5:49am Tuesday 9th September 2008
By Sam Revell
SO Britain's Andy Murray was the first Brit to make it to the final of a grand slam since Greg Rusedski 11 years ago, making him the darling of the British media in Britain.
Britain Britain Britain. Sounds like Tom Baker introducing the start of TV programme Little Britain doesn't it?
But that's exactly what we hear whenever a Brit does well in sport.
Funny then, how when Andy Murray lost in first round of the Australian Open in January, he was the Scottish hothead, let-down, over-rated - many things, but most of all, very much the Scottish' Andy Murray.
Isn't it odd how a person's success can determine their nationality these days?
After all, there's been no quibbling about whether Scotland's Chris Hoy is British - but then he is the only British athlete to win three Olympic golds in one games.
It's fantastic that Andy Murray has achieved what he has, but what's been most striking - more so than his scintillating tennis - is the debate over his nationality.
One American commentator even called him "England's Andy Murray" before being swiftly corrected by his colleague.
Bournemouth's very own Virginia Wade was the last Briton to win a grand slam at Wimbledon in 1977, but despite being born in Dorset, she lived in South Africa until the age of 15.
So what dictates being British, or being able to represent Britain?
Being born in the country, living and growing up in the country? Being schooled here? Marrying a British partner?
It doesn't seem to matter. We're happy to welcome all and sundry to compete under the British banner, as long as they're winning.
The Canadian-born - and very much Canadian-sounding - Greg Rusedski was the last British man before Murray, to reach a major tennis final.
He lost to Pat Rafter at the 1997 US Open and has never been really British since.
The last British heavyweight champion of the world was Lennox Lewis.
But he represented Canada at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
The captain of the England cricket team and arguably the best batsman, is Kevin Pietersen.
Born in South Africa, raised in South Africa, plays cricket for England. But he's brilliant, so we don't care.
England's midfield football dynamo, Owen Hargreaves, was born in Canada, grew up in Germany and was eligible to represent Wales before making his England debut.
It seems the only arena where we're not happy to extend the hand of Britishness is football.
There's been much talk about a British team running out on to the pitch for the London Olympics.
The British Olympic Association have stated that a UK team will be formed to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
But the other countries that make up our great isle aren't so keen.
The Scottish Football Association say it will just be the England first XI with a few token additions from the other home nations - and that each country could end up losing their right to play as an individual nation in World Cups and European Championships.
Craig Gordon would be a potential British No 1 (although it probably doesn't actually matter who is in goal).
But now that Ryan Giggs has retired from international football, would any other non-English players make the first XI? Maybe not.
Maybe it's because football is one of the few sports where the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish get the chance to compete under their own flag.
On the other hand, a British team would have meant that Giggs, and George Best before him, wouldn't have missed out on the chance of showcasing their immense skills on the world stage.
Northern Ireland haven't qualified for a finals tournament since 1986. Surely their fans would relish the opportunity to support their team' abroad?
The idea of a multi-national team is by no means a new concept.
A UK team competed in the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1972, and a home nations team, competing under the name the United Kingdom' at the 1908 Summer Olympics, won the gold medal in the first official football tournament at the games.
It has been rumoured that Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been offered the job of coaching the British team.
I assume he'd be known as British' manager Sir Alex Ferguson if he accepts.
Unless of course we got knocked out in the first round - then he would go back to being Scottish.
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