Team GB Football: What Should Happen Next?

Wise heads: Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy

It is widely accepted that Great Britain’s first foray into Olympic football for more than half a century will be their last for a long time, so it is little wonder that Stuart Pearce’s men have been keen to make a big impact.

But what if this was not the last time a team was assembled from the four countries that make up Great Britain? What if there was a future for Team GB football?

As Pearce himself has said: "We've got a fantastic opportunity to sow a seed and say 'can this happen more often?'”

Following the disappointment of the European Championships with England, it has been refreshing to see this alternative outfit representing us on the international stage.

The greatest delight has been in seeing the likes of Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy, both in their 30’s, finally getting to compete in a major tournament. The travesty is, with Wales they never got the chance.

“It's just great to be involved in this,” Bellamy admitted. “We're representing four countries and it's a proud occasion.”

Both Giggs and Bellamy have been instrumental in guiding the predominately youthful squad to the top of their group at these Olympic Games, with each scoring in the opening two matches.

Their experience and, it must be said, sheer quality has stood out, and as the team steadily begins to gel, there is a real feeling of excitement as to what could be achieved.

Any decision to take this team beyond this one competition is sure to meet a fair amount of opposition, though.

Most notable is the fact that, of Great Britain’s four countries, only two are represented, with English players dominating the team sheet. Scottish and Northern Irish fans would hardly be warm to the idea of replacing their national teams with a bunch of Englishmen.

It’s not hard to see why there are no players from those countries involved, of course.

Voted for by fans, Northern Ireland’s greatest ever XI would struggle to beat the current England side, despite having the likes of George Best and Pat Jennings amongst their ranks, while Scotland suddenly seemed to stop producing top-level international footballers in the 80’s.

And whilst they are represented in the current squad, Welsh footballers are hardly any better. The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen and Neil Taylor are talented, but you would still struggle to fit them into the current English senior team.

Then there is the small, but quite apparently significant issue of national anthems. We’ve already seen resistance to ‘God Save the Queen’ from the Welsh contingent in the three games that have already been played.

Such a situation surely could not be viable in the long term. There would have to be an alternative, but changes to national anthems supersede the responsibilities of football associations.

Those issues aside, however, what an interesting prospect a permanent Team GB would be.

For non-Olympic tournaments, the under-23 rule would not exist, so the likes of Bellamy and Giggs would be picked on their own merit, rather than to fulfil an ‘obligation’.

Add to that some of the stars of the Premier League who we have not seen at the Olympics – Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, and Steven Gerrard – Gareth Bale, even.

Indeed, if he can get back to full-fitness, how brilliant would it be to see Darren Fletcher playing competitive tournament football?

These are opportunities that, in modern football, such gifted players have had to miss out on.

Perhaps, in years to come, a Great Britain football team would have more chance of winning silverware than England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Just a handful of additional star players would make a huge difference.

A lot of work would need to be done to get such an idea pushed through, and even if it was discussed, it would most likely be on a possibility basis rather than probability.

It’s just a thought. But then again, wouldn’t that have been how the campaign to bring the Olympics to London this year began?

It's Good to See Ravi Bopara Back, But You Cannot Help But Feel Sorry For Young Jonny Bairstow

Johnny Bairstow: Not included in squad

When the England test squad to face South Africa was announced last night, it has to be said there was a certain feeling of mixed emotions.

A big Essex fan myself, I was understandably delighted to see Ravi Bopara earn a recall to the side, with it seeming likely that he will make his first appearance in the five day game for over a year.

But there was also a tinge of sadness. The decision to leave out the talented young Yorkshire wicket-keeper batsman, Jonny Bairstow.

On the face of it, you can see the reasoning. Bairstow was brought into the squad for the series against the West Indies earlier on this summer to much speculation and hype. In his three games, however, he returned a disappointing total of 38 runs.

When Geoffrey Boycott handed him his first cap it was one of those moments that raises the hairs on the back of your neck – for many a hardened cricket fan, it might well have brought a tear to their eye.

The relationship between the young pretender and the England batting legend is a unique one. For much of his childhood, Boycott was a mentor to Bairstow – the closest thing he really had to a father during his teenage years.

A former England cricketer himself, David Bairstow, Jonny's real father, would surely have been a proud man to see his son pull on the England whites, and for his best mate Geoffrey to hand him the sacred cap.

That was not to be however. Bairstow senior took his own life in January 1998.

Suffering from depression, a common condition after retirement from top level cricket, he had tried to end it all weeks before by taking an overdose.

It is a desperately sad story, made all the worse by the fact that, on this occasion, Jonny Bairstow could not quite hold down that place in the side.

Naturally, he will return to county cricket now, and being young, it seems almost certain that his chance will come again. It is now just a case of getting runs on the board, working hard and proving the doubters wrong.

On the other side of the coin, of course, it is a delight to see Ravi Bopara's first class career being given another chance – and I hope this time, he can take it.

Now aged 27, Bopara has only won 12 caps for the England test team, an extraordinarily low number for a player of his undoubted talent.

It was his scintillating form in the recent one-day series against Australia that convinced the selectors that he would be worth another shot.

