" I WONT BE BULLIED "

Aaron Ramsey: I won't be bullied out of playing for Team GB
Published 22:30 11/11/11 By James Nurse.



Aaron Ramsey insists he can still play for Team GB at the Olympics and be a committed Wales captain.



And the Arsenal midfielder has issued a warning that if anyone tries to ruin his London 2012 dream he may get the PFA involved.

Ramsey and his Wales team-mate, Tottenham’s Gareth Bale, have received widespread criticism in their homeland for recently posing in GB promotional shirts.

The FAW are maintaining the stance that they do not want any Welsh players involved in the Olympics­ for fear of losing their own football ­independence.


But Ramsey, 20, is sticking by his desire to ­participate in the so-called ‘Greatest Show On Earth’ next summer, while fellow Welsh midfielder, Swansea’s Joe Allen, is also keen.

And the ex-Cardiff player hit back yesterday about the controversial­ issue and pictures which outraged many Wales fans ahead of today’s friendly with Norway.

Ramsey said: “Me and Gareth are contracted to adidas and it was a shoot for them.

“It wasn’t just that top we were photographed in that day, it was a few others. And I don’t regret it.

“If it doesn’t affect Wales’ identity then I don’t see why not to play for GB. It is up to the players. The PFA haven’t given us any reason why we can’t play in the Olympics.

“Maybe we’ll have a meeting, but I am not sure. It is still a long way away, so a lot can happen.

“But whenever I put on that Wales shirt I give 100 per cent, and Gareth and Joe are no different to me.

“I am a proud Welshman, who wants to go out and give his best every time.” Wales boss Gary Speed is also backing the FAW stance on the Olympic issue to safeguard their independence.

But he admits as a former player himself, he can ­understand why the likes of Ramsey and Bale, 22, are interested in playing.

He said: “It is only natural they would want to play, as it is a fantastic tournament and ­occasion.

“It would be good, but the scheduling for me would be an issue and I am not sure I would want to spend so much of pre-season in the athletes’ village.

“But I certainly won’t be intimidating­ anyone. It is all their decision­ and their choice.”

Speed wants all of his players next summer fully focused on their 2014 World Cup qualification­ campaign, which starts next autumn.

And he sees today’s friendly clash with Norway as an important­ fixture after three wins in four games.

Speed added: “It is our toughest test to date and we’ll learn a lot.

“Norway are very organised, difficult­ to break down and strong going forward.

“They are unfortunate not to have at least qualified for the Euro 2012 play-offs through their group.”


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go on ramsey
don't let the taffia bully you fella

Ramsey would do well to just stay quiet for a bit. Speed has already said you wont be intimidating anyone into a decision.

what pisses me off most is every four years we get the british lions touring the southern hemisphere but when it comes to football the faw get their nose involved its bullshit let them play!!!! its the best chance they got of getting to a tournament anyway!!!!!

what pisses me off most is every four years we get the british lions touring the southern hemisphere but when it comes to football the faw get their nose involved its bullshit let them play!!!! its the best chance they got of getting to a tournament anyway!!!!!

Rugby isnt really the same tho is it.
We all know how corrupt FIFA is

well its a one off thing every 4 years.... just like rugby lol

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

Spot on jimbo!..

Probably depends who the 'bully' is. If it's Arsene or Harry, we won't hear a peep out of Rambo or Bale.

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

Spot on jimbo!..

Seconded

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

Spot on jimbo!..

Seconded

I also agree

I think Aaron and Gareth should maybe do a course in welsh history, they then will clearly see that we are being screwed once again....we have had a few crumbs tossed our way as far as contracts are concerned from the 2012 London Olympics, Northern Ireland are making far more money than Wales.....would they come for our players if they were not premier league? In the name of GB.

Not bothered about all this.

The idea of the Olympics was a representation of the amateurs of all sports. It is nothing of its original idea now and is losing appeallment to most.

