Chapel House Motor Company Limited Advertising Banner
Page 5 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast
Results 101 to 125 of 171

Thread: 2010 World Cup

  1. #101
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    For a start, you seem to try and paint the picture that such patriotism is simply a trait of this country. I have news for you, it happens everywhere; In Italy, in Germany, in France, in Nigeria and in North Korea; and who will ever forget Scotland in 1978? People get excited, they have hopes rather than expectations. What the hell is wrong with that? The papers want to sell copies so what do you expect them to do, say "oh bloody hell, we've no chance and we might as well not turn up".

    Every country's coverage will be biased. Of course it bloody is. It's ridiculous not to expect it to be biased to England when it's broadcast by English people for English people.

    Everyone knows we are not a great side but that doesn't stop the nation hoping and why should it?

    That said, why wouldn't there have been a little hype before the tournament? Over the past two years, only Spain and Brazil had demonstrated better form. Again, though, most of the hype was based on hope rather than expectation.

    Over the last few months, it's become increasingly obvious that every time someone demonstrates a bit of hope, you fail to be able to interpret it correctly and wrongly miscontrue it to be expectation and arrogance.
    I expect hype and of course the media are a major part of it, I just feel that people should be realistic. Its 20 yrs ago since they made a semi-final of a competition, and have been failures ever since. 5 World Cups have taken place since then, and they have not even qualified for one of those. Everyone needs a reality check. Blobby states that England raise it against the big boys? 98- Drew with Argentina, 02- Beaten by Brazil, 06- Drew with Portugal.

    Dress it up how you like, but 1 semi final in the last 20 yrs is awful. I dont give a toss what the media say. I know exactly what their role is, thats not my concern, I say it how I feel.

  2. #102
    Starting A Programme Collection
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    511
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    I expect hype and of course the media are a major part of it, I just feel that people should be realistic. Its 20 yrs ago since they made a semi-final of a competition, and have been failures ever since. 5 World Cups have taken place since then, and they have not even qualified for one of those. Everyone needs a reality check. Blobby states that England raise it against the big boys? 98- Drew with Argentina, 02- Beaten by Brazil, 06- Drew with Portugal.

    Dress it up how you like, but 1 semi final in the last 20 yrs is awful. I dont give a toss what the media say. I know exactly what their role is, thats not my concern, I say it how I feel.
    why did you not mention 2002 beat argentina? do you only remember the defeats?

  3. #103
    In The West Stand
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    5,101
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dazza View Post
    why did you not mention 2002 beat argentina? do you only remember the defeats?
    No, we remember the knockout games that matter. Beating the Argies in 02 was a big game and that is just 1 example of where we have raised our game against the big boys. A typical tournament for England (both Euro's and WC) goes like this. Play in a reasonably easy group, scrape through, get through a knockout round as long as its against someone like Denmak, Sweeden and other teams of that calibre, play a big boy and go out at the first opportunity.

    Euro 96, on home soil was one exception when we did Spain in the knockout, after that france 98 (first knock out round to the Argies), Euro 2000 didnt get out of the group (because we were up against these big boys that we raise our game for ), 2002 world cup we get out the group, bully Denmark in the first knockout round then get done by the big boys Brazil. Euro 2004 out first knockout round against Portugal...another big boy we raise our game against. (beat by big boys france in the groups but managed to bully the swiss and coats everywhere).... World cup 2006 we managed to get through the groups against the mighty Tinadad and Tobago, Sweden and Paraguay, beat the no marks Ecuador in the first round knockout and then when we play a big boy, Portugal....guess what....knocked out.
    Euro 98 we didnt qualify for.


    So yeah, I can see how we should have confidence against these big boys that we raise our game against. In 15 years we have done the Argies in a group game and the spanish in a knockout. End of.

  4. #104
    Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    10,178
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by johnnyl View Post
    No, we remember the knockout games that matter. Beating the Argies in 02 was a big game and that is just 1 example of where we have raised our game against the big boys. A typical tournament for England (both Euro's and WC) goes like this. Play in a reasonably easy group, scrape through, get through a knockout round as long as its against someone like Denmak, Sweeden and other teams of that calibre, play a big boy and go out at the first opportunity.

