Sutcliffe: GB Team Will Play In 2012

Despite an outcry from Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations, UK sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has insisted that there will be a GB team playing at the London 2012 Olympics.

With the other home nations football associations in staunch opposition to a GB Olympic football team, Sutcliffe has claimed that a squad representing Great Britain will participate in London 2012, even if it is made up entirely of English players.

Though expressing that players from a wide range of areas would be ideal, Sutcliffe conceded to the possibility that only English FA players will agree to play on the GB team.

The unrest among the other British FAs was triggered by concern that a GB team would stunt the development of the nations’ individual teams. The loudest among the opposition has been the SFA, which voiced that an Olympic soccer competition could jeopardise the future of the Scotland national side.

However, FIFA has reportedly given written assurances that a UK team in 2012 would not affect the national teams.

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown, though, is not convinced, and is pushing for the alternative option of four separate teams competing in the Olympics under their own national flags.

He has also reiterated the point that the Wales, Northern Irish and Scottish FAs are united in their opposition to a Team GB.