I think Aaron and Gareth should maybe do a course in welsh history, they then will clearly see that we are being screwed once again....we have had a few crumbs tossed our way as far as contracts are concerned from the 2012 London Olympics, Northern Ireland are making far more money than Wales.....would they come for our players if they were not premier league? In the name of GB.

why would they pick a player if hes not in prem just because he's welsh

Personally, I don't blame Bale and Ramsey for wanting to do it. I see the reasons why people have their concerns but at the end of the day with all the countries that are at war and gain independence or merge, I can't see FIFA kicking off about us having a Team GB for the Olympics. It's not a FIFA sanctioned event so surely FIFA can't use it as a precedent. If they could, they would have already done it when we last had a Team GB football team.

It's all a fuss over nothing with what ifs and worst case scenarios. Bale and Ramsey are Welsh. If representing Team GB means they can win a gold then I fully support them for that. FIFA is not bigger than any one footballing nation and Wales will always remain as a footballing nation. There is nothing Sepp Blatter or any of his cronies can do about that because the consequences would be too much hard work, expensive and time consuming for FIFA to bother dealing with.

I think Aaron and Gareth should maybe do a course in welsh history, they then will clearly see that we are being screwed once again....we have had a few crumbs tossed our way as far as contracts are concerned from the 2012 London Olympics, Northern Ireland are making far more money than Wales.....would they come for our players if they were not premier league? In the name of GB.

why would they pick a player if hes not in prem just because he's welsh

Fill it full of English then.....they would if they could get away with it......this should be about taking part, not winning.

Who are these "fans" who the Welsh media claim are kicking off about it? I've only heard the odd sensible discussion that's all.

No one is kicking off in no dramatic fashion. If the FAW suffer from an identity crisis then they just need to pop a few head pills and take a lie down. FIFA have always fallen on the side of independance and they've never shown anything otherwise. If they pushed to combine the UK sides then there's an argument that they should also combine many other country's in the world that currently exist independantly. They can start in Yugoslavia for a start, their wars are over now aren't they?

Fact is FIFA would be opening the biggest can of worms in the history of any sport and they are never going to do that, simply because they don't need to. The FA know this and that's why they are not worried in the slightest. I think the FAW would be better spent worrying about the state of Welsh league football and making that a tad stronger, which in turn would make them feel a bit more secure.

Ramsey would do well to just stay quiet for a bit. Speed has already said you wont be intimidating anyone into a decision.

That's the problem with some people (staying quiet and allowing themselves to be bullied) and you simply have to admire Rambo for standing up and saying what he feels, i.e. he WANTS to play for Team GB

Who can blame him?? (outside the FAW, of course!!)

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that many before him can only wish they'd had

The FAW have been told publicly they have nothing to fear, yet still they fail to see the truth. Maybe that is because they cannot trust their own motives first, last and foremost, eh??

Let's be honest here. If ANY of the home nations has a reason to be fearful of FIFA dealings it would be England, wouldn't it??

They (England) have most to lose if the Team UK thing were to be made permanent, as they are the biggest and most likely team to succeed in world football. But are they 'performing' like the rest ofthe UK nations?? No, they are not. They have accepted FIFA's assurances and are getting on with the task of preparing for the Olympic Games next year....

Good on them I say. And good on Rambo, Bale et al (plus any from Scotland and Northern Ireland) that decide they want to be part of such a huge huge festival....

Wales (as a nation) should be proud we have players considered good enough to make a difference!!

The rest of us can only dream....and just maybe that's the problem with some!!

Who are these "fans" who the Welsh media claim are kicking off about it? I've only heard the odd sensible discussion that's all.

No one is kicking off in no dramatic fashion. If the FAW suffer from an identity crisis then they just need to pop a few head pills and take a lie down. FIFA have always fallen on the side of independance and they've never shown anything otherwise. If they pushed to combine the UK sides then there's an argument that they should also combine many other country's in the world that currently exist independantly. They can start in Yugoslavia for a start, their wars are over now aren't they?

Fact is FIFA would be opening the biggest can of worms in the history of any sport and they are never going to do that, simply because they don't need to. The FA know this and that's why they are not worried in the slightest. I think the FAW would be better spent worrying about the state of Welsh league football and making that a tad stronger, which in turn would make them feel a bit more secure.

