" I HAVE BEEN TOLD GARETH BALE IS GOING "

FAW (Football Amateurs of Wales) can huff and puff all they like....a legal challenge will surely see the judges hammer come down on the side of the players

Rights and wrongs?? Well, I can understand the fear of the the FAW, SFA and IFA over bumbling FIFA's efforts to get a GB team up and running for ALL competitions....although I believe a legal challenge on historic grounds alone (remember, as if we could forget, that England actually won their World Cup) so that argument should be put to bed quickly.

BUT I agree far more that the players have a RIGHT to play in the Olympics if invited!!

Wales versus Bale (et al)?? Hmmm, I watch in anticipation of a bloodied FAW nose....

The FAW are a bunch of arseholes! Bale is British and is therefore qualified to play for Team GB at the Olympics. Hope Bale and Ramsey do us proud at the 2012 Olympics.

Good luck to Gareth Bale and I hope he does what he thinks is best for himself and if he chooses to play for GB and the FAW ban him from playing for Wales then shame on them.

Personally I would take FIFA at their word allow Welsh qualified players to play for GB and then hammer them in the court if they renege on the deal.

Good luck to Gareth Bale and I hope he does what he thinks is best for himself and if he chooses to play for GB and the FAW ban him from playing for Wales then shame on them.

Personally I would take FIFA at their word allow Welsh qualified players to play for GB and then hammer them in the court if they renege on the deal.

Yeah, I forgot the FAW had the funds to get good lawyers - they'd rely on message board lawyers

Your first sentance is corect - Bale, if true he will make himself available - is thinking of nobody except himself. All players know the score, all players know the situation as agreed by all the home nations. He gets himself banned, so be it.

If bale or anyone else think it it worth playing one tournament for the sake of their entire interenational career then let them play .If that is what they really want to do then let him /them do it and not pick them againand at ;least whoever plays for wales then you would know they really wanted to be there

And indeed, if Bale thought Team england + 2 others would win anything, let's be honest, clueless.

Brazil for one. Numerous African nations who fiddle passports to routinely play overage players...

Right.

Im not pro a British side. But the FAW's fears of FIFA disbanding them are unfounded
and ludicrous in todays World. Bosnia/Serbia/Montenegro are just a few examples of
splintered Football Associations. There would be too much of an outcry if they tried. Not
cos of Wales but because of Scotland (famous World cup qualifying history) and Northern
Ireland and the political ramifications etc. I personally wouldnt want to play for a British
side. But there's plenty would and it dont mean they aren't Welsh!!!

This is not about Bale being anti-Welsh or letting his country down

Its ALL about faceless little old men from Gwalchmai FC and Llanfairwollabadongy Rovers
desperate not to rock their little power structures.

Bosnia et al are "splintered" for the simple reason they have all become nations in their own right, so that's a bad example, tbh.

Nor do Bosnia et al have the historical "power" the UK FAs have.

If Bale wants to play, that's his decision for his own personal gain. He would no doubt want a medal - though "Team GB" would do shit, tbh. That's not in the long term interests of Wales.

Someone needs to make Bale this is a tournament no one in Europe really gives a shite about.

If he wants to jeopadise his Wales career for a U23 tournament that is only taken seriously by South Americans, i say f**k him.

Well done Gareth. I am fully behind you on this one. let them ban you. it'll be suicide for them to ban the best player Wales has.

it is all politics.

I 100% back Bale all the way. It will be his only chance to win something on an international level. Lets face it, if the Welsh FA do go ahead and ban him, he will still win the same amount as he would from being able to play for Wales all his career anyway - nothing! Bale knows this and it's a great opportunity for him, so why stand in his way? For Bale, it would be an honour for him to represent GB, and have the opportunity of winning a medal, the Welsh FA are always behind the times and that is why they have wasted 500k on a manager who has failed in the Championship with Sheffield United. Internationally, Wales will never achieve anything with the current setup, a major shake up is needed.

I 100% back Bale all the way. It will be his only chance to win something on an international level. Lets face it, if the Welsh FA do go ahead and ban him, he will still win the same amount as he would from being able to play for Wales all his career anyway - nothing! Bale knows this and it's a great opportunity for him, so why stand in his way? For Bale, it would be an honour for him to represent GB, and have the opportunity of winning a medal, the Welsh FA are always behind the times and that is why they have wasted 500k on a manager who has failed in the Championship with Sheffield United. Internationally, Wales will never achieve anything with the current setup, a major shake up is needed.

And if things go the way elements in FIFA want, Wales will never achieve anything as Wales will be subsumed into a Team GB.

But still, that's perfrectly ok, as Bale may win something. Which is a stupid point given,

a) Brazil and other South American sides take it seriously
b) African nations routinely doctor passports to play overage players.

Team GB have about as much chance of winning a medal as Mark Hudson does of being voted the world's greatest defender, ever.

