Former international Gallacher hopeful four Scottish players will make Team GB

By Tom Degun

June 19 – Former Scotland striker Kevin Gallacher, who scored nine goals in 53 appearances for his country, said he is hopeful that at least four Scottish players will represent the Team GB men’s team at the London 2012 Olympics.

The 45-year-old from Clydebank (pictured top), who played in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers as part of the title-winning side in 1995, is now an ambassador for Olympic football.

He admits that there is a perceived lack of interest in the tournament in Scotland, despite games being staged at Hampden Park in Glasgow, which is thought to be largely down to the fact that few Scottish players are expected to make the team.

At present, Wolverhamtpon Wanderers’ striker Steven Fletcher (pictured below) is the most prominent Scot vying for a place in Stuart Pearce’s squad and Gallacher is hopeful he will be joined by at least three more of his compatriots.

“I’m hoping we can get up to four players,” Gallacher told BBC Scotland.

“I know the last time we had Team GB in football, we had four amateur Scots players in there so I’m looking for that again.”

The Scottish Football Association (SFA), along with its Northern Irish and Welsh counterparts, has refused to be part of Team GB and has made it clear it does not want its players involved for fear of risking their countries’ separate identities within the parameters of world football.

However, it is unable to block the likes of Fletcher, currently out of favour with Scotland after a disagreement with head coach Craig Levein, from accepting an invitation to play.

“I can understand the circumstances because of the politics regarding the way things have come out in the last so many years for the four nations keeping their votes, and being separate and not wanting Team GB,” said Gallacher, who also played for Newcastle United, Coventry City and Dundee United during his playing career.

“I can understand that, but these are young guys who want nothing to do with the politics.

“They just want to play football – and if it means a chance to represent Team GB and get to the Olympics, and possibly win a gold medal, then that’s the way they are looking at it.”

Gallacher added: “We’ve had Scottish lads represent Team GB for years.

“We’ve had Andy Murray in the tennis; we’ve had Allan Wells and Liz McColgan in running.

“We’ve had these world champions in the past and we can hopefully get some more Scottish ones.”

None of the Team GB matches will be played at Hampden Park and three-quarters of the tickets for football at the venue are reportedly still unsold.

But Gallacher is excited that the venue (pictured above) will be hosting the men’s Group D matches featuring Honduras, Japan, Morocco and Spain, and the women’s Group C games involving Colombia, France, North Korea and the United States.

“To open up with the USA women’s side is fantastic because they are the ‘branding’ in women’s football and to have all their games at Hampden is magnificent,” he said.

“We’ve also got the Spanish under-23 men which is good as well as we get the chance to see their young players and see how their set-up that leads to the national side operates.

“There are South American sides that we don’t get to see a lot of, Honduras and nations like that, and I think that’s exciting to go and watch and be part of the Olympics.

“You’ve got Cardiff in Wales and Hampden in Scotland, and football in these cities is fantastic.

“They have brought it to Hampden because they know the crowds are massively into football.

“It is a chance to get your family out to take part in some of the Olympics.”

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734904702labto1734904702ofdlr1734904702owedi1734904702sni@n1734904702uged.1734904702mot1734904702