    Euro 96, on home soil was one exception when we did Spain in the knockout, after that france 98 (first knock out round to the Argies), Euro 2000 didnt get out of the group (because we were up against these big boys that we raise our game for ), 2002 world cup we get out the group, bully Denmark in the first knockout round then get done by the big boys Brazil. Euro 2004 out first knockout round against Portugal...another big boy we raise our game against. (beat by big boys france in the groups but managed to bully the swiss and coats everywhere).... World cup 2006 we managed to get through the groups against the mighty Tinadad and Tobago, Sweden and Paraguay, beat the no marks Ecuador in the first round knockout and then when we play a big boy, Portugal....guess what....knocked out.
    Euro 98 we didnt qualify for.


    So yeah, I can see how we should have confidence against these big boys that we raise our game against. In 15 years we have done the Argies in a group game and the spanish in a knockout. End of.

    Going out on penalties doesnt show anything other than the opposition were luckier on the day in the shootout. Surely the facts speak for themselves, if we have drawn with Portugal twice/Argentina etc we have obviously raised our game to match them. So if we were as bad as you make out we would be getting beat and sent home without penalties.

    The only side I remember actually knocking us out is Brazil (in knockout games)

    Also in 2004, we beat Germany and lost to Portugal/Romania - so again we raised our game against the biggest side we played.

    I think England just match the opposition, no matter who it is

  5. #105
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Going out on penalties continually cannot be described as unlucky. Once maybe, but more than that and its a lack of mental strength and an element of bottling it. Podolski's miss in this WC was the first penalty missed in the World Cup in God knows how long. Some other nations just handle it. We don't and that as the Fat Spanish Waiter would say- is a fact.

  6. #106
    Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    10,178
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    Going out on penalties continually cannot be described as unlucky. Once maybe, but more than that and its a lack of mental strength and an element of bottling it. Podolski's miss in this WC was the first penalty missed in the World Cup in God knows how long. Some other nations just handle it. We don't and that as the Fat Spanish Waiter would say- is a fact.
    That may be right but still doesnt disprove the fact that we raise our game against bigger nations

  7. #107
    In The West Stand
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    5,101
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    Going out on penalties doesnt show anything other than the opposition were luckier on the day in the shootout. Surely the facts speak for themselves, if we have drawn with Portugal twice/Argentina etc we have obviously raised our game to match them. So if we were as bad as you make out we would be getting beat and sent home without penalties.

    The only side I remember actually knocking us out is Brazil (in knockout games)

    Also in 2004, we beat Germany and lost to Portugal/Romania - so again we raised our game against the biggest side we played.

    I think England just match the opposition, no matter who it is
    Keep being in denial then The facts are the same. Every big team we meet puts us out. That isnt bad luck. As for your comments on the group of death this again is irrelevant as the facts are that we did not make it through this group. Beating Germany as a result was moot.



    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    The only side I remember actually knocking us out is Brazil (in knockout games)
    No.

    In knockout games we have been knocked out by Brazil, Argentina, Portugal ( a number of times) and Germany but we did manage to do Denmark and Ecuador. Go team England.

    Sadly, come Sunday it will be yet another stat like the above against us. I hope Im wrong and Im sure reacher does too and feel free to take the **** out of us if the result goes our way as I wont care anyway. That said, I am a realist.

  8. #108
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    That may be right but still doesnt disprove the fact that we raise our game against bigger nations
    Yes but then so does everyone else. New Zealand have done so at the World Cup this year. Premier League teams do it, so too do SL teams, its not a trait generic to Ingurland.

  9. #109
    In The West Stand
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    5,101
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    That may be right but still doesnt disprove the fact that we raise our game against bigger nations
    Ok then, the comment that I think Blobby made about us raising our game is correct. However it is also correct to say that we dont raise it enough, hence why we lose when it matters against the big sides.

  10. #110
    Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    10,178
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    Yes but then so does everyone else. New Zealand have done so at the World Cup this year. Premier League teams do it, so too do SL teams, its not a trait generic to Ingurland.
    To an extent I agree, but the post I read was making out that we have massively let the nation down repeatedly when going out on penalties for me is no disgrace. Somebody has to lose, just a shame it always seems to be us

  11. #111
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    To an extent I agree, but the post I read was making out that we have massively let the nation down repeatedly when going out on penalties for me is no disgrace. Somebody has to lose, just a shame it always seems to be us
    I will be happy if England win on Sunday. Admittedly I won't have the same crushing feeling if they lose, as when Saints have lost the 3 GF's or Utd go out of the CL etc, but I am English and of all the nations in the WC, I obviously want England to win. There are just so many factors that conspire to make me dislike the football team. I can't shake that, no matter how much I try and if its any consolation, my mates argue with me also.

