posted Aug 27, 2008

i am proud to be northern irish and british.

A small point about catalonia etc, in the uk there are four constituent countries. Northern Ireland (most important obviously), england, scotland and wales. Spain does not have constituent countries like us, in fact, the only other country to have constituent countries is the netherlands...comprising of holland, aruba, netherland antilles and another (i think) and they compete as separate countries in football.
Therefore catalonia, basque and so on can't compete as separate countries.

Lets face it, if our countries split up for the olympics then we'd all do pish. Scotland would do terrible, england would do ok, wales would do terrible and people from northern ireland would be crying at how bad we'd done. At least with gb&ni we can ALL get behind the team.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

You will notice that the USA, which is definately made up of separate states, has no truck with the stupidity of having individual states in the Union represent themselves at the Olypics or any other world event. For the UK to do so verges on the insane.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

You nationlists seems to forget that as London is now the host country because according to Olympic rules the host country must be taking part in all sports, China had done so winning a lot of medals making it top of the medal table for the first time.

China even had their own football team for the first time but fails to win any medals.

Once London was awarded as host city TeamGB cannot duck out the football issue as it was in the Olympic rule.

If all Celtic nations within the United Kingdom cannot agree on GB football team by 2012, then England would b e likely to form a GB team if only for a one-off. Otherwise London will lose their right to host a Olympic Game so it will have to be resolved by 2012.

You Celtic people cannot say no unless you can let English player in or create your own team if your country became a independant sovergien state.

Remember the Olympic Committee won't recogized spearte team unless they are either full automaty or fully independant. If Scotland, Wales and N Ireland still part of the United Kingdom, the Committee won't recognise any of them as spearte teams.

I think Hoy is right - Sperated teams will not success at this moment - Leave it for the future cos it will take a long time to form one or for any country to became idependant sovergign states.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

The irony of this is whilst China is looking to add to its 50 golds, 100 medals from a population of 1.3bn; Russia and US probably going the same superathletic direction; Salmon and SNP are looking to raise a scottish olympic team from 4million population; descaling to microathletics.

It will be like scottish football (1970-1980s)that used to make world cups because many players played in England/ club facilities; only to find they don't make the World Cup grade /soccer minnows as the same quality pool of players isn't available in 2008.

As per Jamaca/Kenya/Ethiopia which sport might scotland specialise in??? Shot put/ toss the caper?

As a result england would acheive 20 (4-5 Golds) medals /olympics; scotland 2-3 medals, wales and NI 1 medal each.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

If they want independence let them have it, watch the free education, prescriptions and everything else that is subsidised and funded by England disappear pretty quickly. They dont have the economy to support themselves.

Scots dont seem to take long enough to look beyond this constant "we are more patriotic than everyone else" attitude and when we English do it back we are called Racist.

Let em have what they think they want and se how long it lasts.

Dont mean to get all political on this but it winds me up they way they go on about it.

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posted Aug 28, 2008

leesharpuk1984

What a load of Daily Mail rubbish you just wrote. (I say rubbish because the stronger adjective I'd use is banned on this forum)

Scotland pays more into the UK than it gets back, once you add in OUR oil revenues, OUR vat and corporation tax. In fact the English should probably pay us more.

We kept the english affloat during that dark tory days 20 years ago.

I'm sorry that the St George cross is a symbol of White pride and supremacism - but please don't blame the Scots for that one!

It winds me up how you engish continue this myth that Scotland is some basket case who go about spending "english" money on some kind of shopping spree! It is nonsense. Check the McCrone report if you want the facts and figres.

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posted Aug 29, 2008

Lee--You make a reasonable point about nationalism, but the first paragraph lets you down. The Industrial revolution was fired by coal and iron from Scotland, the British army which has been crucial in establishing Empire was disproportionatly scottish, and throught the last 4 decades and into the next 3 oil!! from?????????

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posted Aug 29, 2008

Salmond and his small minded pals (like Connery - a Scotsman when he is selling who lives in the Bahamas - not a penny paid as a Taxpayer) had better start supporting facilities like Meadowbank and building new ones to unearth the potential athletes long before they can even think of a Scottish Olympic team.

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posted Aug 29, 2008

Leesharpuk, I would be very interested to know where you view of Scotland, with an economy in tatters and a public who dont know the difference between racism and xenophobia comes from . Is it an educated opinion ?

The first would be excellent. I have heard for years this " Scotland is a basket case" but have yet to see any evidence to support it .

I suggest you have a read of:

http://oilofscotland.org/mccrone_oil_reports.html

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posted Sep 11, 2008

Er, and what exactly does this have to do with Falkirk Football Club???

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