SNP blasts Brown's football ambition

Alex Salmond attacks Gordon Brown over GB football ambition

Monday, 25, Aug 2008 12:00

Gordon Brown has scored a "spectacular own goal" by suggesting Great Britain enter a football team for the 2012 Olympics, Alex Salmond has said.

The Scottish first minister and Scottish National party (SNP) leader was responded to Mr Brown's call for a single united football team restated as the 2008 Beijing Games drew to a close yesterday.

Mr Brown has said he would like to see Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson formally approached to coach the side.

"We'll talk to the other football associations and we'll see who wants to be part of this and maybe we'll get a manager that everybody is happy with," the prime minister said yesterday.

"I know Sir Alex Ferguson has been approached by Seb Coe. These are things that are possible."

Mr Salmond is unimpressed by the proposal, pointing out that Irish Football Association president Raymond Kennedy has been clearly against the proposal.

He said the prime minister's comments showed he is "out of touch with the overwhelming views of football supporters throughout the UK".

"Instead of trying to brow beat the SFA, the IFA and the Football Association of Wales into a single team Gordon Brown should abandon his campaign which threatens the identity of each of the home associations and their national squads," he said.

Great Britain have not had a football team compete at the Olympics since 1960, but the 2012 organising committee are thought to be eager to have a home football team compete in London 2012.

The International Olympic Association (IOC) have yet to give the go-ahead for a Great Britain football team, but Mr Brown said Lord Sebastian Coe had already held informal talks with Ferguson in regards to managing Team GB.

"I've been talking to Fifa, The Football Association and Sepp Blatter and he's going to try and make it possible for us to have a team at the Olympics," the prime minister added.