29 October 2011
Welsh FA not best pleased as Gareth Bale sports Olympic Team GB shirt
Gareth Bale has risked the wrath of the Football Association of Wales and the country's football supporters by controversially posing in a British Olympic team supporters' shirt.
The FAs of Wales, N. Ireland and Scotland have been vehement in their opposition to a British football team in next year's London Olympics. Bale, who has 32 caps for Wales, has previously hinted that he would like to be part of a united British team and has given another clear indication by posing in the limited edition shirt which will be sold to fans.
A spokesman for the British Olympic Association said: "We have maintained all along that Team GB will allow for the consideration, and possible inclusion, of players from any of the home nations, so it only makes sense that Gareth would appear in the photo." Bale is, however, the first and thus far only player to appear in the shirt. His status as Wales's most high-profile international makes that even more notable.
Jonathan Ford, the chief executive of the FAW, said: "Our position remains unchanged. We are not for Team GB. Gareth can make his own choices and make his own decisions. But we are not going to stop anyone playing." Bale's own spokesman added: "While he is 100% Welsh, he is also British."
The shirt modelled by Bale is blue with a white and red trim. As part of the design, a union flag is painted into the body. The design of the actual strip to be worn by the team, which will be managed by Stuart Pearce, is yet to be revealed.
The associations in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland fear the potential loss of their independent football status if they agree with players competing for a Great Britain team. These countries are also thought to be keen to protect the positions they hold on the International Football Association Board.
Bale's club manager, Harry Redknapp, has said he would have no problem with the 22-year-old turning out for a British team. "If that's what he wants, then I wouldn't stop him playing," Redknapp said. "I think it's a great honour for anyone to play in an Olympic Games. It must be fantastic, something to look back on for years to come.
"To play in the Olympic Games in England, I think it would be a great honour for any player. I certainly wouldn't stop anyone going."
The Guardian
27 October 2011
26 October 2011
25 October 2011
24 October 2011
Manchester United 1 - 6 Manchester City
Click on image to enlarge
Aguero has difficulty translating 'six' into English
Barry defies the law of gravity to go flying through the air despite being tackled on the ground
The Glazers think Manchester United have won
Whereas de Gea catches on pretty quickly
21 October 2011
20 October 2011
Chelsea and Man City join race for Hazard
Chelsea and Manchester City will join Arsenal and Liverpool next summer in a £40million battle for Lille winger Eden Hazard. The 20-year-old has become one of the hottest properties in Europe thanks to his dazzling performances in Ligue 1.
Manchester City football development executive, Patrick Vieira, watched Belgian international in action against Inter in the Champions League last night. The former Arsenal, Inter and City midfielder was in the crowd at the Stade Metropole as the French champions lost 1-0 to Inter in Group B.
But Lille academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme, the man who took Hazard to France, suggests his suitors also include Chelsea but they will all have to wait until the summer. “Eden is certainly willing to stay at Lille at least until next summer,” he said.
“Here is his home, this is his garden [garden of Eden, geddit?]. Chelsea has been following him the closest. The Spaniards have not manifested themselves yet, but I think they are playing it smart and will call when they know they have to – I’m talking about Real, but also about Barcelona. The buyer will have to come up with a lot of money – let us say he is not currently to go for less than £40million.”
19 October 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)