    I know football is the national sport, but for other sports where England compete, there is just nowhere near the hype and bulls**t that surrounds the team. Because we invented the game, some people feel we have a God given right to win it. Am still waiting for the xenophobic headlines yet in the tabloids. 2 days to go and not a mention yet of the War, or a16 page souvenir pull out complete with paper English flag to cut out and display in windows. I can't explain why I hate that, and I know I am going off at a tangent a little here, so I apologise for that!!

  12. #112
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Macclesfield
    Age
    46
    Posts
    8,428
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    I can't explain why I hate that, and I know I am going off at a tangent a little here, so I apologise for that!!
    Well, as we've discussed before I am exactly the same, I can't stand any of it. People develop irrational hatreds of countries they'd never heard of a month ago, it brings out a horrible side to a proportion of our population that makes me embarrased really. But, I just don't care about Englands results either way. I watch England games like a neutral these days, I'm happy enough for friends and family if they win but I have no emotion for it all anymore.

    My main gripe about this World Cup has been our TV media. Guys like Hansen, Lawrenson, Shearer et al are all being paid handsomely to basically do something we would all do for free, whilst getting a free holiday on top of it to boot. Yet despite the money they are paid and the time they have, not one of them has a clue about anything football related that doesn't exist in the Prem or upper echelons of the Champions League. Shearer wanted to be a Premier League manager yet proudly admits to not knowing a single player in several national teams. It's appalling that these men cast themselves as experts yet do zero homework and research into the competition. I can read an article for 10 minutes about each nation and know more about them than our TV experts. It is this 'Premier League is the be all and end all' attitude that gets on my nerves more than anything.

    It manifests itself in how our TV media don't care about anything else but the big players, and also in the way our newspapers hype us up because they truly believe that English players are better than everyone else because the Prem is God's greatest ever invention. Having spent more than brief amounts of time in Spain, France, Germany and Argentina and having read football newspapers and watched games in all of these countries I truly believe these countries have a vastly superior football media to us. Our media is terrible, relying on ex pro's who simply roll up to a studio in Cape Town and spout their opinions despite having no knowledge of at least half the players they are 'educating us' about.

  13. #113
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk DD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Newton-le-Willows; East Side of the Fence.
    Age
    51
    Posts
    12,863
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Once again, you all confuse hope and expectation. The two are totally different. Where is the evidence that the press believes our players to be better than they are? Alll they do is slag them off half of the time!! The nation's football fans hope; they do not neccesarily expect. So I really do not get what you are trying to say. As usual, someone comes on here with an agenda, picks on something someone says which has a tenuous connection, then turns it into the traditional liberal bollocks about jingoistic press and xenophobia.

    The facts are that the papers try to whip up a bit of enthusiasm and support. They do that in every country. It's not a uniquely English trait. IT'S A BIT OF FUN!

    Secondly, whether we were any good in 1990, 1998, 2002 etc has zero relevance to the team we have got now so what does past form count for? Did Spain have a right to trump themselves up pre-tournament or was there some miserable sod called Pedro on a Spanish forum saying "what right have we to have any hope because we have never beaten anyone at a past World Cup?"

    The form that we displayed, over a two year period, gave everyone that right to a little bit more hope than in previous years. No-one is being unrealistic, we were seen as one of the favourites in not only this country, but in Brazil, Argentina and Germany too.
    THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football

  14. #114
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Macclesfield
    Age
    46
    Posts
    8,428
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    No-one is being unrealistic, we were seen as one of the favourites in not only this country, but in Brazil, Argentina and Germany too.
    I couldn't agree more with that Dave, I thought with the draw England could have had with winning the Group that they should have made the Semi-Finals. There is no doubting that they have 3 or 4 genuinely World class players who can turn games. I have no issue with people thinking England can win games, what point is there in thinking otherwise? The World Cup is about dreams and hope after all, so don't misinterpret anything I say to be having a pop at any people who display such emotions.

    But there is a general attitude that if a player is great in our domestic league that he is then automatically better than others. Rooney has a good few weeks and people will tell me he's the best player in the World despite having no idea about what Messi, Kaka etc are doing at the same time. It is this side of it that I dislike, and our media really are crap in informing people of what is going on. You read L'Equipe in France or Ole in Argentina and its full of foreign league coverage. We're lucky if we get a page in the quality papers on a Monday.

