http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/a-uk-football-team-another-brown-attempt-to-save-the-union Plaid Assembly Member for South Wales West including Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot and Swansea Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:20:10 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/a-uk-football-team-another-brown-attempt-to-save-the-union/comment-page-1#comment-1184 Greg Lewis Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:15:56 +0000 http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/?p=732#comment-1184 Broadcasters like BBC Five Live – “The UK’s home of live news and live sport” – already clearly link Team GB (Olympics) to the England football team. Soon after the Olympics their breakfast show carried a feature as to whether the success of Team GB would rub off on “our footballers”. Although England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were all playing friendly matches that night it was clear that the discussion was about the England team: the man brought on to discuss the issue was Sir Trevor Brooking, the former England player and the English FA’s director of football development. There was no mention of the other nations – this despite the fact that Wales’ friendly with Georgia had a very interesting news story behind it: the Georgian team’s journey from its troubled homeland to the match in Swansea. This pattern of coverage is followed every time the four “home” nations play on the same day. All four teams were playing on Saturday but in the radio trails for the coverage only Fabio Capello’s voice was heard. On Wednesday, when all four nations play again, you can bet Nicole Cooke’s Olympic gold on the fact that all the discussion on the breakfast show will be about England’s game with Croatia. By the way, in 2012, most football fans will be more concerned as to whether their nation has reached the European Championships that summer than whether they have players in the Olympic squad. Broadcasters like BBC Five Live – “The UK’s home of live news and live sport” – already clearly link Team GB (Olympics) to the England football team.
Soon after the Olympics their breakfast show carried a feature as to whether the success of Team GB would rub off on “our footballers”.
Although England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were all playing friendly matches that night it was clear that the discussion was about the England team: the man brought on to discuss the issue was Sir Trevor Brooking, the former England player and the English FA’s director of football development.
There was no mention of the other nations – this despite the fact that Wales’ friendly with Georgia had a very interesting news story behind it: the Georgian team’s journey from its troubled homeland to the match in Swansea.
This pattern of coverage is followed every time the four “home” nations play on the same day. All four teams were playing on Saturday but in the radio trails for the coverage only Fabio Capello’s voice was heard.
On Wednesday, when all four nations play again, you can bet Nicole Cooke’s Olympic gold on the fact that all the discussion on the breakfast show will be about England’s game with Croatia.
By the way, in 2012, most football fans will be more concerned as to whether their nation has reached the European Championships that summer than whether they have players in the Olympic squad.

]]> http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/a-uk-football-team-another-brown-attempt-to-save-the-union/comment-page-1#comment-1153 SOCIALIST UNITY » WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON? Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:18:15 +0000 http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/?p=732#comment-1153 [...] a footbal team for the 2012 olympics shows how out of touch he is with public opinion. As Plaid AM, Bethen Jenkins has pointed out, “This could well threaten the Welsh FA, and the president of FIFA, Sepp [...] [...] a footbal team for the 2012 olympics shows how out of touch he is with public opinion. As Plaid AM, Bethen Jenkins has pointed out, “This could well threaten the Welsh FA, and the president of FIFA, Sepp [...]

]]> http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/a-uk-football-team-another-brown-attempt-to-save-the-union/comment-page-1#comment-1140 Stonemason Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:36:59 +0000 http://www.bethanjenkinsblog.org.uk/?p=732#comment-1140 A single team for the UK at all football competitions, seems a good idea as the four home teams do so poorly on their own, a little like Aesop's fable, "The Bundle of Sticks". A single team for the UK at all football competitions, seems a good idea as the four home teams do so poorly on their own, a little like Aesop’s fable, “The Bundle of Sticks”.

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