Smith opposes calls for British team

Scottish Football Association chief Gordon Smith has reiterated that he opposes any move to field a combined home nations team in the 2012 Olympics football tournament.

Smith made several statements in a recent press conference that clearly illustrated his opposition to the idea following announcements by the British Olympic Association that a British team would be competing in 2012.

The team, slated to be coached by Sir Alex Ferguson, would draw on players from each of the countries in the United Kingdom. The idea is enthusiastically endorsed by the chairman of the British Olympic Association, Lord Moynihan.

“The Scottish FA’s position on this issue remains the same - we are opposed to he concept of a British football team,” Smith told reporters. “As we have said many times before, we feel that such a move would threaten the independent status of the home nations.”

Not content with crippling the political agenda of Lord Moynihan, Smith went on to take a swipe at the presence of football at the Olympics in its current format, saying: “I feel that the Olympics should be the pinnacle of any sport and it is doubtful as to whether an age-restricted football competition in the Olympics would ever be able to rival the World Cup.”