UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL PROVES THAT BRITAIN IS VERY MUCH A UNITED KINGDOM, FOUR COUNTRIES AND NOT ONE

The Home Secretary (Interior Minister), Jack Straw, suggested recently that if the United Kingdom had one football team, instead of the four it currently has (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), “we might start winning games”. The result was a complete refusal by the English and Scottish Football Associations, stating that things were fine the way they are and that the fans would not welcome any change: A spokesman of the English F.A. said: “We are happy with the status quo and to be honest, I am not sure how it would go down with the football public”. This followed initial reports that Sir Alex Ferguson, the Scottish manager of the all-victorious Premier League Football Club, Manchester United, was being considered for the England manager’s job after Kevin Keegan resigned earlier this year. The English Supporters Association stated that if a Scot was appointed as the National Team manager, they would boycott the games. The Scottish F.A. had the same response for the idea: “It is a complete non-starter with no grounds of support whatsoever in Scotland”. So, a United Kingdom, not a United Country. John Ashtead, Pravda.Ru, London