To those reading this who know me, that will come as no shock whatsoever...but the reason I am making this declaration tonight stems from the Internationals that took place last weekend.
Prior to the friendly at Wembley (that rhymes. Ish.) between England and Spain, I was genuinely hoping for a monumental thrashing of England. My reaction when reading the match report was actual, real disappointment bordering on despair - not only had we* won but Lampard had scored.
* With what is about to follow in this article, perhaps I should refrain from using 'we' when referring to England...
The reason for my treacherous feelings was, I told myself, to prevent another tabloid-driven hype bandwagon about the standing and prospects of the Three Lions. Every tournament that I can remember has commenced with many people - annoyingly usually myself included - getting swept up with the possibility that this just might be England's time. The inevitable failure has landed at various points along the spectrum from heroic what could have been's (90, 96) to abject why did you even bother's (00,10). The one constant though is that we have never won any of these tournaments, nor, with 90 and 96 excepted (21 and 15 years ago so the argument is valid) have we even reached the last four.
Based on the average FIFA ranking that England have held over this period, this is not a bad performance; indeed it is precisely what should be expected. Finishing in the quarter finals meant we exited with three other teams - some clearly lower than us, but often at our general level. With the exception of arguably Turkey and South Korea in 02, and maybe Greece in 04, I struggle to think of a semi finalist in any of England's tournaments that you would realistically have us down as absolute favourites to beat. Furthermore, our historic pedigree is such that we should not consider our chances as equal to those with far more in the trophy cupboard than our solitary yet wonderful Jules Rimet, still gleaming, 45 years on. Germany, Italy, Brazil, they all have far more experience in winning international tournaments, and whilst the players of the 30's or 70's have nothing to do with the Italians of 2006, that legacy surely plays some part in the belief, a subconscious realisation that this is highly possible: it's what we do as Italians/Germans/Brazilians. The one star on the England shirt arguably its there as a little anomaly: blimey lads, we actually won one of these things once!
Despite all of this, it is inevitable that people will convince themselves that this one is the one we are finally going to get it together for.
Since 2010, having played so criminally below expectation and ability, I had a feeling that this hype was actually starting to be checked. Sage minds in the press, even the tubthumping tabloids, acknowledged that we were not at the top table, and clearly were light years behind the all conquering Spanish. Other teams: the Dutch, Italians, French and Germans, were rightly heralded as stronger opponents with a greater chance of success in 2012 than our own team. Even Montenegro, having made a bright start to their qualifying, were given a level of respect and almost fear that would previously been nothing but scorn, ridicule and who-are-ya's. With that in mind, the last thing the movement needed was a win against the best team in the world, the current World and European champions, purveyors of the tiki-taka playing style that many purists find the most beautiful style of the game; a style to which England can only dream given their technical limitations. However, win England did, with a resolute defensive display and a clinical taking of one of the very few chances that the game yielded. Spain could and probably should have won the game with chances at the end, but they didn't and we won. Dig out the St Georges cross gear, slap Vindaloo on and rev up the bandwagon, we're the best in the world again!
It's not just that though. OK, I could say that I didn't want England to win because I was sick of the hype and would prefer for us all to go into a tournament with realistic expectations and that little dash of hope that you should always be entitled to. But if you cast your mind back to the start of the article, I didn't just say that I wanted England to lose. I said I wanted England to get thrashed.
Honestly, I actually wanted this result to be 7-0 or something as harrowing and brutal as that. An unavoidable eye-opener for us to ensure we know that we should not go round expecting to beat everyone, No Surrender, Rule Britannia and all that. Having reflected on why I would think that, it has dawned on me that still, even after all this time, I am angry with England.
The World Cup in 2010 should have been the trip of a lifetime, the chance to see England play in a World Cup match as the absolute pinnacle of my life as a fan so far. The dismal showing from England throughout the tournament was pathetic, lifeless, and dull - with so few highlights you could play them over the credits at the end of Simpsons and still be done before the woman shushes you. The nadir was the game I attended, against Algeria. I think, of the 19 World Cup games England have played since 1990, I was at the worst one. At least the defeats have always included a goal to celebrate, and more often than not some excitement. I found the Algeria game actually heartbreaking...what meant so much to me was being diminished by the second before my eyes and if it wasn't for Fatboy Slim live that night, I may well have done a Roebuck.
The continued presence in the team of the majority of those players, players who in my opinion have presided over nothing but failure and should be moved aside (looking at you JT and Lamps) only serves to keep that memory fresh, and the pain tangible. Furthermore, I don't know these people personally so can only go from the side of them which you see, but I hate most of them. I would not want to go for a pint with the majority of that 2010 England team, too many of them are, to me, scumbags. Maybe if our players seemed like more decent blokes then it would be easier to love the team again - and the presence of Hart, Jagielka, Walcott, Johnson (A), and the man who should be captain, Scott Parker is certainly a good start.
I have tried to get over it, but I just can't. The disappointment of that night remains with me, and I want them to know. They can't know, so I want them to suffer. At the moment, it seems like all the old players are going to remain in the squad, although hopefully this win will not mean the return of the same old nonsense about our chances.
I fully expect that when Euro 2012 rolls around, I will be absolutely 100% behind England, of course I will. I just think if the team had a younger, fresher look to it, without the usual suspects, that transition from my current hatred will be so much easier.
