Press Statement
www.NoTeamGB.com
www.twitter.com/NoTeamGB
02/12/2011
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
Jamie Mackie desperate for home nations football teams to be scrapped
The NoTeamGB campaign group, made up of supporters groups from all four home
nations football teams, are astonished at the recent comments attributed to the
QPR and Scotland player Jamie Mackie. Mackie is quoted as saying that �being
part of it [a Team GB football team] would be amazing.� He further went on to
say �If I�m not picked I�ll be there as a spectator�.
This view is directly opposite to that of the SFA who have capped Mackie in the
past. It is also against the wishes of the FAW and the IFA. The main supporters�
organisations of all four home nations teams are united against any Team GB
participation at the Olympics as this could see the end of the independence that
these four countries currently enjoy in world football.
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey both had to backtrack recently after they were
unwittingly photographed in a Team GB football shirt due to pressures of their
sponsor. After seeing the reaction by the Welsh supporters� groups, both players
have subsequently said that they would not wish to jeopardise the future of the
Welsh national team.
Regardless of the �guarantees� that the BOA and FA pretend to have from FIFA
about the future independence of the four home nations, they are still trying
bully the associations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in attempt to
sell more tickets at next year�s London 2012 Olympics. This is despite a
previous agreement between the four home nations that only England would supply
players for next year�s under 23 tournament.
NoTeamGB supporters continue to be amazed that the FA in particular are seizing
on these assurances from FIFA in light of the promises that were made to them in
their bid to host the 2018 world cup. This fallout from which resulted in
embarrassment for the FA, Seb Coe, Prince William, David Cameron, David Beckham
amongst many others.
Association of Tartan Army Clubs spokesman, Martin Riddell is quoted as saying
�Mackie should concentrate on trying to earn a place in his national team�s
future squads rather than go out of his way to dismantle the future of the
national teams of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We saw the
Welsh fans� reaction to Bale and Ramsey after their victory against Norway and I
wouldn�t like to see Scotland players attracting similar disdain from their own
support�
FSF Cymru spokesman Vince Alm previously said "The majority of Welsh supporters
are against it. You can get away with the England and Wales Cricket Board, you
can get away with it with rugby, but football is totally different.�
He continued: "This could be the end of the home unions and I think that would
be sad�.
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