Too bad it's too late to see what impact Giggsy would have made running up the left side for England....
Updated: Sep. 1, 2005, 12:00 PM UK
FA receive FIFA guarantee over Team GB
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that a Great Britain football team will compete in the 2012 Olympics and their participation will not affect the home nations' separate representation on the game's world governing body.
Blatter said FIFA have given written guarantees that fielding a host British team will not interfere with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland maintaining their separate identities.
He told a media briefing in London: 'We have confirmed in writing that they have to provide a Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympics but the four British associations will not lose the rights and privileges acquired back in 1947.
'They will play with one team but it is up to them how they do it. It can be a mixed team, it can be from just one of the home nations, whatever they want to do.'
Scotland have been most reluctant to do anything that might compromise their separate position within FIFA but Blatter said he had reassured the Scottish FA on the issue.
Britain qualify automatically as Olympic hosts but it is unlikely there will be a British Olympic football team beyond 2012 because no united British team plays in the the European Under-21 championships which act as the qualifying tournament.
FA executive director David Davies welcomed Blatter's remarks.
Davies, the FA's representative on the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the head of a working group looking at ways of fielding a British team in 2012, said: 'What Mr Blatter has said is clearly welcomed by those of us who believe we have a positive contribution to make to football and the Olympics.
'We would hope people will be open-minded about this and certainly FIFA have made that position absolutely clear.
'We have had a working party looking at the options and we will come forward with those and see what is the best way to achieve unanimity.'
The Great Britain team is limited to players aged under-23 but three over-age players are allowed.
Scotland's reluctance to get involved may now change because Glasgow are bidding to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games and will need the support of the BOA.
