Team GB: SFA caught on the hop as Celtic trio are given Olympic invitation

THE Scotish Football Association was taken by surprise last night when Celtic manager Neil Lennon revealed that three of his players – Scott Brown, James Forrest and Adam Matthews – had received formal invitations to join the Great Britain football squad for the London Olympics.

Although the SFA had been made aware by the Football Association that Brown would be considered as an over-age player, no previous mention had been made of Forrest.

The FA, which is running the squad on behalf of the British Olympic Association, provided the SFA with a list of around 20 Scottish players who are under consideration, but Forrest was not on the list. After Lennon’s remarks, the SFA sought clarification from Celtic of Forrest’s invitation.

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It has emerged that the FA have written to 300 players to ascertain their availability. And, despite the SFA making it clear that they do not want Scottish players to participate, the FA have decided to contact Scottish players directly.

The SFA, in common with the governing bodies in Wales and Northern Ireland, opposes the participation of Team GB in the Games on the grounds that it could jeopardise the continued existence of four separate national teams within the UK.

Forrest, however, said earlier this month that he would regard an invitation as an honour.

“To be at the Olympic Games as a competitor would be a great honour, even if there was no guarantee of getting a game,” said the winger. “I know the SFA are opposed to the idea of Scottish players competing, but nobody has spoken to us on an individual basis. If I was picked for the squad I’d have to consider the idea.”

Twenty-year-old Forrest and 19-year-old Welsh full-back Matthews would qualify automatically for the tournament, which is largely for under-23s. Brown, who is 26, would need to be included as one of three permitted overage players.

Many Scottish internationals, both male and female, have indicated their lack of enthusiasm for the inclusion of a GB team at the Olympics. However, in addition to Forrest, Rangers duo Gregg Wylde and Kyle Hutton, Jamie Mackie of Queens Park Rangers, and Kim Little of the Arsenal women’s team, have all said they want to take part.

The FA announced last week that it had begun notifying other associations and clubs of the contents of the long list, as well as writing to players individually. Stuart Pearce, the head coach of the GB men’s squad, said it had been agreed that no-one playing for England at Euro 2012 would be considered.

“We have agreed that any player who boards the plane to the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine will not be considered for selection,” Pearce said. “It’s a sensible football decision when you consider the demands on players, and it now leaves no room for doubt for players and their clubs about next summer and the two major tournaments.”

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No other competitions, domestic or European, appear to have been taken into consideration when drawing up the long list. It is understood that only the section of that long list dealing with their own nation’s players has been sent to each association which, in the case of the SFA, meant a list of around 20 names.

All of the players on that list, Brown among them, were overage. The SFA has not been told to expect any subsequent list of younger players, which is why they were surprised when Lennon said Forrest had been invited.

Celtic have received notification of the three players’ invitations, and they have also seen the letters sent to the three individuals. A breakdown in communications between the FA and the SFA would appear to be the reason the latter body had not heard of Forrest’s invitation. Lennon has misgivings about the inclusion of football and the timing of the event next summer, which will clash with the qualifying rounds of European club competitions and the start of the Scottish domestic season, but he will not actively seek to dissuade the trio from accepting. “It’s the timing of it with the start of the season next year or the qualifiers,” Lennon said yesterday. “We will sit down with them over the next few weeks and see what they are thinking.”