2011-12 soccer kits

[Saintsfan]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

That's not England, it's the Great Britain Olympic team. Not just football - they're wearing Adidas for all sports.

I don't know when it started, but they wore Adidas in Beijing:

EDIT: Looks like it started with the LA games in 1984:

The Great Britain Olympic team has been wearing adidas at summer games since at least 1984.

[aawagner011]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

That's not England, it's the Great Britain Olympic team. Not just football - they're wearing Adidas for all sports.

Ah, forgot that they competed as "Great Britain" rather than separately. Don't most countries just send one of their federation squads though?

Yes, that is generally the rule of thumb. It's a u-23 event with allowances for up to three overage players. This is because FIFA doesn't want the World Cup marginalized and needs it to remain the game's "premier" event. If Olympic soccer became a full fledged tournament of any age group, it would basically be a mini World Cup and thus the World Cup's claim as the main event could be harmed.

[Gothamite]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

That's not England, it's the Great Britain Olympic team. Not just football - they're wearing Adidas for all sports.

I don't know when it started, but they wore Adidas in Beijing:

EDIT: Looks like it started with the LA games in 1984:

The Great Britain Olympic team has been wearing adidas at summer games since at least 1984.

That's what I just said.

[Saintsfan]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

That's not England, it's the Great Britain Olympic team. Not just football - they're wearing Adidas for all sports.

I don't know when it started, but they wore Adidas in Beijing:

EDIT: Looks like it started with the LA games in 1984:

The Great Britain Olympic team has been wearing adidas at summer games since at least 1984.

That's what I just said.

Lol yeah didn't read your post closely enough!!

[Billy B]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

Yeah, there's certainly some controversy from it, especially from everybody that isn't England. Wales has pretty much come out and said that they don't support the united Olympic teams but Gareth Bale wants to and is going to play anyways.

[aawagner011]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

Yeah, there's certainly some controversy from it, especially from everybody that isn't England. Wales has pretty much come out and said that they don't support the united Olympic teams but Gareth Bale wants to and is going to play anyways.

Honestly, I see both sides of the argument. I agree with Wales that it could end up hurting them in the long run if they support the Great Britain squad. However, I also agree with Gareth Bale. If he wants to go out and play for what is being represented as his "country" at the Olympics, so be it. I think it is right for the other smaller countries to say they oppose the Team GB, but I also think it is ok for Bale to play for them if he so chooses. It's quite the dilemma, and one that I really hope never affects FIFA squads and their independence.

[Gothamite]

Actually, it looks as though Great Britain were wearing Adidas in Moscow:

[Sodboy13]

Actually, it looks as though Great Britain were wearing Adidas in Moscow:

Obvious Photoshop job. The Summer Olympics have never been in Moscow.

[Gothamite]

Obvious Photoshop job. The Summer Olympics have never been in Moscow.

Funny, they said the same about '84 in LA.

[Saintsfan]

Actually, it looks as though Great Britain were wearing Adidas in Moscow:

Note the non adidas shorts (thats a company called Bukta).

Also note the lack of logos on these tracksuits

And these vests

The best explanation I can come up with is that the BOA didn't supply olympic kit until 1984, and that the athletes wore kit supplied by the seperate sports on other occasions. The British track team seem to have supplied vests, and at some point there was a crossover between some other manufacturer (possibly bukta!) and adidas.

[Gothamite]

You could well be right.

[Mingjai]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

[MJWalker45]

FIFA already agreed a combined team at the Olympics wouldn't force them to play as Great Britain at Euros or World Cups. I'm pretty sure the bigger issue is they are afraid that if U23 players play on this team they could claim England as their home nation. Also, that the team would be mostly English players.

[RedSox44]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Was just wondering this. Seems almost offensive to the Northern Irish athletes on the team.

[aawagner011]

FIFA already agreed a combined team at the Olympics wouldn't force them to play as Great Britain at Euros or World Cups. I'm pretty sure the bigger issue is they are afraid that if U23 players play on this team they could claim England as their home nation. Also, that the team would be mostly English players.

Go check out some of Sepp Blatter's comments. He honestly has no clue and has claimed both sides of the argument. While I don't see it as an immediate threat, it is a problem that should be considered.

[MJWalker45]

The main issue is that soccer and rugby are pretty much the only sports that Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland don't play together.

[The Nation]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Was just wondering this. Seems almost offensive to the Northern Irish athletes on the team.

Don't worry, Johnny Evans should be representing NI in these games.

[spottedbadger]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Was just wondering this. Seems almost offensive to the Northern Irish athletes on the team.

Don't worry, Johnny Evans should be representing NI in these games.

he's 24 and I'm pretty sure they won't use one of the three exemptions on him. A lot of people think Ryan Giggs and David Beckham could take up two of those spots.

Great Britain Olympic kits:

I guess we now know why the England shirts were so red.

[Saintsfan]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Was just wondering this. Seems almost offensive to the Northern Irish athletes on the team.

Technically the team is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Although in some sports Northern Irishmen compete for Ireland. (Boxing is an example, Wayne McCullough competed for Ireland at the Barcelona Olympics and Northern Ireland in the 1994 Olympics).

[RedSox44]

Wait since when does England wear Adidas for soccer? Are we sure that's not rugby or something?

There's no such thing as "England" for the purposes of the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain is competing jointly (England, Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland) as one. This has been a point of controversy as the smaller nations feel as if their independence may be compromised in future international tournaments. Even Sepp Blatter (head of FIFA) can't decide how to react. He has both stated they should compete together and this will in no way affect their independent statuses and also said that there is the possibility that it could have negative consequences.

If the team includes Northern Ireland, then shouldn't the team be competing as the United Kingdom instead? Great Britain only includes England, Scotland, and Wales, hence the country's official name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Was just wondering this. Seems almost offensive to the Northern Irish athletes on the team.

Technically the team is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Although in some sports Northern Irishmen compete for Ireland. (Boxing is an example, Wayne McCullough competed for Ireland at the Barcelona Olympics and Northern Ireland in the 1994 Olympics).

Okay, that makes sense.