Indeed, Bopara offers an insurance policy to the selectors too. Not only can he bat, but he is pretty handy with the ball – significant, considering England seem likely stuck with their policy of including only four out-and-out bowlers with Graham Onions likely to only be used as a sub.

It will not be easy for Bopara, though, South Africa are the number two ranked team in the world and will know they have a chance of dislodging England from the top of the pile with a series win.

With Dale Steyn in hot form and perched at the top of the ICC bowler rankings, he will be the one Bopara and his batting colleagues will have to stop – but then again, England were pretty successful at doing that when Mitchell Johnson landed on English soil in a similar situation in 2009.

The series gets under way on Thursday, with the Brit Oval hosting the first test, and it could prove to be the beginning of a big few weeks of international cricket, with seismic consequences.

Adel Taarabt's New Deal Marks a Changing of the Tide at QPR, Big Things May Just Be Around the Corner

Adel Taarabt: "This is my club. I feel at home"

Barely a year has passed since Adel Taarabt was being linked with a big money move to the super-rich French club, Paris St Germain.

Following Queen's Park Rangers' promotion to the Premier League, it seemed almost certain that the Moroccan international would be leaving.

Yet this week he has committed his future to the West London club by signing a new long-term contract.

Naturally, the more cynical football fans will say he has been tempted to stay because of the money; Rangers now backed by Air Asia tycoon, Tony Fernandes.

Indeed, in modern football, it is not something you can rule out all together – and besides, it probably was a factor, even if it was not the main reason for Taarabt staying.

“This is my club and it's given me the opportunity to show what I can do and trusted me,” Taarabt said, in the sort of PR fuelled manner that is sure to get the doubters on his side. “I feel at home here.

“Now I can focus on my future. I want to take the club as far as I can.”

And he's probably not the only one thinking that way at Queen's Park Rangers now. This is a new era – the sort that their fans could not possibly have dreamed of four or five seasons ago.

"These are exciting times, and my goodness, there hardly seems a more worthy group of people than the QPR fans."

For years they looked on as the poor relations of West London football, as just across the tracks Chelsea were glorying in title after title thanks to big Russian money, and Fulham were defying the odds en route to the UEFA Cup final under Roy Hodgson.

How quickly things can change.

Many were quick to criticise Fernandes for the sacking of Neil Warnock last season, with some arguing that his highly public image might even mean he was interfering with team selection and the likes.

But perhaps his decision has been proven justified. Warnock was unable to land another Premier League position, and in Mark Hughes they appointed an extremely gifted manager with an awful lot to give.

QPR managed to avoid relegation at the end of last season, and this summer has been one of rebuilding, with big names arriving at the club.

The arrival of Park Ji-Sung from Manchester United is possibly the most exciting. The South Korean will offer more than just Eastern marketing opportunities – he will add steel to the midfield, as well as that touch of class that saw him make over 130 appearances for Manchester United.

He is joined by the loan arrival of Fabio from Old Trafford, a player who many have tipped to be the best left back in the world in years to come.

In Robert Green, Andy Johnson and Ryan Nelson, they've added real Premier League quality and experience. Yet there is bound to be more to come.

The only worry surrounding this meteoric rise is it has desperate similarities to Portsmouth during those heady days under Harry Redknapp.

That is not to say that QPR will end up in the same situation – the goings on in the board room are much more transparent, and Fernandes seems like the sort of businessman who really has his head screwed on.

Big names are arriving, for sure, but ridiculous transfer fees are not being thrown around recklessly. The R's are taking a far more considered approach to things.

But there must be a certain word of warning.

These are exciting times, and my goodness, there hardly seems a more worthy group of people than the QPR fans. For years they have had to settle for mediocrity, uncertainty and second best.

Now let's wait and see what the next chapter in this fascinating story is.

Chambers Arrival is Great, But Ipswich Need More of the Same

Luke Chambers: finally a Town player

It was in danger of becoming a 'transfer saga', as it is known in football. No, in fact, it probably was that already.

Luke Chambers arrival at Ipswich on Monday could not have come soon enough for Ipswich supporters, with a worrying sense of deja-vu lurking as negotiations continued to grow more and more drawn out.

Paul Jewell insisted that there was nothing to worry about, that the transfer would be concluded in its own good time.

The trouble is, similar sound-bites have come out of Portman Road in the past. After replacing Roy Keane as manager, Jewell very nearly made Charlie Austin his first signing at the club.

Indeed, the former Swindon hot-shot was in Ipswich to complete a medical, fees had been agreed and everything else just appeared to be a formality. Then, out of the blue, he had a change of heart and joined Burnley.

Throughout the Jewell tenure there have been similar stories of near misses in the transfer market, and for the supporters it was growing more an more frustrating.

Fingers were starting to be pointed. Some blamed the manager, many blamed the chief executive, Simon Clegg. An idiotic minority even argued the problem lied with Marcus Evans – the media and hospitality tycoon who had rescued the club from possible administration just a few seasons before.

So it was little wonder, then, that a few were getting restless when former Forest skipper, Chambers was allowed to head back to the East Midlands and consider his options after passing a medical last week.

