• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

UK teams

Status
Not open for further replies.

102 fan

Member
Joined
14 May 2007
Messages
769
I was reading the Scottish independance thread, and the thought occoured to me, why isn't there a UK football team? Or rugby? And why is it in athletics it's GB, not UK?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

starrymarkb

Established Member
Joined
4 Aug 2009
Messages
5,985
Location
Exeter
I was reading the Scottish independance thread, and the thought occoured to me, why isn't there a UK football team? Or rugby? And why is it in athletics it's GB, not UK?

Rugby has the British and Irish Lions. (OK it does include players from the Republic but IIRC the Irish Rugby Team covers both Northern and Republic)
 

Oswyntail

Established Member
Joined
23 May 2009
Messages
4,183
Location
Yorkshire
Because the Scottish FA, Welsh FA and Northern Ireland FA feel it will lead to the loss of their own national football powers.
Exactly They are happy to be tiddlers in a jam jar. They maintain the myth that they are "equal" with England so that they can swan about on the world stage. Typical "blazer" mentality. Meanwhile, they are denying their players the opportunity to play at the highest level.
 

102 fan

Member
Joined
14 May 2007
Messages
769
Exactly They are happy to be tiddlers in a jam jar. They maintain the myth that they are "equal" with England so that they can swan about on the world stage. Typical "blazer" mentality. Meanwhile, they are denying their players the opportunity to play at the highest level.

I was thinking that. It always looks to me like they wouldn't be able to fly the local flag if it was combined. Surely if the UK pooled all it's international level players it would be a good thing?

(I'm not really a football fan though!)
 

Michael.Y

Established Member
Joined
14 Oct 2011
Messages
1,431
The reason being is that there are four separate associations which have existed since the year dot (in football terms.)

The Football Association : 1863
The Scottish Football Association : 1873
The Football Association of Wales : 1876
The Irish Football Association : 1880 (initially responsible for all-Ireland, NI-only since 1921)

Football had, like cricket, been organised on a county basis during these formative years, and the national associations grew out of these.

Oswyntail -- Ryan Giggs may not have embarrassed himself repeatedly at World Cups and Euros like every English player since 1996 has, but he's won Champions Leagues, Premier Leagues, FA Cups, League Cups, the World Club Challenge.... that's hardly being denied playing "at the highest level."

None of the UK teams have any more right than any other to exist as none of them are internationally independent countries, yet no-one questions England's right to exist. Any UK team would be England in disguise, as the GB Rugby League team used to regularly demonstrate.
 

bb21

Emeritus Moderator
Joined
4 Feb 2010
Messages
24,151
None of the UK teams have any more right than any other to exist as none of them are internationally independent countries, yet no-one questions England's right to exist. Any UK team would be England in disguise, as the GB Rugby League team used to regularly demonstrate.

Unfortunately England has the largest population out of the four countries and unsurprisingly produces most talent. If there were to be a team GB in football, it is hardly unfair that the majority of the players will probably be from England.

I'm sorry but the argument about loss of identity doesn't wash. They don't really have the best interests of the UK, as a whole, in heart. (Of course some of them are naturally worried that if they give in, they might lose their seat in FIFA and therefore lose their own jobs.)
 

Greenback

Emeritus Moderator
Joined
9 Aug 2009
Messages
15,268
Location
Llanelli
I think that if anyone spoke to the majority of football supporters in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, they would find little support for a UK team.

Most of the pushing for such a team seems to come from English fans who, frustrated by their team's inability to win a tournament, think their chances will be better if they could pick players like Charlie Adam and Gareth Bale.
 

CarterUSM

Established Member
Joined
4 Jan 2010
Messages
2,495
Location
North Britain
Exactly They are happy to be tiddlers in a jam jar. They maintain the myth that they are "equal" with England so that they can swan about on the world stage. Typical "blazer" mentality. Meanwhile, they are denying their players the opportunity to play at the highest level.
That's right, I forgot how massive the F.A is. Have a look at head to head results Scotland V England and you'll see how much of a myth it is.........
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top