So England aren't going to Euro 2008 either. At least they went out with an English manager. I remember the English press championing Steve McClaren's case last year as opposed to a foreigner. Gary Lineker remarked on Middlesbrough's cup runs in 2006 that "England only play in cups". If only. In qualifying group E he actually did slightly better than the mid-table mediocrity he managed at club level. He was always bound to end in disappointment.
The marked thing for me about tonight's game was despite all the hype surrounding English football, technically the England team is inferior to so many other nations. Even after they equalised tonight, with near-on 100,000 English fans behind them at Wembley (a brief period when they weren't booing their own players or the opposition's national anthem), Croatia were still dictating the play. They looked so much more comfortable and natural on the ball.
Anyway, now we get to watch Euro 2008 with objective peace. Best of all, no Ian Wright on our screens, droning on about why his adoptive son is left out the squad/on the bench/not playing all that well.
UPDATE: McClaren has been sacked. It's said he will be entitled to £2.5m compensation. After so many of these type of cases, is it not allowed to have performance related contracts? I'm surprised there is not a clause saying "no qualification, no job".
Terrible match. Team did not perform. Why should McLaren be totally to blame what about the eejits on the field? Too worried about getting mud on their jerseys!!!
The man has a family and although I think the pay off is over the top, I think the way he is being blamed is unfair.
What about the FA? Perhaps they should be in the dock explaining why they held NFL football games, churning up the pitch just before a major game? Money, that's why. Well they will be losing out now....
Posted by: aineliva | 22 November 2007 at 05:53 PM
Oh and by the way, we were not all booing the oppo's national anthem, some of us were humming along.
As to the eejits that were, tone-deaf most of them, and a disgrace to their country.
Posted by: aineliva | 22 November 2007 at 05:57 PM
Ho ho ho, England out of Europe, ho ho ho!
And the best bit is always left until last - the look on the coupons of Alan Hanson, Scotland's Lord Haw-Haw, and Ian Wright back in the studio!
Sorry, I'm not one of these touchy-feely happy-clappy types when it comes to football.
The recent trend in the foreign-owned Scottish mass-media is to brainwash Scots into regarding England with more respect, and for Scots to show more maturity and be supportive of English national endeavours.
I am sorry but this is political correctness gone mad!
Football is probably last final bastion where it is socially acceptable to publicly take fun, pleasure and as much enjoyment as you can at the pain, suffering and discomfort of our fellow human beings ie rival fans. We give this privilege up at our peril!
Running-dog English imperialists, get it right up yeez!
ps
Some insight into the mind of English fans and English cultural imperialists -
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/thread/1195645016.html>Troops from occupying Iraq to parade around Wembley tonight.
MediaLens.org messege board
21 Nov 2007
and
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/thread/1195739172.html>England "exiled"...
MediaLens.org messege board
22 Nov 2007
Posted by: joe90 | 22 November 2007 at 11:10 PM
That you enjoy others pain at all times; and that you need to be "brain-washed" into having respect for your fellow humans, Joe9o is no suprise to me at all.
But then psychologists have known this for a long time. Sociopaths cannot empathise. Neither can they actually feel. But evidently they are really good typists!!!!
Good to see you mumbling and ranting again.
Posted by: aineliva | 23 November 2007 at 05:18 PM
Sociopaths cannot empathise
- Another classic from the irish psuedo-feminist dustbin of illogical homespun claptrap.
I am accused of the very charge our resident irish man-hating terrorist-lover is guilty of -
ie not being able to get the joke, or understand the fun involved in following and indulging in sport.
It would be futile explaining the literary devices I employed such as satire, bathos etc, to our resident man-hating terrorist-loving scumbag who likes nothing more than seeing me and my fellow contry-folk blown to bits by her beloved 'men of conscience'.
Anyone accusing others of being a 'sociopath' on the back of a literay squib, is obviously somebody with more than few pyschological problems themselves - that and the fact nobody takes any notice of them, they're so hopeless, and their need to resort to crudities in order to get attention.
Posted by: joe90 | 29 November 2007 at 02:08 PM
Literary Devices!!**?? one of your foremost "literary devices" then has been and remains that you continue to bully me in pretty much the same manner as would any tabloid journalist bully and stalk their prey.
You call me names and look for a response, because you feel ignored perhaps. Your bullying of me continues, and your male mysognistic behaviour is allowed. Its ok for you to make nasty and vile comments here, but when I have responded you come hunting like the member of the dog pack that you are.
You cannot see that the some of the protestors at Oxford, were actually terrorists, bullying others into silence. Why not let the idiots say their say and then demolish their arguments. That way people who might actually believe that these nutters BNP and Irving have something to say would actually learn how false these ideas are.
You are just another bully boy who has chosen a political arena that will allow you to stand in the street and scream your particular beliefs at people. I have rarely seen you actually engage in any debate on this blog. Debate, Joe, not rant.
But then I do not believe half of what you say. What I do believe is that you are a pretty well versed rabble rouser. You like to stir the waters and stand back and watch the scrap. You absolutely love to have a go at people, and you don't have anything verging on a human side, you have forgotten your ability to be compassionate. And so you spend your time baiting, and bullying people.
Satire, since when did your lot employ satire.
It is you and people like you who destroy liberty, because you really do believe we all have to be on the same hymn sheet, Stalinst hymns of course Joe.
So rant and rave, and call me names Joe. Then everyone can see you are the Bully for Freedom.
Anyone for satire, along the lines of Swift's, lets see.
Posted by: aineliva | 01 December 2007 at 09:22 AM
I don't know,
some people take football far too seriously.
Satire, since when did your lot employ satire.
- My lot employ satire all the time, especially against your lot, or hadn't your lot of imaginary friends ever noticed?
Posted by: joe90 | 02 December 2007 at 08:56 PM