    This then breeds a complete ignorance of the game outside of the Prem which leads some to believe we are the be all and end all, and our TV media do nothing to dispell this.

    As for Sunday, I see no reason why England won't win. Player for player they are probably a better set of players, Germany have a couple of injury worries and England should have more fans in the stadium. So why not? Of course, the most important factor is that England should be wearing Red shirts, and England always play better in red!

  15. #115
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    Once again, you all confuse hope and expectation. The two are totally different. Where is the evidence that the press believes our players to be better than they are? Alll they do is slag them off half of the time!! The nation's football fans hope; they do not neccesarily expect. So I really do not get what you are trying to say. As usual, someone comes on here with an agenda, picks on something someone says which has a tenuous connection, then turns it into the traditional liberal bollocks about jingoistic press and xenophobia.

    The facts are that the papers try to whip up a bit of enthusiasm and support. They do that in every country. It's not a uniquely English trait. IT'S A BIT OF FUN!

    Secondly, whether we were any good in 1990, 1998, 2002 etc has zero relevance to the team we have got now so what does past form count for? Did Spain have a right to trump themselves up pre-tournament or was there some miserable sod called Pedro on a Spanish forum saying "what right have we to have any hope because we have never beaten anyone at a past World Cup?"

    The form that we displayed, over a two year period, gave everyone that right to a little bit more hope than in previous years. No-one is being unrealistic, we were seen as one of the favourites in not only this country, but in Brazil, Argentina and Germany too.
    My point is that in no other sport is the frenzy built up as much. Cricket, Boxing, the Olympics are all on a different level. Yes the media whip up support but its totally different. I was as proud as anyone when we defeated the Aussies in the last 2 Ashes series at Cricket, but win on Sunday and it will merit a ripple of happiness as far as I am concerned.

    And of course there is a relevance of previous teams, as its a question of mentality. Spain have traditionally been known as chokers, but Euro 2008 has changed that because they won the trophy and are now seen as favourites. If you become known for going out against the big boys at previous tournaments, it becomes ingrained and is a label that is hard to shake off. You cant tell me that this does not manifest itself down to the players.

    Its similar to the record we have against Warrington in SL or that Leeds have with us in the last 3 GF's. Warrington have had many a different side over the years, some better than others, but they seem to have a hoodoo against us. If past form does not count, then why the bloody hell do they mention it continually and you had our resuts against them as your signature for ages!!

  16. #116
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk DD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Newton-le-Willows; East Side of the Fence.
    Age
    51
    Posts
    12,863
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    My point is that in no other sport is the frenzy built up as much. Cricket, Boxing, the Olympics are all on a different level. Yes the media whip up support but its totally different. I was as proud as anyone when we defeated the Aussies in the last 2 Ashes series at Cricket, but win on Sunday and it will merit a ripple of happiness as far as I am concerned.

    And of course there is a relevance of previous teams, as its a question of mentality. Spain have traditionally been known as chokers, but Euro 2008 has changed that because they won the trophy and are now seen as favourites. If you become known for going out against the big boys at previous tournaments, it becomes ingrained and is a label that is hard to shake off. You cant tell me that this does not manifest itself down to the players.

    Its similar to the record we have against Warrington in SL or that Leeds have with us in the last 3 GF's. Warrington have had many a different side over the years, some better than others, but they seem to have a hoodoo against us. If past form does not count, then why the bloody hell do they mention it continually and you had our resuts against them as your signature for ages!!
    But there always comes a point where you HOPE that run will end and you have a team that MIGHT well do it. That Warrington run will not go on for ever. England's might because we only get one chance every four years. The point remains the same though, just because we have lost before doesn't mean we will this time.

    Of course there is no similar frenzy in other sports. Only 10% of the people who are interested in the football World Cup give a shit about minority sports such as cricket and rah-rah. They are not sports that are as ingrained into the national or international psyche. There is only one team World Cup that actually encompasses 'the world'. Cricket and Rugby Union only have marginally more international kudos than Rugby League; no bugger in most of the world's countries have even heard of the sports.

