Olympics: Football

I think for Europeans to take it more serious the FIFA and UEFA needs to change their stance towards it. Allow real national teams, no restrictions. But that could have a negative effect on the World Cup, so don't see it happening. The UEFA would have to change it's European calender.  Europa League qualifications already started. A team like Bilbao will have to do without some of their best players like Javi Martinez and Iker Munian. But us too, if Carroll would be going to the OG, along with Suarez, Bellamy. We wouldn't even have a striker for the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League.

I think for Europeans to take it more serious the FIFA and UEFA needs to change their stance towards it. Allow real national teams, no restrictions. But that could have a negative effect on the World Cup, so don't see it happening. The UEFA would have to change it's European calender.  Europa League qualifications already started. A team like Bilbao will have to do without some of their best players like Javi Martinez and Iker Munian. But us too, if Carroll would be going to the OG, along with Suarez, Bellamy. We wouldn't even have a striker for the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League.

Or just make it a proper u-23 Tournament and scrap the silly over aged player rule.

Or just make it a proper u-23 Tournament and scrap the silly over aged player rule.

But then it'll remain to be not taken fully serious, compared to the other major unrestricted  tournaments. And that still leaves the issue of all the under 23 players that played at the Euros already. And some of those under 23 will be just as much missed as any older ones. And if they do go it messes with some club's upcoming games. Like I said, Bilbao for example, they rely on players like Munian and Martinez. More would have to change than just scrap that rule, I think.

I agree though that I'd rather see that than in it's current state.

Those English players I mentioned are all eligible as under 23 player, but won't be there because they were at the Euros, that's 7 players. So regardless of what supposed star dispensation players do, they're not going to be the best team available.

They wont play because they dont want it badly enough. Seeing your national flag at the Olympic podium should be something to remember your whole life. Im  sorry if anyone dont feel that way.

The FA cant prohibit who can play, because FIFA stated that ALL U23 HAD to be given permission by the clubs, so it was up to the players to want it badly enough and fight for their right. The thing is the players didnt care.

Spain is going with the best they have at U23, and pretty decent over age players, so you are basing your point on "team GB". The olympic competition seems to have worked great for spain since their exploits at the OG were the kick off to a very healthy youth policy that is reaping benefits today

Ryan Giggs to be captain of Team GB

No Real Madrid players in the Spain olympic squad. Just shows they don't produce good academy players, .

Barca's got Tello, Montoya, Alba and Thiago was called but I think he's unfit.

No Real Madrid players in the Spain olympic squad. Just shows they don't produce good academy players, .

I know that you don't really mean it, but that's not true.

No Real Madrid players in the Spain olympic squad. Just shows they don't produce good academy players, .

In fact they produce a lot of them, but only a few break in their team, most of them develop in other teams.

No Real Madrid players in the Spain olympic squad. Just shows they don't produce good academy players, .

Barca's got Tello, Montoya, Alba and Thiago was called but I think he's unfit.

Their problem is that they dont have time/patiente to develop their players, different to not producing them. They just get the checque books and buy the finished product.

Their problem is that they dont have time/patiente to develop their players, different to not producing them. They just get the checque books and buy the finished product.

This. They really don't give their academy players time to play in the first team, like Barca does.

True.

Casillas is their only player who actually broke through and remained in the first team. You can probably say Adan as well but Arbeloa and Callejon were from their youth academy, went elsewhere and then return.

For some reason, it feels like Ramos is a Madrid product but he isn't.

True.

Casillas is their only player who actually broke through and remained in the first team. You can probably say Adan as well but Arbeloa and Callejon were from their youth academy, went elsewhere and then return.

For some reason, it feels like Ramos is a Madrid product but he isn't.

The historic goalscorer from their youth system nevr got to be a starter...some blokes called Ronaldo, Zidane and Figo kept him down

Javier Portillo?

10 years ago, he was in the top 10 list of youngsters to watch out for or something. Nothing actually happened.

Javier Portillo?

10 years ago, he was in the top 10 list of youngsters to watch out for or something. Nothing actually happened.

Exactly!

Cisse and Ba out of the Senegal squad. Newcastle ultimately denied permission. That is strange...maybe a special request from the FA?

Kicked off today with the ladies,

GB, beat NZ 1-0, and as we seek Brazil are winning against Cameroon, 3-0 with 15 mins to go.

Going to Sticky this just to keep it easy to find.

And 4 to Brazil.

5 for Brazil, and it pains me to say it, the 5th was a good goal.

N Koreans walk off after flag row

The North Korean women's football team have walked off the pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow in a row over flags.

The action was in protest at the South Korean flag being mistakenly displayed beside players' names on a screen prior to their Olympic football match.

Kick-off was scheduled for 19:45 BST. The game eventually started over an hour late.

North Korea are playing Colombia in the second of the opening matches being held at the ground.

Olympics organisers in London have apologised to North Korean officials for the mistake.

Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since the armistice which brought an end to fighting in the Korean War in 1953.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18991619

Easy mistake...

N Koreans walk off after flag row

The North Korean women's football team have walked off the pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow in a row over flags.

The action was in protest at the South Korean flag being mistakenly displayed beside players' names on a screen prior to their Olympic football match.

Kick-off was scheduled for 19:45 BST. The game eventually started over an hour late.

North Korea are playing Colombia in the second of the opening matches being held at the ground.

Olympics organisers in London have apologised to North Korean officials for the mistake.

Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since the armistice which brought an end to fighting in the Korean War in 1953.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18991619

Easy mistake...

We haven't even had the opening ceremony yet and we've dropped a clanger. I hope that isn't a sign of things to come.

London 2012: Welsh star Joe Allen listed as English in match programme

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 July 2012 14.26 BST

London 2012 have apologised for another nationality gaffe after the official Team GB programme listed the Welsh midfielder Joe Allen as English.

Allen, 22, is one of five Welshman who agreed to be involved in the Team GB football squad despite the opposition of the Football Association of Wales, who feared the combined British team could threaten the country's independence.

The Swansea midfielder, a target for Liverpool, is expected to feature in Team GB's opening match against Senegal at Old Trafford.

The other Welshmen – Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Neil Taylor and Aaron Ramsey – are correctly identified in the programme, but under Allen's name the details read: "Nationality: English".

A London 2012 spokesman Andy Mitchell told the BBC: "A genuine mistake was made for which we apologise."

The error comes a day after the South Korean flag was mistakenly used on a graphic alongside the names of the North Korean women's football team, prompting the team to walk off the pitch at Hampden Park.

Reacting to that incident, Paul Deighton, the chief executive of the London organising committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It was a mistake. It is as simple as that. We have apologised and taken steps to make sure that it cannot happen again. It was simple human error."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/26/london-2012-welsh-joe-allen-programme?CMP=twt_gu

Another cock up. 

Japan beating Spain 1-0. Spain playing with 10, and hardly posed any danger to the asians.

Great win for Japan.
Just want to wish Suarez and Coates all the luck in the world.
Come on Uruguay !
Might have to turn the sound off if they keep saying Luis has an edge to his game and it's not pleasant !
Mancs booing him !

Suarez getting booed every touch. cu*ts.