Team GB

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Anybody watching this tripe?

EDIT: Apparently now the official 606v2 Team GB football thread!

Game on.

Here Here pal!

When are the England olympic football team playing next anyway?

By the way my mate is English and he calls them England as well so its not just a Welsh thing

Well it's totally inaccurate to call them England at all.

playing uraguay in cardiff in front of a sell out 69,000 crowd. i know they have allot of english players, but tbf like i said before, pearce is u-21's manager, he's going to pick the best people he's worked with. Plus, let's not kid ourselves the best youngsters are english.

we have a good representation of bellamy, giggs (C), allen, taylor, ramsey and if bale hadn't got injured at the start he would be there also. i think we need to ge behind them, they have the gb kit on, the gb flag on their shirt.

martyr wrote:they have the gb kit on, the gb flag on their shirt.

Well Wales has no representation on the Union (GB) flag despite being part of the United Kingdom so the flag doesnt really mean much to us Taffies

Crimey wrote:Well it's totally inaccurate to call them England at all.

Why team was suggested by the English FA, Put together by the English FA against the other British nations objections, run by the English FA who chose the English Women's manager and the English U21's manager to run the team, who overrode the other British nations objections again and selected a team mostly full of English players, with only Welsh players that the English have wanted to play for England (Giggs and Bale) and 3 others put in as the English options were pretty poor.

Sounds like an English side to me

It's not though....it's Team GB.

The other FA could have taken part if they wanted to, but refused. The players picked are the best players from Team GB. I think people who call Team GB England are just being deliberately difficult.

No other part of Team GB is being so scrutinised for their selections. As I have pointed out the Team GB Volleyball team has no Welsh players in, no Northern Irish, just two Scottish and then one Canadian, the rest are English I think, yet you wouldn't say that the Team GB Volleyball side is actually just England.

The choice of manager is sensible, as they have experience with at least a section of the players.

No Team GB is a team which represents ALL of Great Britain and is supported by ALL of the countries in Britain.

The only FA who are supporting Team GB is the English one, it's not about who represents (though in this case I think it had a point, which is why I mentioned it), I'll support Bradley Wiggans and Chris Hoy hugely even though their not Welsh, I've been supporting the basketball teams and the rowing (haven't seen the British volleyball yet), but those British teams are brought together by the participation and support of all of the associations of each country and the representation of each county.

In footballs case the English FA mooted the idea of an Olympic football team, the SFA, WFA and Northern Irish FA all said no way it's not happening, the English FA then just overrode them and said it's happening anyway, the other FA's kicked off and said basically "who the hell are you..." so a meeting was set, even before the meeting and straight afterward the English FA said "We've agreed everything and team GB is going ahead", while nothing was agreed the meeting ended in deadlock but the English FA still went ahead to set up their team (not suprisingly angering the other FAs), choosing their coach, and saying they would choose Celtic players against their FAs wishes, while allowing the English players who'd played at Euro2012 rest periods.

I'm sorry but this is not representative of Britain, it's not run by Britain, it is merely an EFA team but they have the cheek to play in British colours, as such I have no part with them.

If a Scottish, Irish or English football side played in Cardiff then I may go and watch them, I'd support them as a neutral (depending on who they were playing), but for England to play in my own colours and tell me to support them - I'm sorry but that's asking too much.

You're just being deliberately difficult.

Whether or not the other nation's FA's agreed is irrelevant, they are representing Team GB in every way possible. It's not an official FIFA tournament so doesn't need all the FA to agree.

If you don't want to support them, that is fine, but suggesting it is just England is factually incorrect.

Look as a welsh man i'm was behind the idea of a team gb. it was never going to harm our identity as wales/scotland/ni/england etc...

we have players from wales representing britain with them playing all over britain in the best stadia available. its great everyone has got behind it and i would love to see it continue in rio in 2016.

But it is going to hurt the English, Welsh, Scottish and NI teams as FIFA on numerous occassions has asked why we(Britain) get such a high number of representation on the FIFA board, and why we get awarded 4 spots in each FIFA tournament (that's how they see it).

So it could be the thin edge of the wedge...