    You can call us World 20-20 champions. In reality, it's the champions of a small percentage of the former British Empire.
    THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football

  17. #117
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk DD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Newton-le-Willows; East Side of the Fence.
    Age
    51
    Posts
    12,863
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gray77 View Post

    But there is a general attitude that if a player is great in our domestic league that he is then automatically better than others. Rooney has a good few weeks and people will tell me he's the best player in the World despite having no idea about what Messi, Kaka etc are doing at the same time. It is this side of it that I dislike, and our media really are crap in informing people of what is going on. You read L'Equipe in France or Ole in Argentina and its full of foreign league coverage. We're lucky if we get a page in the quality papers on a Monday.
    With the exception of Rooney, there is no person I have spoken to, no paper I have ever read, no pundit who I have listened to claims that our players are individually that good. Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard are actually rated higher abroad than they are here.

    L'Equipe is a French sports paper. We don't have one, but I read plenty of British football magazines that give plenty of coverage to foreign football and you can't say the likes of Sky don't do enough to teach the public about Spanish football and ESPN about Italian and German football.
    THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football

  18. #118
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Macclesfield
    Age
    46
    Posts
    8,428
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    L'Equipe is a French sports paper. We don't have one, but I read plenty of British football magazines that give plenty of coverage to foreign football and you can't say the likes of Sky don't do enough to teach the public about Spanish football and ESPN about Italian and German football.
    La Liga on Sky really became a big deal because of Beckham. Sky thought people would watch it because our most famous player was involved. The fact that they hadn't secured a deal to show it last season until the last week before the season shows how important it is to Sky. I think it would be hard for them to show a La Liga game without promoting Spanish football! But how many people really watch it? How many people over here base their opinions on Barca, Real etc on anything other than what they do in the CL?

    Remember the hype Sky gave to Messi after he destroyed Arsenal? Almost as if the boy never existed in the average English football fans mind until he was good enough to do well against a Prem team. If you really think the British football media is top notch when informing people of football outside the Prem then thats fine, but you have low standards IMO.

    My original complaint is not about what you or I know. We all have lives, jobs, families, commitments and for us all to know about what is going on across European and World football is unrealistic. But if a person like Hansen, Lawrenson et al is in S. Africa and earning tons for doing so then I expect to be educated by them. I expect them to know about the teams, I expect them to have watched video, read articles, phoned contacts etc so that they know about what is going on. To appear infront of a camera and tell me that they know nothing about Slovakia, Japan etc is appalling in my mind. What else do they have to do but find stuff out about the job they are there to do?

    Do we get people on the news talking about issues they have no idea about? If that happened we'd all wonder that the hell was going on. So why is it acceptable in the world of Football 'analysis'?

  19. #119
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk DD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Newton-le-Willows; East Side of the Fence.
    Age
    51
    Posts
    12,863
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gray77 View Post
    La Liga on Sky really became a big deal because of Beckham. Sky thought people would watch it because our most famous player was involved. The fact that they hadn't secured a deal to show it last season until the last week before the season shows how important it is to Sky. I think it would be hard for them to show a La Liga game without promoting Spanish football! But how many people really watch it? How many people over here base their opinions on Barca, Real etc on anything other than what they do in the CL?

    Remember the hype Sky gave to Messi after he destroyed Arsenal? Almost as if the boy never existed in the average English football fans mind until he was good enough to do well against a Prem team. If you really think the British football media is top notch when informing people of football outside the Prem then thats fine, but you have low standards IMO.

    My original complaint is not about what you or I know. We all have lives, jobs, families, commitments and for us all to know about what is going on across European and World football is unrealistic. But if a person like Hansen, Lawrenson et al is in S. Africa and earning tons for doing so then I expect to be educated by them. I expect them to know about the teams, I expect them to have watched video, read articles, phoned contacts etc so that they know about what is going on. To appear infront of a camera and tell me that they know nothing about Slovakia, Japan etc is appalling in my mind. What else do they have to do but find stuff out about the job they are there to do?

    Do we get people on the news talking about issues they have no idea about? If that happened we'd all wonder that the hell was going on. So why is it acceptable in the world of Football 'analysis'?
    Ok, fine, but what gets me and your legion of complainers is that you say all this as if it's unique to England. Do you think Jan Ceulemans in Belgium knows more about Slovakian football than Alan Hansen? Do you think Oleg Blokhin commentating for the Russian television is more clued up than Lee Dixon?

    If you are being honest, then no they don't. so what's your beef?

    In reality, you all bleat on about English xenophobia. Prove to me that you have not got inverted xenophobia, because that's the way it seems to me. If I said about German/Spanish/French people, what you say about us, a pound to a penny you would accuse me of being xenophobic.