I don't want Sweden to win tonight, I don't want us to have a disastrous Euro's, and I would love so much if we could provide some excitement and maybe get to a quarter final or even with a good dose of luck, semi final. That would make me proud to be an England fan, which, right now, I'm just not. Am I alone?
The reason for my treacherous feelings was, I told myself, to prevent another tabloid-driven hype bandwagon about the standing and prospects of the Three Lions. Every tournament that I can remember has commenced with many people - annoyingly usually myself included - getting swept up with the possibility that this just might be England's time. The inevitable failure has landed at various points along the spectrum from heroic what could have been's (90, 96) to abject why did you even bother's (00,10). The one constant though is that we have never won any of these tournaments, nor, with 90 and 96 excepted (21 and 15 years ago so the argument is valid) have we even reached the last four.
Based on the average FIFA ranking that England have held over this period, this is not a bad performance; indeed it is precisely what should be expected. Finishing in the quarter finals meant we exited with three other teams - some clearly lower than us, but often at our general level. With the exception of arguably Turkey and South Korea in 02, and maybe Greece in 04, I struggle to think of a semi finalist in any of England's tournaments that you would realistically have us down as absolute favourites to beat. Furthermore, our historic pedigree is such that we should not consider our chances as equal to those with far more in the trophy cupboard than our solitary yet wonderful Jules Rimet, still gleaming, 45 years on. Germany, Italy, Brazil, they all have far more experience in winning international tournaments, and whilst the players of the 30's or 70's have nothing to do with the Italians of 2006, that legacy surely plays some part in the belief, a subconscious realisation that this is highly possible: it's what we do as Italians/Germans/Brazilians. The one star on the England shirt arguably its there as a little anomaly: blimey lads, we actually won one of these things once!
Despite all of this, it is inevitable that people will convince themselves that this one is the one we are finally going to get it together for.
Since 2010, having played so criminally below expectation and ability, I had a feeling that this hype was actually starting to be checked. Sage minds in the press, even the tubthumping tabloids, acknowledged that we were not at the top table, and clearly were light years behind the all conquering Spanish. Other teams: the Dutch, Italians, French and Germans, were rightly heralded as stronger opponents with a greater chance of success in 2012 than our own team. Even Montenegro, having made a bright start to their qualifying, were given a level of respect and almost fear that would previously been nothing but scorn, ridicule and who-are-ya's. With that in mind, the last thing the movement needed was a win against the best team in the world, the current World and European champions, purveyors of the tiki-taka playing style that many purists find the most beautiful style of the game; a style to which England can only dream given their technical limitations. However, win England did, with a resolute defensive display and a clinical taking of one of the very few chances that the game yielded. Spain could and probably should have won the game with chances at the end, but they didn't and we won. Dig out the St Georges cross gear, slap Vindaloo on and rev up the bandwagon, we're the best in the world again!
It's not just that though. OK, I could say that I didn't want England to win because I was sick of the hype and would prefer for us all to go into a tournament with realistic expectations and that little dash of hope that you should always be entitled to. But if you cast your mind back to the start of the article, I didn't just say that I wanted England to lose. I said I wanted England to get thrashed.
Honestly, I actually wanted this result to be 7-0 or something as harrowing and brutal as that. An unavoidable eye-opener for us to ensure we know that we should not go round expecting to beat everyone, No Surrender, Rule Britannia and all that. Having reflected on why I would think that, it has dawned on me that still, even after all this time, I am angry with England.
The World Cup in 2010 should have been the trip of a lifetime, the chance to see England play in a World Cup match as the absolute pinnacle of my life as a fan so far. The dismal showing from England throughout the tournament was pathetic, lifeless, and dull - with so few highlights you could play them over the credits at the end of Simpsons and still be done before the woman shushes you. The nadir was the game I attended, against Algeria. I think, of the 19 World Cup games England have played since 1990, I was at the worst one. At least the defeats have always included a goal to celebrate, and more often than not some excitement. I found the Algeria game actually heartbreaking...what meant so much to me was being diminished by the second before my eyes and if it wasn't for Fatboy Slim live that night, I may well have done a Roebuck.
The continued presence in the team of the majority of those players, players who in my opinion have presided over nothing but failure and should be moved aside (looking at you JT and Lamps) only serves to keep that memory fresh, and the pain tangible. Furthermore, I don't know these people personally so can only go from the side of them which you see, but I hate most of them. I would not want to go for a pint with the majority of that 2010 England team, too many of them are, to me, scumbags. Maybe if our players seemed like more decent blokes then it would be easier to love the team again - and the presence of Hart, Jagielka, Walcott, Johnson (A), and the man who should be captain, Scott Parker is certainly a good start.
I have tried to get over it, but I just can't. The disappointment of that night remains with me, and I want them to know. They can't know, so I want them to suffer. At the moment, it seems like all the old players are going to remain in the squad, although hopefully this win will not mean the return of the same old nonsense about our chances.
I fully expect that when Euro 2012 rolls around, I will be absolutely 100% behind England, of course I will. I just think if the team had a younger, fresher look to it, without the usual suspects, that transition from my current hatred will be so much easier.
I don't want Sweden to win tonight, I don't want us to have a disastrous Euro's, and I would love so much if we could provide some excitement and maybe get to a quarter final or even with a good dose of luck, semi final. That would make me proud to be an England fan, which, right now, I'm just not. Am I alone?
No comments:
Post a Comment