And Crimey thanks for saying that my feelings for feeling totally under represented by this team which has totally ignored/walked over/belittled the WFA who do represent me, aren't just of no matter but that I'm also being difficult for bringing them up.

And the FA's participation isn't irrelevant (unless you look at it from the EFAs point of view) as in all other Olympic sports the sport's governing bodies for each country work with their athletes/players and then come together under the umbrella of Team GB to decide how best to create a team and as such it works as a pyramid system (where you compete at regional level, then national level under you're countries governing body and then aim to get chosen for GB).

Another thing I do not like about the EFA is that they haven't just not done any of the above, they've dismissed the other FAs and just walked all over them to do what they like.

The English FA were happy enough to walk over the FAW yet they find Welsh football so inferior......that they select a load of Welsh players to take up positions the mighty world beaters England were not good enough to fill? Hypocrisy at the highest level I think

Or maybe they felt they should just pick the best players from the pool of players available? Which included Welsh players.

They ignored the FAW because they didn't agree with their fears, that shouldn't, and I don't think it did, change their selection process.

i think you're overacting to the whole thing. wales still have qualifiers coming up in september, i'll be there for them, as will hopefully 20,000 at the cardiff city stadium to support the boys.

fifa know its completely unrealistic to ask for a gb side and there will be too much opposition to a permanent gb team.

the welsh boys wanted to play, its a great experience. i bet that when the qualifiers come around the gb football team won't even be remembered that well. its not really important, i'm sure most of these players are looking forward to the prem season more than a gold/bronze/silver medal.

I think there should have been a Scottish and NI player in the team. But I'm getting behind them, and the women as well!

martyr wrote:i bet that when the qualifiers come around the gb football team won't even be remembered that well. its not really important, i'm sure most of these players are looking forward to the prem season more than a gold/bronze/silver medal.

I agree with you on this bit

Giggsy not playing tonight then, Bellamy to lead the side out in Cardiff.

Risky if Pearce is resting him for the quarters, we're far from through yet.

I imagine Senegal will beat UAE, which means we have to get at least a draw against Uruguay.

Side tonight:

Butland

Taylor Caulker Richards Bertrand

Allen Ramsey Cleverly


Bellamy Strurridge Sinclair


Like the look of that side, midfield looks very good and I'm glad Sinclair has got a game finally.

C'mon Team GB!!!

Yeah, Sinclair should have started from the beginning.

Sturridge has gotten another goal. 1-0.

I think that Mark Lawrenson summed him pretty well, Sturridge will fail to do so many simple things and then do something that makes you go "wow".

Uruguay have fallen apart, Cavani and Suarez have failed to deliver. I think Suarez is really being affected by the boos from everybody, doesn't bode well for the Premier League year.

Team GB look so much poorer with Richards at centre back, need to put him at right back, Taylor (who has been very good) at left back and stick Tomkins next to Caulker.

I agree crimey, bertrand hasn't done much and Richards is all over the shop at CB.

Thought they kept the ball very well tonight with the midfield trio of Allen, Cleverly and Ramsey, with Allen sitting and Ramsey and Cleverly free-roaming. Both looked good tonight, Ramsey seems to be heading back to the form he showed pre-injury.

Should beat Korea now Saturday and then who knows, I'd put a tenner on us winning gold, despite Brazil's current form.

I'm surprised at how well the side has kept the ball so far, however I'd like to see them do more with it. Bellamy seems to be the only guy really threatening going forward.

I think Sturridge as the main striker weakens the side going forward because he's not great at using the ball well, usually tries to do a trick and a shot on goal no matter the position of his teammates or his position in relation to goal. However, I don't think Sordell is ready either. Just have to stick with Sturridge for now and hope Pearce's strict approach to him can make him less selfish.

Crimey wrote:I'm surprised at how well the side has kept the ball so far, however I'd like to see them do more with it. Bellamy seems to be the only guy really threatening going forward.

I think Sturridge as the main striker weakens the side going forward because he's not great at using the ball well, usually tries to do a trick and a shot on goal no matter the position of his teammates or his position in relation to goal. However, I don't think Sordell is ready either. Just have to stick with Sturridge for now and hope Pearce's strict approach to him can make him less selfish.

