Club vs Country (Olympics)

[Southbank Old Boy]

The thing is that it is in some parts of the world. Certainly South America and certainly Africa.

The scepticism we show towards it is basically because we (as in all 4 home nations) don't compete in it.

'greed.

The Olympics is THE biggest sporting festival in the world. Football, as the biggest and best sport in the world, needs to be part of it and take it a little more seriously if you ask me.

As for the clubs paying wages etc etc, they know that players good enough to represent their countries will be called upon at certain times. They should take that into account and also realise that exposure to these types of events invariably make them better players and people and in the long run this is to the clubs benefit.

[Southbank Old Boy]

The Olympics may be the biggest sporting festival but there are already major competitions for nations to compete in. Should we also include cricket, rugby, baseball (again), motor sports etc etc?

Bear in mind that the olympics are just a couple of months after the Euro championships, which were a month after most domestic seasons ended, and will overlap with the start of domestic tournaments.

Yes we probably should have as many major and minor sports at the games as possible.

The fact that the games follow on and clash with other competitions in the football calendar doesn't mean that we should just ignore it. The current set up of making it an U23 tournament means that the majority of the squads can be made up of players that were not involved in the Euro's. They could even make it a rule that there are a maximum number of caps allowed or something like that.

I don't think clubs should be able to restrict their players from appearing though.

[papereyes]

The thing is that it is in some parts of the world. Certainly South America and certainly Africa.

The scepticism we show towards it is basically because we (as in all 4 home nations) don't compete in it.

Partly and partly because we have the European championships (just a few weeks back in fact) and the World cup. In addition, the olympics are often right at the start of the domestic season.

We should love it - we'd almost certainly qualify!

Have a look at the U-21 championships over the 90s and 00s and although England would have qualified for this tournament, they would not have qualified for Athens '04, would not have qualified for Sydney '00, would not have qualified for Atlanta '96 and would not have qualified for Barcelona '92.

But I also agree with WJ - not sure the Olympics are quite the place for football but I do also like the idea of the U-23 tournament. That way, it doesn't compete fully with the Euros (and Italy, Serbia, Belgium and Holland are all at Beijing, fwiw) but also has some of the more well known names.

[Streets]

As the Olympics isn't part of the FIFA calendar then it should be the club that have the final say.

Agreed.

[soggy biscuit]

Olympic gold medal >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>World cup winners medal

Can't understand why any footballer wouldn't want to take part in the Olympics