Bringing Speed into the debate merely indicates your argument against the FAW decision isn't a confident one...

" I HAVE BEEN TOLD GARETH BALE IS GOING TO IGNORE WALES DEMANDS "

That He or Any other Welsh Player Plays in The OLYMPICS for THE GREAT BRITAIN Team.

Bale is going to Volunteer to play for them and Welsh FA have Told Bale He will then BE BANNED From Ever playing for Wales again.

Hi is going to go ahead with it.

Opinions Please, Who is in the Right ?

It's being reported today that both Bale and Ramsay will be asked to compete....

If so, good luck to them!!

I 100% back Bale all the way. It will be his only chance to win something on an international level. Lets face it, if the Welsh FA do go ahead and ban him, he will still win the same amount as he would from being able to play for Wales all his career anyway - nothing! Bale knows this and it's a great opportunity for him, so why stand in his way? For Bale, it would be an honour for him to represent GB, and have the opportunity of winning a medal, the Welsh FA are always behind the times and that is why they have wasted 500k on a manager who has failed in the Championship with Sheffield United. Internationally, Wales will never achieve anything with the current setup, a major shake up is needed.

And if things go the way elements in FIFA want, Wales will never achieve anything as Wales will be subsumed into a Team GB.

But still, that's perfrectly ok, as Bale may win something. Which is a stupid point given,

a) Brazil and other South American sides take it seriously
b) African nations routinely doctor passports to play overage players.

Team GB have about as much chance of winning a medal as Mark Hudson does of being voted the world's greatest defender, ever.

Bringing Speed into the debate merely indicates your argument against the FAW decision isn't a confident one...

From a personal point of view, it's a perfectly good point that Bale may want to actually compete with a realistic chance of winning a medal, even if it's a bronze. The fact he may represent team GB at the olympics which occurs once every 4 years will have no bearing on the future of Wales as a nation, Wales will never be subsumed into a team GB, England will never allow it and if you believe that, you are an idiot!

Good on the Welsh fa I say , if he plays he knows the consequences sadly despite his brilliance even as Switzerland away demonstrated whilst a class act the 4 they scored could have easily been 6 very similair to giggs great player but in the Welsh team one cog doesnt turn the wheel so to speak , I say preserving our national identity and international heritage is far more important than one individual.

Good on the Welsh fa I say , if he plays he knows the consequences sadly despite his brilliance even as Switzerland away demonstrated whilst a class act the 4 they scored could have easily been 6 very similair to giggs great player but in the Welsh team one cog doesnt turn the wheel so to speak , I say preserving our national identity and international heritage is far more important than one individual.

In that case all welsh athletes shouldn't be allowed to represent Great Britain then.

Good on the Welsh fa I say , if he plays he knows the consequences sadly despite his brilliance even as Switzerland away demonstrated whilst a class act the 4 they scored could have easily been 6 very similair to giggs great player but in the Welsh team one cog doesnt turn the wheel so to speak , I say preserving our national identity and international heritage is far more important than one individual.

In that case all welsh athletes shouldn't be allowed to represent Great Britain then.

Its a different sport m8 with different rules and regulations, we compete as Wales at the commonwealth games and thats allowable with no prospect of Wales having their status rebuked, rugby union is the same with the British Lions, however FIFA have warned on several occasions about potentially ending the independent home nations.

Good on the Welsh fa I say , if he plays he knows the consequences sadly despite his brilliance even as Switzerland away demonstrated whilst a class act the 4 they scored could have easily been 6 very similair to giggs great player but in the Welsh team one cog doesnt turn the wheel so to speak , I say preserving our national identity and international heritage is far more important than one individual.

In that case all welsh athletes shouldn't be allowed to represent Great Britain then.

Its a different sport m8 with different rules and regulations, we compete as Wales at the commonwealth games and thats allowable with no prospect of Wales having their status rebuked, rugby union is the same with the British Lions, however FIFA have warned on several occasions about potentially ending the independent home nations.

I understand that but at the end of the day, that's FIFA's decision. If Gareth Bale plays in the Olympics I don't think it will make any difference to Wales as an independent nation. If FIFA want to do it, they will, Gareth Bale refusing to play will make no difference as there will be other players from Scotland and Northern Ireland wanting to play. Any British footballer has the right to represent GB and the fact the welsh FA are trying to stop Bale from competing is pathetic. All the home nations will refuse to allow it anyway.

From a personal point of view, it's a perfectly good point that Bale may want to actually compete with a realistic chance of winning a medal, even if it's a bronze. The fact he may represent team GB at the olympics which occurs once every 4 years will have no bearing on the future of Wales as a nation, Wales will never be subsumed into a team GB, England will never allow it and if you believe that, you are an idiot!

England will never allow it?

yup, I can really see England, not exactly the most popular nation mustering plenty of support to see off any motion within FIFA...

Besides, why would England complain when they'd provide the manager, all the players, etc...

Good debate