Should Britain have a unified futbol team at the 2012 Olympics? I think that they should -- the Olympics are in London, the sport is massive there and FIFA have assured the home nations all will be fine afterwards. 

The Guardian is running a debate here. Here are a couple of money quotes: 

Yes:  "Why does a country, rich with footballing talent and success, fail to put forward a men's and women's team for the Olympic Games when it's a perfect opportunity to showcase our skills and win? Doesn't really make sense, does it?"

 

 

 

No: "If we were to merge as one football nation, others would point out - and probably with justification - that our level of representation was unjust and ask that we voted as one. That would have massive implications for our ability to influence Fifa issues and our standing; a merged football team would therefore attack our constitutional rights. The possibility beyond that, of course, is that people would question why we retained individual national football teams and country-by-country representation in European football at all. It is a dangerous road to go down." 

"Fortunately I know this won't happen. One way or another there will be a GB team at the 2012 Games. The only question is, will they be a truly British team or an England XI playing under the union flag?"

Please vote in our poll!

Or so it seems! The rumor mill suggests that Pava, as he is known at Come on You Spurs Futbol and here at Global Futbol, is going to fly to the UK and conclude a transfer to the club this week. It seems unlikely that he will be able to get a work permit by the weekend, to play against Chelski, but you never can tell.

For Spurs fans this is an important move for three reasons:

1. Generally we are a bit short up front - with the youth strikers deemed not quite ready for prime time we have only got one out and out striker who wants to play for us (Bent) and a terrific second striker in Dos Santos.

2. It gives us some breathing room re: Berbatov - sure we are willing to sell, but at a good price - if not he is in the reserves until his attitude improves. Frankly, this creates an incentive for Berby, if he stays, to get it together. We have strikers willing to play for us now.

3. Considering we will likely play one up top and one in the hole, suddenly our options are interesting - we can play Pava or Bent up front and play either Dos Santos or maybe Modric behind. Alternatively we have an option if we want to switch to 4-4-2 with 2 larger guys up top.

So this is a good move - now let's get rid of Berby!

Or so it seems! The rumor mill suggests that Pava, as he is known here at Come on You Spurs Futbol, is going to fly to the UK and conclude a transfer to the club this week. It seems unlikely that he will be able to get a work permit by the weekend, to play against Chelski, but you never can tell.

For Spurs fans this is an important move for three reasons:

1. Generally we are a bit short up front - with the youth strikers deemed not quite ready for prime time we have only got one out and out striker who wants to play for us (Bent) and a terrific second striker in Dos Santos.

2. It gives us some breathing room re: Berbatov - sure we are willing to sell, but at a good price - if not he is in the reserves until his attitude improves. Frankly, this creates an incentive for Berby, if he stays, to get it together. We have strikers willing to play for us now.

3. Considering we will likely play one up top and one in the hole, suddenly our options are interesting - we can play Pava or Bent up front and play either Dos Santos or maybe Modric behind. Alternatively we have an option if we want to switch to 4-4-2 with 2 larger guys up top.

So this is a good move - now let's get rid of Berby!

I have got to say that the club's higher ups do a lot right but still have the ability to frustrate me. Last summer we needed a covering central defender with some nous and failed to reel in Distin. This summer we needed a defensive midfielder and one more central defender and we have neither. We also needed to address the Berbatov situation which we have not.

We are going into the game with Chelsea in a weak position. This is a problem.

The club needs to make quick and aggressive moves this week to give us a chance to jump start the season:

1. Berbatov sold -- sell him to Barca for the money we paid for Dos Santos and Yaya Toure.

2. Podolski in - 12.5 mill should do it.

3. Buy veteran center back.

4. If we have time sell fringe players.

For goodness sake, let's get this squad balancing thing done!

This was an interesting set of quotes - thanks to Goal.Com and eleven a side.com:

Keane told eleven-a-side.com:

“If a player did not want to play for me, I know what I’d do – I’d drive him myself to wherever he wants to go just to get rid of him.” 

When told about Keane's quote Tottenham coach Ramos said:

“Roy Keane is a great manager and has been a great footballer, with a lot of experience, so that’s an interesting point of view. Yes, a very interesting point of view.” 

Despite the fact that I am a Spurs fan and therefore must cheer anyone playing Arsenal, I have been impressed with their approach to team building and the transfer window in recent years. Wenger has run the side well and has a net plus in cash spent over the last few years - not an easy thing to do.

However, I wonder whether this summer he may have pushed things a little too far. Arsenal lost a couple of key players in Flamini and Hleb. While I know that Nasri will probably end up filling the void left by Hleb, I wonder what moves Wenger will make to plug the gap left by Flamini.

To be honest, I think that there are a couple of players Wenger should have brought to Arsenal this summer - Kompany is one. The lad is a quality player and is a perfect fit at center back or at defensive midfield. In addition, I think that Wenger should have broken another one of his rules and sought to bring in someone with a bit of nouse --- a veteran to assist the younger players through tough times. Maybe Albelda could have played a good role for Arsenal or maybe even Rafa Marquez from Barcelona.

With a week to go in the transfer market Wenger needs to act - what do you think he will do? Will he try and sign Alonso from Pool? Or go for someone else over the age of 25? Or will he stick with his young kids, and perhaps look to add one more?

This was an interesting set of quotes - thanks to Goal.Com and eleven a side.com:

Keane told eleven-a-side.com:

“If a player did not want to play for me, I know what I’d do – I’d drive him myself to wherever he wants to go just to get rid of him.” 

When told about Keane's quote Tottenham coach Ramos said:

“Roy Keane is a great manager and has been a great footballer, with a lot of experience, so that’s an interesting point of view. Yes, a very interesting point of view.”