam]

Yes Richards has gone off the boil but Young & Collison have been really good this year, I don't see what's up with them.

And Bale won't be in the squad even if he turns into the new Roberto Carlos. He's Welsh.

[Baddar]

Yes Richards has gone off the boil but Young & Collison have been really good this year, I don't see what's up with them.

And Bale won't be in the squad even if he turns into the new Roberto Carlos. He's Welsh.

Which in a way is a shame because he saves his good football for the internationals.

Not that he gets much football at Spurs nowadays. I don't think a PL team will rush to buy him with his record though. >_>

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

[Grounded Wingman]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

I'm 31 in August but can still hold out hope that Craig Brown returns to the Scotland job and I make the squad for Brazil 2014.

[AJ]

I'd play you. You at least seem to have more belief and enthusiasm than Michael Owen.

[Matt]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

I dunno, Gary Neville got a call up.

[METALMAN]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

You don't happen to have any Scottish grandparents by any chance? We took Don Hutchison on that basis.

[The Kraig]

He was proud to wear the blue dammut! ...right after he realised there was no way he was playing for England.

[Gazz]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

I'm 31 in August but can still hold out hope that Craig Brown returns to the Scotland job and I make the squad for Brazil 2014.

Well, if you stick around long enough, you could qualify for Japan.

[9 to 5]

I'd take any Scottish/Irish/Welsh international over fucking Michael Owen.

Rooney will be 26 by the Olympics, and so will I... which is rather depressing.

I'll be 31 and I will have to start accepting the fact that it's unlikely that I will ever play for England.

You don't happen to have any Scottish grandparents by any chance? We took Don Hutchison on that basis.

At least Hutchison scored a goal for your lot that will go down in legend.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Hmmm Scotland. My wife's nan is half Scottish if that counts?

Or some corner of my family is Welsh and they're even less fussy.

[METALMAN]

Hmmm Scotland. My wife's nan is half Scottish if that counts?

That will be fine. I'll just call George. If was prepared to call up Nacho Novo he'll definitely take you.

[hackerjack]

I think that the three other nations are being extrememly stupid in not going along with the team and I say that as a proud Welsh man. The truth is that the FAW is run by a bunch of amateur twits who have been around forever and are just looking to safeguard their own positions and make themselves seem important when in reality all they do is run a tinpot amateur league.

I would rather the BOC simply appoint Ferguson (it's bound to be him) to manage the team and let him invite whoever he wants into the squad regardless of which FA they are supposedly under. I mean what are the FAW/FAI/SFA going to do, start banning players from international selection if they accept or something? Utter nonsense isn't it.

As for the squad it's impossible to say who would be in the squad because it will mostly be those 18 and younger right now plus up to three others.