If being force fed a steady stream of shit TV talent shows has brainwashed us into believing anything, it’s that Britain’s got talent. From Shakespeare to Dickens, from Churchill to The Queen and from Sir Steven Redgrave to Dale Winton, it’s clear Britain has been bursting with brilliance for centuries. And by Britain we mean England.
Stuart ‘I want another knighthood’ Pearce certainly believes the Simon Cowell-fuelled hype. Last month, he sent the metaphorical Team GB tour bus around the country, asking players if they’d be interested in representing a British team at the Olympics.
“I’ve got a feeling that the players themselves are desperate to be part of this Team GB situation,” he said. “I have spoken with a few players and the overriding thing that I am hearing back is that this is a fantastic showcase of our national sport in the Olympic games.
“It’s a fantastic thing to be involved in and I think the players are generally very excited to be involved in this.
“There are very few of us who have been involved in a tournament on home soil. I was fortunate enough back in Euro 96 to see the exposure and the explosion of football in this country for that tournament.”
But it seems not everyone is happy at the prospect of Team GB (otherwise known as England plus guests). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all a bit peeved at the idea as it could cause them serious grief when it comes to defending their autonomous state within FIFA.
Could it also be a problem that, with the exception of a couple of Welshies, none of their players would make it into the side if it purely came down to skill? Perish the thought.
By Peter Simpson and Richard Gadsby
