Team GB footballers faulter

Team GB‘s Olympic football teams tripped up at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium as the women’s team could only muster a 0-0 with Sweden, and the men were comfortably beaten by Brazil.

A goal from Spurs’ Sandro and a penalty from Neymar in the first half were enough to secure a one-sided game in which GB were completely dominated.

On the plus side, the men’s team now know where their main threats are, in comparison to themselves, in contention for medals.

A lot of work is going to have to be done if team GB are going to be able to compete with teams like this, who outclassed them by a million miles.

I think one of the problems for the men is that they haven’t got the best three over 23’s available in the squad. Bellamy isn’t the best over 23 British striker, nor is Giggs or Richards for midfield or defence.

It’s bizzare that they’ve been selected in my eyes.

The only reason I can come up with, is that they needed to appease the Welsh FA, and seeing as though Gareth Bale isn’t going to be able to play, Giggs and Bellamy were selected as the two chosen ones.

It’s a shame really, because the selection has been very much political, as apposed to footballing, and the omission of David Beckham has definitely ruffled a few feathers.

But the one thing that this defeat – this whole squad actually – symbolises, is how much foreign players have ruined English youth development.

The vast majority of the players are English, and considering they’ve been chosen to represent GB in the Olympics, you’d imagine they’re next in line to don the Three Lions, yes?

And quite a few of them have been taken from Championship teams. Both ‘keepers “play” in the Championship – and I say “play” because only Jason Steele actually plays there, Jack Butland’s main team is Birmingham but has played down in League Two for his whole career.

I think GB have been lucky with the group that they’ve been handed and, apart from Uruguay, they should walk their games, but then I can’t see them getting their hands on any medals because the other teams have chosen their squads – and over 23’s in particular – wisely.

Mexico, Uruguay, Brazil and Spain are all favourites above GB to win even a bronze medal in my eyes.

In the women’s side, however, I think GB can go on and get a medal.

There will be some stiff competition, from USA, Japan and Brazil, but on our day, the women can be as good as anybody, especially with the best of the British and not just England.

Overall, not a good outlook for GB’s footballing hopes, even though there are still some training sessions to go through and hopefully the squads will gel, but I still think the inexperience at international and domestic level will be our downfall.