The best British Olympic performance in a century despite Graham Poll apparently coming out of retirement to judge the Taekwondo quarter finals. So why am I uneasy?

The triple jump, pentathlon, 4x100 relay, bmx (????) - all expected Gold or to go close - all failed to deliver what was expected. I am therefore drawn to consider what expectations would be constantly rammed down the throats of a GB football team should one take part on London 2012.

I understand the arguments put forward by the Scots, Irish and Welsh who all see such a move as a direct threat to their very existence and is the same argument that has prevented a GB team from competing in recent Olympics. Yet since the English FA effectively ‘put the mockers’ on GB Utd in 1974, how many fans have continued to ask the question ’why aren’t we taking part in the Olympic tournament of the game that we invented?’.

I grew up as a Middlesbrough fan knowing that there had been a GB team in the past. The late George Hardwick captained not only Boro and England but also the first post-war Great Britain team. However, the politics of the 1940’s and ’50’s were somewhat more simple than now and the powers-that-be in the world game - and of whom I could not exactly be said to be a big fan - surely cannot be trusted not to take advantage in some way of a GB 2012 team should the deal that may be cut in this respect be anything other than 100% watertight in protecting the independence of the home nations.

So what if there is a GB Utd for London in four years time?

Olympic football rules dictate that it is effectively an ’Under 23’ tournament with three overage players allowed. So this wipes out the chances of virtually all current home international players of getting a squad number. If the discussions that continue are brought to an early conclusion and the decision is a positive one, then the current U18 squads are the target of the individual tasked with bringing or should it be keeping at home the gold. But what pressure will this put on up-and-coming players who, whilst enjoying the fairly-gotten but sometimes ill-spent gains of the modern game, are still learning their trade. Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle, Gareth Southgate - all got over their failures from the spot at the highest level. Yet all were established long-serving professionals at the time of their spot-kick horrors. And what will the English supporter think if Scottish player misses that vital penalty? What happens in a football-mad country if the team goes out in the group stages?

Granted we’re all used to that anyway but consider the fate of Liu Xaing. For the uninformed, he’s the Chinese 110M hurdler who failed to make the first hurdle despite being the Chinese face of the Olympics and having the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. We were all glued to the rowing and the cycling because we’re football fans and we want to watch something in which the team we support have a chance of winning. Yet consider this. London 2012 starts. The majority of the nation looks forward, not to whether Rebecca Adlington can break another world best, not to whether Chris Hoy will win gold in a third consecutive games, not to whether the rowers will win the coxless fours yet again, but to GB UK’s first group match. And after two defeats, GB UK is out of the competition. Think how you feel when your nation is knocked out of the World Cup. Think how you feel when your team gets beaten on the third round of the domestic cup competition. Now, think how you’ll feel when a team made up (potentially) of Irish (Northern), Scots, Welsh and English footballers is no longer in the running for gold in London 2012.   

It could be the making of our games. It could also be the breaking of them. Ultimately, I’m not convinced either way. FIFA suggest fielding an all-English squad. That’ll see us out early anyway. Scotland suggest rekindling the home internationals with the winning team representing GB. This runs into the problem of the age limit of 23. Alex Ferguson, Harry Redknapp, even David Beckham have all had their names thrown into the ring in respect of running (potentially in the last case also being in) the team for London should it happen.

One thing is for certain though - GB UK will divide football fans in just the same way that they are divided now.

Only this time we’ll all be wearing the same kit.

Yodasmog