A political row was brewing Monday over proposals for a British Olympic football team to play at the 2012 Games in London.
Chancellor Gordon Brown's call for the British men's team to be coached
by Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson was dismissed as a "massive
own goal" by Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond.
The proposals put forward by Brown, who is himself a Scot, show that he
is "seriously out of touch with Scotland," said Salmond, leader of the
pro-independence Scottish Nationalist Party.
There has been no British Olympic football team since 1960, partly
because of fears it could jeopardise the status of Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland within the sport's governing body, FIFA.
"I am determined to work with the football associations and the
International Olympic Committee to ensure that, when we come to 2012,
we have a (British) men's football team and we have a (British) women's
football team playing," Brown said.
FIFA president Joseph Blatter has said in the past it would be better
if a "Team GB" made up of players from England represents Britain at
the London Games.
United coach Ferguson, who turns 70 in 2012, has so far not committed
himself to the task. The mass-circulation Sun newspaper suggested
Monday that former English captain David Beckham might be interested in
the job.
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