Read: After World Cup bronze, GB’s Deaf footballers deserve some basic support (The Independent)

It’s an interesting article to read, and I do sympathise greatly with the lack of funding, but at the same time, it must be said that the article doesn’t provide the full picture of what’s happening with deaf football in the UK.

During a recent clear out, I came across a book called ‘Deaf United’ which I purchased several years ago, it provided a remarkable insight in deaf football, and it was in a healthy state back in the old days.

Although it was a yo-yo process within the last ten years, and you’ve had well known deaf footballers announcing on how Deaf Football can play an important part in Deaf people’s lives and I agree with that statement totally.

I must admit that I’m greatly disappointed reading this sentence from the article “That’s because if the Scots and Welsh split away they won’t be able to sustain a side. Their numbers and infrastructure are not substantial enough.”

I thought that it was an absolutely ridiculous thing to say because in Scotland, they have their own Deaf national teams such as the 2010 World Championship winning golf team.

The Scottish Deaf National team played against the European Deaf Football Championship holder, France back in 2009 – http://youtu.be/OpzKWqfYsJ8 holding them to a draw.

It was under a Deaf manager interestingly enough, and that’s a part of the situation in the UK for Deaf football.

There was a huge interest in developing an FA funded England Deaf team, but it would be on the FA’s terms as providing a manager from their book instead of perhaps the GB’s current manager as he has proved himself to be a success.

The UKDS’ attitude based on a debate filmed via the BSL Zone’s Deaf Hub is that ‘non-deaf’ coach is the way forward in the development of Deaf Sports in the UK.

Interestingly enough, as the UKDS are funded by Sport England, and they recognise football / futsal through the FA – http://www.sportengland.org/our-work/national-work/national-governing-bodies/sports-that-we-recognise/ and they recognise disability sport via UKDS, and when the UKDS obtains funding from Sport England, and you automatically think about Scotland in terms of funding and development as Sport is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

It will probably be extremely difficult for the GB’s football team ever to receive funding, I would hope that the UKDS will start lobbying the home nationals football association to use Deaf managers, and to provide players or former players with a flexible route in obtaining the relevant qualification.

There has been a wee blip of interest in Deaf football in Scotland again, thanks to some of the grassroots work being done, and if Deaf Football is to be a way of keeping Deaf people a part of the Deaf Community, then we must take a different attitude to reverse the situation in Scotland.

There seems to be a confusion on the criteria of a GB football team, as England entered the Deaf World Cup in 2008 – http://www.rsssf.com/tablesd/deafchamps.html but it has gone back to being a GB team once again.

I must stress that I have the highest respect for all players and the management involved in the GB set up, but my concern for the future of Scottish Deaf Football is much more important to me and I’m sure with others too.

If we are ever to see a healthier balance in the Home Nations’ football teams and it only can mean further success in future Deaflympics perhaps.

And not to deny Deaf involvement in any sporting team from the top to the bottom.