Great post, mate

I suppose the argument could be aligned to that of the existing Welsh clubs participation in the English pyramid, eh??

It's a subject....but not one anyone really wants to approach in earnest on the legal, ethical and historic grounds

Who are these "fans" who the Welsh media claim are kicking off about it? I've only heard the odd sensible discussion that's all.

No one is kicking off in no dramatic fashion. If the FAW suffer from an identity crisis then they just need to pop a few head pills and take a lie down. FIFA have always fallen on the side of independance and they've never shown anything otherwise. If they pushed to combine the UK sides then there's an argument that they should also combine many other country's in the world that currently exist independantly. They can start in Yugoslavia for a start, their wars are over now aren't they?

Fact is FIFA would be opening the biggest can of worms in the history of any sport and they are never going to do that, simply because they don't need to. The FA know this and that's why they are not worried in the slightest. I think the FAW would be better spent worrying about the state of Welsh league football and making that a tad stronger, which in turn would make them feel a bit more secure.

Have a look on twitter mate! It's full of welsh media, nationalists, Taffia etc who are speaking so much shit it's making my ears bleed! Sad thing is some people may actually start to believe their insular agenda and take it as gospel! If welsh players play in team gb and FIFA subsequently do away with home nations then I'll eat my shirt!

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

So Blatter's comments on 2008 were by a bitter, insular nationalist were they?

I'm sure some of those happy with Team GB will be wearing Rooney on the back of their shirts should the unthinkable happen.

Well done Rambo! Some of the lies and scare mongering I've seen from some of the Taffia this week has been nothing short of disgraceful! Hope he stays strong and makes his own mind up without being swayed by bitter insular nationalists. If there is concrete evidence that team gb truly threatens Wales then lets see it!

So Blatter's comments on 2008 were by a bitter, insular nationalist were they?

I'm sure some of those happy with Team GB will be wearing Rooney on the back of their shirts should the unthinkable happen.

Blatters comments were hardly comprehensive and were made over 3 years ago! Since then FIFA have privately given assurances that team gb won't affect home nations! That is FIfa direct to faw and SFA, not Blatter speaking to the press!

By the way, I'm not saying all anti team gb are insular nationalists but some of those I've seen on twitter are the very worst kind and the Welsh football team, and Wales as a country, will never prosper if their insecure little voices try to drown out reasoned arguments, facts and evidence with petty parochial nonsense!

Who are these "fans" who the Welsh media claim are kicking off about it? I've only heard the odd sensible discussion that's all.

No one is kicking off in no dramatic fashion. If the FAW suffer from an identity crisis then they just need to pop a few head pills and take a lie down. FIFA have always fallen on the side of independance and they've never shown anything otherwise. If they pushed to combine the UK sides then there's an argument that they should also combine many other country's in the world that currently exist independantly. They can start in Yugoslavia for a start, their wars are over now aren't they?

Fact is FIFA would be opening the biggest can of worms in the history of any sport and they are never going to do that, simply because they don't need to. The FA know this and that's why they are not worried in the slightest. I think the FAW would be better spent worrying about the state of Welsh league football and making that a tad stronger, which in turn would make them feel a bit more secure.

Have a look on twitter mate! It's full of welsh media, nationalists, Taffia etc who are speaking so much shit it's making my ears bleed! Sad thing is some people may actually start to believe their insular agenda and take it as gospel! If welsh players play in team gb and FIFA subsequently do away with home nations then I'll eat my shirt!

I've not looked no, but I'm willing to bet a lot of those are fooking Man U fans lol

The only bitterness being shown appears to be coming from the British Nationalists ...You know, the ones who are rabildly in favour of Team GB, the ones calling everyone against the concept of Team GB "Taffia"!

Taffia being a derogatory term for anyone putting the interests of the Welsh National Team first? Sounds like a British Nationalist agenda to me

Starting to sound suspiciously like Jacks with their notorious 'pro-British, anti-Welsh (Taffia)' stance!