NO TEAM GB FOOTBALL SQUAD?

The FA Wants a GB Team at Rio, But Scotland, Wales, And Northern Ireland Don't Want To Play.

Reaching the Semi-final of the World Cup, England have automatically qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Great news! No. Whilst FIFA allow the home nations to have separate teams enter into football competitions, the IOC will only accept GB teams to compete in the Olympics. This can only happen with the consent of all member associations. The English FA wants to send a team to Rio, but the SFA, FAW, and IFA all refuse to allow a united squad to be formed. All three claim the 2012 squad was just a one-off as it was a home Olympics. The reasoning appears to be pure spite. The SFA claim that a GB team may damage their independent national football. The truth is, that claim is utter nonsense. On the men's side of the game, Brazil enter an Olympic team, it has proven to be hugely beneficial to the development of their world famous players. It allows the players vital tournament experience. Five-time world champions Brazil have won five Olympic medals in football. Four-time, and reigning world champions Germany has five Olympic medals between East, West, and unified Germany teams. It only proves that participation in the Olympics helps the development of players transitioning to senior international football.
On the women's side of the game, USA have won a medal (4 golds, 1 silver) at every Games since women were allowed to compete in '96. USA have reached at least the semi-final stage of every World Cup since the first in '91, winning the competition on two occasions. Two-time world champions and current world number ones Germany have three Olympic gold medals, and have won seven out of eight UEFA European Championship titles. 
The English FA clearly see the immense benefits of competing in tournaments. England are joint record Cyprus Cup winners (3x), Euro finalists in 2009, and made it into their first ever World Cup semi-final at this year's competition in Canada. 
Having a GB team competing in Olympics would give tournament experience to players who may never get the opportunity again. It will give players experience of competing in international competitions which can only benefit the players that take part as they mature and compete in future senior competitions. Having such experience will benefit Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish players and clubs, yet the Celtic nations aren't interested. Is joining forces with England such a repulsive proposition that they are willing to damage their own prospects of success and development? What is the real problem with the United Kingdom actually uniting for the benefit of all nations. The FA has often been criticised for the men's team not playing enough international games, and for the quality of opposition in friendly games. The England men's team often play teams such as Liechtenstein, San Marino, and Kazakhstan. Without disrespecting those nations, there aren't many a full-time professional players in those squads, and England rarely seem to completely overpower these teams, as one might expect. England's women however, played pre-World Cup friendly games against top teams, Germany, USA, and Canada. These such games test the players at the top level of the game, and allow the players and coaches to learn valuable lessons. 
I am British. I was born in England to and English father and a Welsh mother. I want to see England succeed. I want to see Wales succeed. I want see Britain succeed. I am a football fan, among other sports. I, like many in the UK, want to see GB football at Olympic Games. Kelly Simmons, FA Director of the National Game and Women's Football, described the decision not to send a GB football team to Rio as "devastating". This is a sentiment I completely agree with. I see no good reason for not having a GB squad at every Olympic Games from now on. There will be plenty of footballers gutted at not having the opportunity to represent our nation at Rio. Bringing together, what would likely be largely, an England team, plus the likes of Seattle Reign's Scotland international Kim Little and Welsh star Jess Fishlock, Ifeoma Dieke and Jane Ross of Swedish side Vittsjö GIK (Scotland), Manchester City's Welsh forward Natasha Harding and Northern Irish midfielder Lynda Shepherd, Sunderland's Rachel Furness, and Chelsea's Laura Rafferty of Northern Ireland, would give tournament opportunities to players of nations who have never qualified for a World Cup or European Championship.

The Scottish Football Association chief executive, Stewart Regan, said: “A significant proportion of Scotland fans have made their feelings very clear on the matter – they want to stay under the Scotland banner. We don’t believe football should be played under a Great Britain banner and the sovereignty issue has always been a threat.

“The decision that was made surrounding London 2012 was a one-off decision as London was hosting the Olympics. There was never any plan to have a permanent British team and we made that very clear, as did the Welsh and Northern Irish.”

Regan is clearly making a political reference over Scottish independence with his comments. This is a football issue, not a political or "sovereignty issue".

I want to make a personal plea to the Scottish Football Association, Football Association of Wales, and Irish Football Association, to please come together and work together for the benefit of home nations football, and for football fans across the United Kingdom. Set an example of cooperation and help put together the strongest possible British football team and go to Brazil to show girls and women all over our Isles what we can achieve when we work together for the greater good.  #GBFootball 



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