Olympics Football - do you give a shit?

[Tooting Gull]

Looks like an early start tomorrow for this Olympics 'second chance' sale, and 1.7million of the 2.3m left are for the football. Since I won't be applying for that, it doesn't leave much.

Does anyone care about the football at all? I don't mean all the rows about the GB/home nations, just whether it is of any interest whatsoever.

I would genuinely rather watch ANY other match live (Albion, Premier League, Champions League, Euros, World Cups, FA Cup, Carling Cup, Under-21s, matches in European leagues, or my local Ryman Premier League team) than Olympics football.

There must be some who fancy it though, as can be seen on the Olympics ticket thread. Football (and tennis) should be booted out, if it isn't the biggest thing you can win in your sport, you don't deserve to be there.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

if it isn't the biggest thing you can win in your sport, you don't deserve to be there.

That's the general rule I have always felt should be applied, but I suspect this is the case for less and less sports.

 

[Colossal Squid]

Very little interest ALTHOUGH if I was given tickets to see a game involving a nation who took it seriously (are there any?) I'd probably show up.

Does anyone even know who the reigning olympic champions are?

 

[Falkor]

i would say argentina took it seriously last time if ya look at the squad they took

Goalkeeper: Oscar Ustari (Getafe-Spain) and Sergio Romero (Az Alkmaar- Holland)

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol-Spain), Ezequiel Garay (Racing de Santander-Sapin), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo la Coruna-Spain) Federico Fazio (Sevilla-Spain) and Fabian Monzon (Doca Juniros-Argentina)

Midfilder: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid-Spian, Ever Banega (Valencia-Spain), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool-England), Juan Ramon Riquelme (Boca Juniors-Argentina) and Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich-Germany)

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid-Spain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona-Spain) and Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli-Italy).


i think its a good move been around 118 years has olympic football why should it stop now, only as the scots and welsh are moaning people are questioning it, i am going to try and get a ticket and 5.30 wake up for me tomorrow grrrrrrrrr

 

[Was not Was]

if it isn't the biggest thing you can win in your sport, you don't deserve to be there.

My view, too. And, I think, the view of the vast majority. But the Olympics, like the World Cup, is run by a self-appointed elite, with financial objectives never far from the surface. Let's not kid ourselves that it's the "people's games", or any such nonsense.

And I also agree about being least interested in watching those sports where it's not the biggest event in the sport. The thing I'm wondering is: how big is the Olympics in women's football? I'm guessing at "not the biggest thing, but not far short of the Women's World Cup". On this basis, we'll probably buy some tix tomorrow morning for the women's semi at Wemberley. But am I right or not?

 

[Rookie]

Got tickets to it (some preliminary game) which means I cannot enter the second ballot until 8 July which I'm not impressed with. Don't really class it as part of the Olympics proper.

 

[Superphil]

I don't really, but on 1 August 2012, 17:00, Ricoh Arena, I shall make an effort, probably something like Singapore v Finland, but hey ho, never been to an Olympics event before.

 

[Tooting Gull]

My view, too. And, I think, the view of the vast majority. But the Olympics, like the World Cup, is run by a self-appointed elite, with financial objectives never far from the surface. Let's not kid ourselves that it's the "people's games", or any such nonsense.

And I also agree about being least interested in watching those sports where it's not the biggest event in the sport. The thing I'm wondering is: how big is the Olympics in women's football? I'm guessing at "not the biggest thing, but not far short of the Women's World Cup". On this basis, we'll probably buy some tix tomorrow morning for the women's semi at Wemberley. But am I right or not?

Fair point about the relative importance for the women's event, the same probably applies to the women's basketball (something I might try for tomorrow). If it isn't the biggest, it's not far off.

 

[desprateseagull]

cant believe (understand) why the scottish/welsh/irish teams didnt want to join in wityh engerland.. surely no chance of winning, on their own..?

 

[Legoman]

No dont give a shit about it, waste of time just like tennis.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I have always wondered if there is considerable resentment among the athletes from 'proper' Olympic sports, be it fencing, athletics, whatever towards the footballers in the village.

Next year you have the prospect of multi-millionaire Wayne Rooney swanning around, he's really not that fussed, doesn't want to try too hard and get injured with the Premier League about to start, may have just appeared in his own Euros, could take it or leave it though it's 'quite nice to be there'. Then you have these other thousands of GB athletes, who no one would recognise prior to the Games, earn a pittance, and who have been dreaming about only this for their whole lives.

