Well, what a reading ! To place this in a global context, I have no idea if the situation in Belgium is better or worse, but I have the impression we have a very good team all together. Though not (yet) the same level, but that will come in time.

Continuing globally, I'm not that sure if the situation is any better overseas. It looks like Denmark has a good team, though all sponsored by different brands. Strange. Indonesia, their 1st XD couple now sponsored by Viktor. A few players left the national team (amongst them Olympic champions), then rejoined, then left, then sponsored by Superfly or something … That's not what I would call stable. Emerging powerhouse Thailand: their top MD split. Bodin is now playing another Thai, after he said to leave the national squad. Hmm… China seems to have a good and stable team. Korea too. Or at least, that's what we see.

But indeed you have a point. We have no Flemish or Wallon players, only Belgian players. And I hope it stays that way. I don't think a sports team is different than a company team. If all noses point in the same direction, then all goes smooth and results will follow. Having a golden team, is priceless. Like the 4x100m estafette: Bolt is never the 1st runner, because he starts too slow. But he can live with that. That's sports too, know what you're capabilities are and leave what others do better to them. Concentrate on what you do best.

Cheers, ED

A permanent Team GB seems unlikely as we are talking about different countries, not states or regions. If most other sports are anything to go by, athletes are proud of their country whether it be England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. Still, I can see the value in pooling resources but I don't think it will happen. Then there are the players' egos to contend with…the attitudes, the disagreements, the drop-outs, etc., which might be magnified.

I envy the Danes having such a great badminton infrastructure. I happened to play a league match against a Dane who was studying in England, and after a post-match chat I could see the difference in the set-up of each country is chalk and cheese (unfortunately for us in the UK).

I don't think creating a Team GB is the answer. It's more about widespread badminton education and promotion plus high level training and coaching. To compete with the likes of China these days will take some doing.

The uk has many good coaches like your selves ,,, there is plenty of young players to do GB proud so you guys keep up the good work , and make us a force to be recond with 😉

Interesting thread here, could do with it's own section on the website for things like this.

Anyway, one thing that came to mind whilst reading this, would creating a Team GB be a short term fix. Yes we could be doing or had done better over the last few years if we had join forces. BUT, how do you determine where the money comes from, should Scotland put in the same amount as England. Also, from what I've read before now, one of the main gripes was that most players trained in Milton Keynes. The problem is or was, that if you didn't train here, you technically weren't training with the best players in the country. Players that would push you to new levels (one reason why other countries will do better as there are more better players to practice against). So whilst you think you are training well and beating everything on sight, once to enter a international tournament, you soon find that you've got a long way to go! This is why Andrew Smith went abroad and train elsewhere. OK it hasn't made him into a Lin Dan mark II BUT he might not be the player he is today if he hadn't done so.

And funding players would be a big sticking point. I know players like Alistair Casey (Scottish Singles Player), used to own a nightclub and pubs (I think) and sold it all to fund his badminton career. Everyone has a different set of circumstances. 

As for the in fighting, well, you'll always get that. I think have the problem Robertson had with Blair was the fact that Blair was Scottish playing in the England team and could possibly beat Robertson! Maybe that wouldn't have flared up so much if it was a Team GB? Possibly, who knows.

But, I get your point and your ideas and do agree with them to an extent. But it would involve A LOT of work to organise and I know that Scottish Badminton setup is worse than England's (someone in a office position was using money to pay for a flat or something, and flights to tournaments). But it could work. Would I like it to work? Yes and no. Yes as it could improve British badminton now and for the future. And no, because of the English rose!  hahahaha

But forget the players a minute, you need to start at the top. How do you pick the structure for all the positions, and how does the funding work? And who would be willing enough to take the brave first step to such an idea? It could work though, it really could.

And Paul is right, Blair had to work his way back up the Scottish ladder again and wait about 3 years before he can play for Scotland again. Badminton England really did not help Blair in any way, and for that, I'm embarrassed. I know that you never know what goes on behind closed doors but…………………