The World Cup

[Chilly McFreeze]

Proper squeeky bum time now isn't it? Can't really concentrate on anything at work, not really hungry, just want to get on with it and see how we do. 

Booked tickets for a big local venue with a massive screen because I kinda feel like the occasion demands it, but I think it might end up being a bit horrible with beer flying around everywhere and too many wrong 'uns. Although it's at least ticketed which should keep the worst of the 'lads' at bay. 

[Scott Malbranque]

What's worse is having to put up with the guts of 80% on this island sitting in the pub, wishing and willing ill on England while wearing jerseys adorned with Aon, Standard Chartered, Crown Paints, Dafabet and NTL, using their bottom lip to remove remnants of stout from their upper lip, while not speaking Irish/Gaelic.

 

 

 

 

[garynysmon]

31 minutes ago, Scott Malbranque said:

What's worse is having to put up with the guts of 80% on this island sitting in the pub, wishing and willing ill on England while wearing jerseys adorned with Aon, Standard Chartered, Crown Paints, Dafabet and NTL, using their bottom lip to remove remnants of stout from their upper lip, while not speaking Irish/Gaelic.

The Premier League has long become an international brand by now, not sure it can even be claimed as an English entity any more (other than geography).

[Scott Malbranque]

3 minutes ago, garynysmon said:

The Premier League has long become an international brand by now, not sure it can even be claimed as an English entity any more (other than geography).

The teams they support are geographically located in England, and are technically English clubs. At weekends during Premier League or cup games, they will cheer on - and with absolute unbridled passion - Rashford, Lingard, Young, Henderson (I actually know a chap with Hendersons number on the back of his Liverpool shirt, yet cheered when he missed his penalty against Colombia), Kane et al, and I find it the height of ignorance and hypocrisy that the majority of soccer fans on this island would cheer against them, show and voice disgusting, vehement hatred towards them and cause arguments with anybody who dare show positivity towards them.
It fucking sickens me.

[garynysmon]

Not to the same level perhaps, and there aren’t many Germans in the PL these days, but England fans don’t actively cheer against Germany?

[John Matrix]

1 hour ago, neil said:

As much as I've enjoyed the England team this world cup the braying "Three Lions" lot make me want England to lose on penalties today. All those cunts hanging out desperately waiting for the moment they can "go nuts" and throw beer all over the place can simply fuck off.

There is no greater joy in life than seeing this:

"I can't believe it mate...I'm proper cut up about this"

 

That said, would love to see England in the final obv.

I'm so glad to see this.  So many times on a number of platforms, i've gotten half way through writing something similar before realising i'm committing more time and energy to something that pisses me off, but these videos that have become 'the thing' post game now drive me fucking barmy.  

I don't believe for one second they are an organic/natural response, it's almost choreographed, and as for the fucking beer thing.  One from my city went viral during the Tunisia game, and I saw all these media outlets clamouring to use the footage on their pages, whilst i tutted to myself thinking 'twats'.

I had no interest in football heading into the tournament, and even less so in 'ENGERLAND', but, result after result, they've slowly won me over to the point I look forward to watching tonights game and am genuinely hoping they guys make it through (as opposed to apathy rather than wishing ill on the nations fortunes), but i'm with you entirely, i'd almost sacrifice it if it meant not giving credence to the behaviour of this lot.

In short, since having kids, I resent anyone with the energy to muster enthusiasm.

 

[Carbomb]

The thing about all the press bollocks is that, if we really want them to shut up about '66, or even just going overboard in general, it might actually be better for England to win it a couple more times. I get the impression there's a lot of insecurity from having only won one international trophy (and Le Tournoi), not to mention the fact that England have won it at all means there's an element of desperation to win it again and prove we're just as good as all those other nations who'd won it multiple times. Yes, France & Spain have won it once, but that's recent, plus they're still really good and have won more Euros than we have. The only other nation that appears to have a similar insecurity is Uruguay - my housemate is from there, and he was saying there's a tendency amongst Uruguayans to go overboard, because all their glory's in the past, and from an age when the World Cup wasn't as intense a competition. I don't know how true this is also, but he reckons it's also why Uruguay insist on keeping four stars on their insignia instead of two, because they're desperate to remind people they were FIFA World Champions twice at the Olympics before the World Cup got started.