I think the central midfield 3 have played very well, and show the value of having players with good feet and accurate passing in this area (hopefully Hodgson will see this and realise that Cleverly, Wilshire and Rodwell is going to be a better central midfield than Barry, Parker and Gerrard). Bellamy has been very good so far this tournament, but I wasn't impressed with Sinclair. The problem with Sturridge is he's not a good player at holding possession and linking play (Sordell is much better at this), but he does get goals -the problem of only playing one centre forward again rearing its head...

There were some issues with the balance of the team yesterday - Taylor at RB and Sinclair wide left didn't work, as both have to cut inside all the time. Hopefully we can be back to having Richards at right back for the QF, and presumably Giggs will be back to play a floating role.

Overall though, I've been encouraged by the quality of some of these younger players. Could be the foundations of good sides for both England and Wales.

I'm not sure that a midfield three of Cleverly, Wilshere and Rodwell is anywhere near ready yet.

Cleverly is probably closest, but he needs to get a full season as first choice with United under his belt before we can jump the gun with him.

Wilshere has had a serious injury which has kept him out for more than a year now, he won't be back until October and it will take a while for him to get back to his best if he ever will.

I'm not sure why people rate Rodwell so highly, he has a lot of potential, but so far I haven't seen anything from him that suggests he's anything higher than average at the moment. He might come big in the future, but for now I think he is all hype and he has rightly not broken into the international stage yet.

I think Team GB, both women and men both underperformed slightly, after some good performances in the group stages neither made it to the semis or competing for medals which is disappointing.

I don't think we will, or should, see another Team GB football team again. Possibly in the women's, definitely not in the men's. It's more trouble than it's worth and it got hardly any attention really.

They messed up not picking Beckham, Team GB competing in football was a publicity thing so they may as well given Beckham is final time in the spotlight.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:No Team GB is a team which represents ALL of Great Britain and is supported by ALL of the countries in Britain.

The only FA who are supporting Team GB is the English one, it's not about who represents (though in this case I think it had a point, which is why I mentioned it), I'll support Bradley Wiggans and Chris Hoy hugely even though their not Welsh, I've been supporting the basketball teams and the rowing (haven't seen the British volleyball yet), but those British teams are brought together by the participation and support of all of the associations of each country and the representation of each county.

In footballs case the English FA mooted the idea of an Olympic football team, the SFA, WFA and Northern Irish FA all said no way it's not happening, the English FA then just overrode them and said it's happening anyway, the other FA's kicked off and said basically "who the hell are you..." so a meeting was set, even before the meeting and straight afterward the English FA said "We've agreed everything and team GB is going ahead", while nothing was agreed the meeting ended in deadlock but the English FA still went ahead to set up their team (not suprisingly angering the other FAs), choosing their coach, and saying they would choose Celtic players against their FAs wishes, while allowing the English players who'd played at Euro2012 rest periods.

I'm sorry but this is not representative of Britain, it's not run by Britain, it is merely an EFA team but they have the cheek to play in British colours, as such I have no part with them.

If a Scottish, Irish or English football side played in Cardiff then I may go and watch them, I'd support them as a neutral (depending on who they were playing), but for England to play in my own colours and tell me to support them - I'm sorry but that's asking too much.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FA's all had the opportunity to be a part of the Great Britain team for the London Olympics.
If they chose to cut off their noses to spite their faces, then that's up to them. There is no reason why Britain should not be represented at the Olympic Games in football, a game that was invented in this country, because the others wish to boycott it.

As it turned out in the end, the team was Captained by a Welshman and was supported by another Welshman, Craig Bellamy who may very well have taken the rather pragmatic view that being a part of a Great Britain team at the Olympics was his only realistic chance of ever taking part in a major international tournament.

Ouch.

The IOC do not recognise an England team, however, they are quite happy to allow a Great Britain team that is comprised entirely of Englishmen. It makes no odds to them if the other constituent parts of Great Britain pout, fold their arms and refuse to come out to play. It's not their ball and they can't take it home.

Speaking for myself, I rather enjoyed the Olympic football. USA beat Japan in the Women's Final tonight. An excellent game of footy in front of a full house at Wembley.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales weren't missed one little bit.


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