    Do you think that your average pundit in Germany knows more about Slovakian football than ours? If so, give me evidence. If not, then what is your point?
    THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football

  20. #120
    really is sorry Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Wigan
    Age
    48
    Posts
    11,967
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    Ok, fine, but what gets me and your legion of complainers is that you say all this as if it's unique to England. Do you think Jan Ceulemans in Belgium knows more about Slovakian football than Alan Hansen? Do you think Oleg Blokhin commentating for the Russian television is more clued up than Lee Dixon?

    If you are being honest, then no they don't. so what's your beef?

    In reality, you all bleat on about English xenophobia. Prove to me that you have not got inverted xenophobia, because that's the way it seems to me. If I said about German/Spanish/French people, what you say about us, a pound to a penny you would accuse me of being xenophobic.

    Do you think that your average pundit in Germany knows more about Slovakian football than ours? If so, give me evidence. If not, then what is your point?
    Had you had a couple of scoops when you posted this David? A rather aggressive type of post if I may so. The truth is squire, that not everyone will agree with what you say. Forums are about opinions. On this particular thread, it appears that myself, Gray77, and JonnyL are in one corner and you and a couple of others are in the other.

    We are bound to concentrate on this country's media as its what we know. The tabloids are the gutter press and have previously stoked up bad feelings prior to massive games. Headlines referring to Wars and such like should be a no-no. I despise some of the little Ingurland chants of "2 World Wars and 1 World Cup" ad nauseum.

    And if we are comparing journalists, then I raise you Guillem Balague and Gabrielle Marcotti... I wonder who knows more about world football. I think thats Grays point. These journalists make it their business to know about World football and not the insular PL that we think is the best in the world and that everyone should fawn all over us. Graham Hunter is another excellent pundit. These three are streets ahead of anything we can offer.
    Last edited by Reacher; 26th June 2010 at 09:21.

  21. #121
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Macclesfield
    Age
    46
    Posts
    8,428
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    Ok, fine, but what gets me and your legion of complainers is that you say all this as if it's unique to England. Do you think Jan Ceulemans in Belgium knows more about Slovakian football than Alan Hansen? Do you think Oleg Blokhin commentating for the Russian television is more clued up than Lee Dixon?

    If you are being honest, then no they don't. so what's your beef?

    In reality, you all bleat on about English xenophobia. Prove to me that you have not got inverted xenophobia, because that's the way it seems to me. If I said about German/Spanish/French people, what you say about us, a pound to a penny you would accuse me of being xenophobic.

    Do you think that your average pundit in Germany knows more about Slovakian football than ours? If so, give me evidence. If not, then what is your point?
    Should it matter if someone on Dutch TV doesn't know either? When I turn on my TV I can only watch the World Cup on BBC & ITV, and the coverage on both is sub-par. I am saying that the analysts do a terrible job with informing me about the game and about the teams that aren't well known. If you offered me a hefty contract, plush Cape Town hotel and hours of free time to analyse the World Cup then I'd sure as hell do my homework on the teams that I'm there to cover.

    And I don't recall in any of my posts saying that you or anyone else was xenephobic, please correct me if I'm wrong. I accused people and our media of arrogance, ignorance and doing a crap job, but that doesn't equate to xenephobia. You are right, the chest out, beer swilling 'we hate Johnny Foreigner' mob that I see in London everytime England play exists in most countries, but that isn't what I'm talking about.

    I'll make my point again. I don't care if England win or lose, I harbour no animosity to England at all, I just don't get emotional about the national football team. My main gripe has been having to listen to well paid ex-pro's not doing their job properly and getting lots of money for basically nothing. It isn't right. If the same is happening in Holland, Japan etc then it is up to people there to gripe about them.

  22. #122
    In The South Stand
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    2,692
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    Well what a let down.I'm glad i didnt give up a minute of my time by deciding to watch England instead of doing something else.And to think some people were going to give up watching Saints in order to watch them lot.The best hotels,training facilities and salarys and we score a paltry 3 goals,struggle in the group and get walloped by the Germans.I really feel sorry for those football supporters who have gone to South Africa,Watched at home,in the pubs and had a genuine belief we would do well.We just aren't good enough

  23. #123
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    6,733
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Thank •••• that's over with. Hopefully life will get back to normal now!

  24. #124
    RedVee Admin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    LP SW Corner
    Posts
    10,029
    Rep Power
    10

    Default

    Can we close this now?

  25. #125
    Starting A Programme Collection Bainsey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    997
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Burn it along with the flags and the players!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •