JACK Straw advocates a United Kingdom football team in order that the home countries will collectively achieve more international success.

It is like saying: "Let's amalgamate Blackburn Rovers and Burnley FC in the hope that we can beat Manchester United."

Both are preposterous suggestions and totally unrealistic.

For more domestic success, I suggest Mr Straw has a word with his colleagues in education and sport for them to encourage youngsters to learn the game at school, with the appointment of dedicated and highly-qualified sports teachers (ex-footballers even).

We might then, in time, be able to field home-grown players in the football league instead of all the imported ones at present.

The spin-off will be stronger home sides and then perhaps England will not be embarrassed by the likes of Sweden again -- but may still fall foul of Scotland, of course.

The Home Secretary should stick to commenting about the problems arising from his day job and leave the more difficult footballing topics to the experts.

After all, where does the Member for Blackburn get his soccer knowledge from?

ALEXANDER GOW, Gowans Lane, Brindle, Chorley.