Craig Gordon yesterday became the first player within the Scotland set-up to break rank and voice his support for a British football team at the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Scottish Football Association, along with their Welsh counterparts, have already expressed their concerns over a home nations team lining up at the London Games. However, both England and Northern Ireland are still pushing ahead with plans for an Under-23 British side, which would include three overage players.
The Scottish FA had asked for written assurances from Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, that taking part would not affect the four football associations' separate identity in the world game. Despite encouragement from FIFA, the fear still exists that any successor to Blatter would not share the same view in 2012.
But Gordon, the Scotland and Sunderland No.1, has revealed that he has no such problems about backing a bid. "I don't see any reason why not," he admitted.
"There are difficulties with the different football associations in Britain, but I don't see any reason why that can't be overcome. The team would be dominated by English players, but there would be a few others in there. It would be a good team."
Gordon, the most expensive goalkeeper in Britain after his £9m transfer from Hearts to Sunderland, was voicing his views on a question and answer webchat, in which he also backed plans to bring in goalline technology.
With testing currently taking place over the effectiveness of installing equipment at stadiums to determine whether a ball has crossed the goalline, the 24-year-old goalkeeper added: "I don't mind.
I think it would cut out a lot of the controversy. It wouldn't bother me if they introduced it - if the ball is over the line it is a goal."
Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, has already made it clear that he believes Gordon was a bargain buy, but the Scot admitted he has to put the hefty price-tag out of his mind.
"I get asked a lot about the fee and I really don't think about it. There's no point," he added. "You've got to do your job regardless of how much anyone has paid for you.
"I'm aware it is a lot of money, but I can't concern myself with it. I need to concentrate on the job."
Gordon also followed his club manager's recent support for Sunderland team-mate Ross Wallace, and admitted the winger deserves a call-up into Alex McLeish's Scotland squad for the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers.
"I think he will be close," said Gordon. "If he continues to play in the first team here and continues to do well, there's no reason why he can't get in. There is competition for that spot but I think he must be getting very close."
With Scotland sitting top of Group B ahead of the qualifier at Hampden against Ukraine on October 13 and game against Georgia four days later, Gordon is quietly confident that a berth in the finals in Austria and Switzerland next summer can be secured.
"It will be tough but we will give it our best shot," said the Scotland No.1. "We have three games left and we need seven points. We have home games against Ukraine and Italy and they reckon we could sell 150,000 tickets for each of them."
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