Nevertheless, Jewell was proven right, and Chambers signed on the dotted line parallel to much excitement from Town fans who were well aware of his ability at this level.

Yet the harsh reality of the matter is that Ipswich remain a fair way short of what will be required to compete at the top end of the Championship next season.

A few more players in the Chambers mould would go down quite nicely, and there would be a great deal of optimism around the place to go with it.

The fact is, in time like this, clubs need to act fast.

Positive, as you would expect from a new signing, Chambers praised the quality of the players he would be linking up with, but even he was quick to admit the squad was still a little thin on the ground.

“You look at the squad we’ve got, it’s not the biggest squad,” he admitted, “but I think some of the players we’ve got here are of [the] top level.”

A goalkeeper now has to be the top priority for Jewell, with the Town boss keeping his cards close to his chest regarding who that might be.

The club have already lost out to Brighton in their attempts to lure former Manchester United keeper, Tomasz Kuzsczak.

As things stand, the Blues only have one registered goalkeeper on their books in Arran Lee-Barrett; a solid, dependable sort, but arguably not the man help Ipswich into the play-offs.

Almost typically, Swiss international goalkeeper, Eldin Jakupović was snatched from Town's grasp by Hull City this week, despite having been on trial.

The fact is, in time like this, clubs need to act fast.

More defensive cover surely has to be another of the areas Jewell will be looking at. With Chambers arrival taking the number of senior central defenders at the club to three, surely at least one more will be required.

For quite a few seasons now there have been concerns over the standard of the defence going into the new campaign, so the sooner that is sorted out, the better.

Questions will undoubtedly be raised as to whether Daryl Murphy will return to the club on a permanent basis next season, too.

The Irishman impressed in a wide midfield role towards the back end of the last campaign, and with the ability to play up front, such a player would certainly be useful.

In fact, the wide areas are among those most in need of strengthening ahead of the new season. Often Town were criticised for a lack of pace last time around, so perhaps that will come into Jewell's thinking.

And finally, a striker. With Jason Scotland and Michael Chopra the two senior players vying for that position, there is definitely a solid foundation to build on there. However, it was a lack of variety in that department last season that often proved to be the team's downfall, so a couple more solid goalscorers certainly would not go amiss.

Overall, though, the squad is coming together. In the second part of last season, things did look much better, which is always encouraging for the upcoming season.

With a strong core to the team now in place it is about building on what the club already have, and making the most of it.

Of course, it remains essential that no more players can be allowed to slip through the net.

Call them negative, but fair play to Spain, they sure know how to win tournaments

Master tactician: del Bosque silenced critics

Winning any football competition involves playing to your strengths and gaining the tactical upper hand over your opponent. Simply being the best, does not always guarantee success.

Spain might just be the best international football team there has ever been, yet Euro 2012 has been the biggest proof yet that even they have to go into their shell somewhat to emerge victorious.

Their tiki-taka style has been much criticised from all corners of the media, as well as by coaches – none bigger than one of passing football's biggest advocates, Arsene Wenger.

“Throughout their years of success, they have tried to keep the same philosophy, which is based around wanting to have the ball,” Wenger said before their cup final meeting with Italy.

“However, they have betrayed their philosophy and turned it into something more negative. Originally they wanted possession in order to attack and win the game; now it seems to be first and foremost a way not to lose.”

Strong words, especially considering Wenger's Arsenal side have often been slated in the press for their over-playing and lack of cutting edge.

But the way Vicente del Bosque has adopted a formation that includes no recognised striker is unique, but hugely frustrating.

Spain played with the kind of verve and precision that was more in alignment with the early years of their footballing dominance, humiliating one of the tournament's most impressive units

Regardless, how can you criticise the Spanish for the way they play? After all, they have just won their third consecutive tournament on the bounce, and frighteningly for everybody else, seem to be quite comfortable when it comes to major finals now.

The last side to win an international tournament other than Spain, ironically was Italy in 2006, but on Sunday night they were comprehensively out-played.

Naturally, the main worry before the game was that Italy with their traditionally conservative style of play, and Spain with their supposedly 'negative' tiki-taka would result in a boring 0-0 draw where neither side dared to cross the halfway line.

In the end, we were all surprised. Spain played with the kind of verve and precision that was more in alignment with the early years of their footballing dominance, humiliating one of the tournament's most impressive units with a 4-0 hammering.

Even so, leading striker, Fernando Torres was forced to watch proceedings from the bench to begin with.

Perhaps then, the 4-6-0 formation is more a means to an end, than a permanent solution. Spain are that good right now, that they can score goals – even with their number nine on the bench.

One argument might be that it is their way of phasing out midfield-master, Xavi over the next few years.

The Barcelona ace is now the wrong side of 30, as is Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso, so blooding the promising midfielders that Spain have coming through, looks to be the master plan.

When Xavi and Alonso eventually do hang up their international boots, the likes of Cesc Fabregas, David Silva and Juan Mata will all be capable of seamlessly taking their place – not forgetting Andres Iniesta, now aged 28.

What it does mean, however, is the rest of the footballing world need to take note and beware. Spain are far from being done yet.