 

[scooter1]

We've got tickets to a game at Wembley. I don't suppose it'll be anybody exiting but it is a chance to take the whole family to Wembley for 40 quid

 

[Man of Harveys]

Isn't the only reason that Olympic football has always had a very low profile in the UK (hence people not giving a shit about it) that, because of the strange voting set-up of the home nations within FIFA, that Great Britain has never entered a team in it? So of course it gets no coverage during the games. I get the impression that in other footballing countries the whole thing has a bit more of a attention paid to it even if it of course it's miles behind the world cup.

 

[DTES]

Quite a few teams do care - Argentina have been in 3 of the last 4 finals, and Brazil picked up a medal 4 years ago. Obviously it's not as big as the World Cup, but the chance of watching teams of that calibre in a game that's certainly more than a friendly will always be welcome.

Mind you, I will watch any football...

 

[Pavilionaire]

Not only am I NOT interested in the GB team (even with Beckham in it) but I think it's totally wrong professional footballers are in it to start with.

Just imagine if, 4 years ago, Team GB had been playing on the same day of the Cycling Finals. All the fine achievements of Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins et al would have been overshadowed by the build-up to GB vs Colombia starring Ryan Giggs and David Beckham.

Minoirty sports need their day in the sun to get the exposure to attract sponsors, new participants and fans etc. This whole GB thing is wrong in every way.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Got to say I agree, never watched any Olympic football previously and I probably won't get into it in 2012. Might take a passing interest in the so called GB team, but given the performances of the English players at senior and U21 level recently, plus the regular dismal showings of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I'm not convinced it'll get me that excited.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I am a fan of the Olympics and hope Team GB (athletics, gymnastics, swimming, rowing, sailing, cycling, boxing etc etc) does really well and gives the country a big morale boost.

However when it comes to a GB footie team it only feels like a good idea in theory. I really hope the respective home FAs bury their differences and get behind the Olympics. However I fear the reality could be a complete cock up. The GB team will become at best a political fudge with quotas of players from each home country being selected in order to appease each FA and avoid any claims of Ingerland bias. Look at what a shambles our full international sides are, let alone a cobbled together squad of youngsters plus the odd name (Beckham?) having a final fling. Can't see the injury prone Bale and Ramsey getting released - plus the Wenger / Wilshere player burn out debates will crop up. The token overpaid 'superstars' that are allowed to take part won't really care 'cos their wallets are already more than big enough to buy a blingyier medal. And thats before you get into the debate about professional sports (tennis, footie, golf) being in the Olympics, which isn't right. Can see potential for all sorts of embarrassments for the FAs involved and the media having a field day. I would let N. Ireland and Wales manage it and let the English FA take a back seat, then we can't be accused of riding rough shod over the Welsh, N. Irish and Scots and it being our show.

The only good thing will be to flush out the whole debate about having seperate home FAs, Celtic & Rangers playing in the English Premiership (or Swansea for that matter) or a Euro league. The Jocks will whinge all over the place. I can't see them cheering on any English players if the GB team plays at Hampden, let alone potential for a bit of sectarian crowd trouble just to show the world how united this kingdom isn't. I can't name a world class Jock footie player these days, whereas 30-40 years ago they had a decent squad. They are on the slide to becoming a footballing third world country. England should take note because we are at risk of the same, in spite of the billions sloshing around in the Premiership and agents pockets our international team is a joke. Yet another opportunity for Platini at UEFA and Blatter's crooks at FIFA to patronise us in their sleazy and corrupt way.

Maybe I would feel better if there was a concerted opportunity to seize this unique opportunity (a bit like the '66 World Cup first got me hooked on footie) and get kids involved so we invest in the future of our beautiful game. Perhaps just let the best of home nations' U-17's and 21's get on with it. Until that happens I will feel jaded about international footie and while I will strongly support the traditional events at the London Olympics, I would rather watch The Seagulls on pre-season tour than a GB footie team.

 

[Falkor]

Isn't the only reason that Olympic football has always had a very low profile in the UK (hence people not giving a shit about it) that, because of the strange voting set-up of the home nations within FIFA, that Great Britain has never entered a team in it? So of course it gets no coverage during the games. I get the impression that in other footballing countries the whole thing has a bit more of a attention paid to it even if it of course it's miles behind the world cup.

we have entered a team in it 10times

 

[Lady Whistledown]

This whole fear about FIFA not letting us play as separate nations in their tournaments if we entertained the notion of an Olympic GB team is bullshit anyway.

Are the Faroe Islands a sovereign nation?

 

[Gully]

If people are so bothered about highly paid professional footballers being involved then why not make the team up from "C" internationals, those who play for non-league clubs, many of whom are part-timers. I am pretty sure that you would get a team who would play with pride, give it everything and do the nation proud.