No Team GB 2012:What the Fans Have to Say

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With Great Britain hosting the 2012 summer olympics games, the English FA and Olympic organization has come out and stated that they would like to enter a Great Britain side, although Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland comepete as separate nations at international level in football. Most fans have given their views,  a resounding no. I was able to interview Paul Corkery, the secretary of the Football Supporters Federation of Wales (FSF Cymru) and gauge his opinion.

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Why do you think that a team representing the United Kingdom in the
2012 Olympic Games would be harmful to British football?

My personal feeling is that it could lead to the disbanding of the
four home Nations football teams. British football has four National
teams and players get vital International experience because of that
reason. For example players who represent Wales, N. Ireland and
Scotland would not necessarily get into a GB side; England would
probably provide most of the players therefore British football would
be harmed because fewer players would play at International level.

Do you feel Sepp Blatter will push for an end to the 4 nations having
independent status as they do now?

Once a precedent is set it would or could be used as a weapon to
implement the introduction of a GB combined side to replace the
current four Associations. Blatter has no reason to be sympathetic to
British teams and the loss of four International teams, in favour of
one combined team, would also reduce the power the home nations have
in deciding the laws that govern football, known officially as the
Laws of the Game, these are obviously not the sole responsibility of
FIFA, they are controlled by another organization called the
International Football Association Board (IFAB). FIFA has four
members on its board, the other four are provided by the football
associations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, and
Northern Ireland in recognition of their unique contribution to the
creation and history of the game. Changes to the Laws of the Game
must be agreed by at least six of the total eight delegates.

What is the general feeling among fans of your national side?

Fans are scared they will lose their National side, Welsh fans in
particular are very passionate about following their country and
would fight to preserve their right to support their own Independent
National side. We would also view any move to disband the four nations as an act of racism given that all four countries have their own identities and cultures. Wales is a small country of 3 million people, but it
has a rich history in the world of football, in fact Wales was the
best supported side in Europe only a few years ago.

How has your association handled this possibility? British Olympic
Association chief Simon Clegg has stated "We will field a team."

I am not sure about this question but I admire and support their
position to refuse to allow players from our country to represent GB.
Simon Clegg has no authority over contracted football players and
should not make sweeping statement over issues that he has no control
over.

If there was to be a team, would you feel that quotas would be
necessary? So as to prevent what No Team GB spokesman Tam Ferry
describes as "an England U23 team playing under the banner of Team GB
and without the blessing of the England fans."

If there was to be a team, it would not be representative of Great
Britain and therefore irrelevant. It is supposed to be an Olympic
team and in my opinion the very best players should therefore
represent GB, How would quotas provide the best players? England has
far more players to pick from and in my opinion would provide 90%-95%
of the players, so it would be virtually an England under 23 team. I
am certain that the Associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland will refuse to provide players anyway.

Do you think the recent statement from the "No Team GB" movement,
jointly issued by the supporters groups of all 4 nations, will have
an impact on the decision being made?

I would hope it would be looked at sympathetically but I doubt they
will listen to the fans. The decision is to do with finance and
nothing else. There has been no GB football team since 1964, so why
do we need one now? The obvious answer is to generate income…the 2012
Olympics needs a GB football team…does British football need the 2012
Olympics? The answer is no. Football has the European Championships
and World cup, plus other Continental tournaments and fantastic
domestic tournaments. The inclusion of a GB Olympic team will cause
problems for teams in the UK who have to lose players to a GB team at
the start of a new season.

Would you as a fan be angry if one of your nation's players "crossed
the line" and played for Team GB?

I would be very angry indeed; even more so if he played for my club,
Cardiff City. The player is contracted to his club and we accept that
he plays International football for his country…we are proud to have
players from our club playing for their countries. Losing a player to
represent an unwanted GB team at the start of a season would be
totally unacceptable.

If there was assurance given by Sepp Blatter and FIFA that this would
be a one-off deal, would it change your view at all?

Sepp Blatter word is not worth the paper it is written on, he has on many occasions gone back on his word so he can not be trusted; like I have already said, once a precedent has been set we are in trouble.
How can he guarantee any deal?

Describe Lord Moynihan in one word.

Myopic,

If there was to be a Team GB, would you support them anyway despite
being against the idea of it?

Absolutely not we would view this as treason; I love the Olympics and will be attending the London
event. There are very many Olympic sports that are great spectacles;
football is not one of those.

 

 

Paul Corkrey

Secretary

Football Supporters Federation Wales

FSF CYMRU