Team GB given Go-ahead by Fifa

Much to the disgust of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Fifa have given their agreement for a British football Team to represent the four nations in the 2012 Olympic Games due to be held in London. It is felt by those opposing the union that a British team would jeopardise any future participation of the individual countries concerned. Mr Sepp Blatter although previously opposed to there being a Team GB has now decided that such a union would not be detrimental stating that "The executive committee confirmed that the participation in the 2012 London Olympic Games of a single team representing Great Britain would not affect the existing individual status of the four British football associations.”

Although there are serious concerns from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland in particular is seriously opposed. There has even been a ‘No To Team GB’ campaign started by Craig Brown who is a former Scotland Manager and some negative comments from Pete Wishart MP for the Scottish National Party. There is one particularly famous Scot who is not opposed to Team GB in the 2012 London Olympic Games - the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The PM would like to see Team GB with Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm and has encouraged talks between the home nations to try to thrash out a workable plan of action, he remarked on Friday "I think there is a way round this problem and that can be found if people can get round the table and discuss it,". Current England coach Fabio Capello quite fancies himself in the role and has mentioned that he would be interested in managing Team GB. There has not been a united British football team since 1960, and it is felt by some that a British football team is long overdue. Fifa VP Jack Warner -head of the Trinidad and Tobago FA, feels that Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland are given a special privilege at present even though they are not independent countries.