If England did win it once or twice more, it might become less of a thing, and the press might stop going overboard about it.

[PunkStep]

16 minutes ago, garynysmon said:

Not to the same level perhaps, and there aren’t many Germans in the PL these days, but England fans don’t actively cheer against Germany?

Some of them absolutely do. Also during the last time we played them, you could clearly hear the 'two world wars and one world cup' chants breaking out. Some England fans certainly still have an anti-German sentiment.

The fans and media over here rejoiced when they crashed out in the group stages and although part of that you could attribute to celebrating the elimination of a strong potential opponent, the racism on Facebook was rife.

[Chest Rockwell]

Crying face-painted superfans at the end of a match is hilarious regardless. I don't think it matters what team they support, and don't see how it makes it any better when it's England-specific.

And yeah, the anti-German sentiment was really strong when they got knocked out. Not sure how you missed that one, CB. It always amuses me how hilariously one-sided that rivalry is. Germany couldn't give a toss about England because they've never really been a threat to them.

[Carbomb]

1 minute ago, Chest Rockwell said:

And yeah, the anti-German sentiment was really strong when they got knocked out. Not sure how you missed that one, CB. It always amuses me how hilariously one-sided that rivalry is. Germany couldn't give a toss about England because they've never really been a threat to them.

I know people are used to me being wrong, but that wasn't me this time.

 

You're right about the Germany "rivalry" - traditionally, the Germans' biggest rivals have been the Dutch.

[Chest Rockwell]

Ha! Sorry, my bad. That'll teach me to scan. (It won't).

[SuperBacon]

I was completely "I don't give a shit about England, as long as the Spurs lads play well" before this World Cup, as I'd given up a long time. I didn't want to support a team with Ashley fucking Cole in it, and just couldn't be arsed for along time. It was dog shit football.

But oh fuck me, how I want to see Harry Kane lift that trophy. Maybe it's the Spurs connection for me, maybe it's not, but it's been good to have most people happy about the team and the country for once, as after 2006 I swore I was done.

So impressed with Southgate in absolutely every respect. Reckon England will walk this. 3-1

[The Gaffer]

1 hour ago, Scott Malbranque said:

What's worse is having to put up with the guts of 80% on this island sitting in the pub, wishing and willing ill on England while wearing jerseys adorned with Aon, Standard Chartered, Crown Paints, Dafabet and NTL, using their bottom lip to remove remnants of stout from their upper lip, while not speaking Irish/Gaelic.

That's the other reason I'm going for England. It pisses off the absolute worst kind of barstoolers here. I see it as a bit of pantomime with a lot of people in my age bracket, but there's definitely a huge contingent over a certain age who just can't swallow seeing the English doing well at anything. You know... the kind of people who are really into Sinn Fein. The people who pretend to only be into the GAA. The people who feel like calling a referendum on Irish unity after they well up at that bit in Michael Collins where Liam Neeson gets the babyface pops doing promos in front of the townsfolk. 

They're probably off out now doing Bobby Sands murals on the side of chippers without a whiff of irony.  

[Devon Malcolm]

53 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I was completely "I don't give a shit about England, as long as the Spurs lads play well" before this World Cup, as I'd given up a long time.

I wondered if England going on a run would have me backing them for the first time since Waddle stuck it over the bar.

Nope.

[neil]

2 hours ago, PunkStep said:

Yeah I bet it's a nightmare having to put up with those drunken, vandal England fans over in...Boston MA. Imagine if you were back at Waltham Abbey instead!

It really is mate...the news reports of it alone make me shudder. I can only imagine what a state the Abbey is after these matches.