[Albion] As you get older

[DJ NOBO]

As a young lad back in 86 when we lost to Argentina I cried my eyes out as a teen in 1990 when we lost to Germany took me weeks to get over it . Yet tonight just a shrug of the shoulders and don’t really care.

Just wondering if that is due to getting older or whether it’s just typical as like my grandad and then my Father did that as you get older you fall out of love with the game

It’s an age thing. Back then (we are similar ages), life was less complicated and football meant everything. Now we have to concern ourself with more (usually mundane) important stuff.
In a way I felt connected to my younger self when Kane directed his pen towards the car park. Very disappointed.
Emotionally connecting with the fortunes of your teams is a good thing.
I’d love to see Albion win a trophy, England win a tournament and Sussex win a game of cricket. It may never happen but I keep believing.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

About to turn 40 here. Currently in a popular location in Thailand on quick holiday and couldn’t be arsed to go out at 2am to watch so stayed in room with the Mrs. I used to be more passionate about England but since the blazer took over been very meh! It was creeping in beforehand to be fair but yeh.

I think the young squad who’ve won so much at various youth levels is very exciting but it takes a park manager tactical brain to get more players on the field and attack a bit as a team not just dump a fraction of the players on in a rigid system and leave them to it for 89 minutes whilst occasionally clapping any rare mistakes.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Definitely so, .. I don’t know if it is entirely an age thing but I have little interest in England these days. For me it coincided with Albion being in the Premiership.
When you see these players as opponents every week ,they are no longer the heroes they seemed before.
I can’t see Kane and not think of the way he manufactured a penalty against us ,. We criticise ‘sock boy’ all the time so why cheer him in a white shirt?
No , the image is dented , I just support Brighton.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not bothered at all mainly because I don’t follow any other team than Brighton and that includes England. I do enjoy the spectacle of the WC though and the last few games have been brilliant.

 

[BN41Albion]

Definitely don't feel the same giddyness/bitter disappointment as I used to, and the imbecilic vitriol from some (like on here) makes me laugh, especially when it's seemingly from fully grown adults with kids etc.

Having said that I still find it hard not mope around a bit the day after being knocked out thinking 'what if..'

 

[El Presidente]

Final whistle went, switched over and watched Happy Valley on iPlayer.

Couldn’t be arsed with the post-mortem.

 

[Icy Gull]

I go into tournaments expecting defeat once we come up against the top teams, unlike with the current Albion where I believe we can beat anyone on our day, whilst not expecting it.

I had no interest in this WC before it started but found the group stages the best I have ever seen, which was nice. England did better than I expected and we went out battling this time.

I have seen, as a kid, a World Cup win and I was also living in Germany at the time. It would be nice to see another tournament win before I die but I don’t expect to.

I am over an England exit in less than an hour, takes at least 24 of them before I am over most Albion defeats though

 

[bluenitsuj]

I didn't expect us to beat France so absolutely no shock or emotion. I shall be cheering on Argentina now

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Glad it’s not just me. That lack of engagement with England has been getting worse for years. Last night was the first full England game I’ve watched this tournament due to work and other activities. In my younger days I would have made sure I was able to watch them all.

At the end of the game, I didn’t bother with the post match and just passed the remote to Mrs DCH to put her stuff on while also feeling a little pleased about the bet I had on France to win the game.

 

[Perkino]

I lived through Sven and the golden generation. Where we had a top class talent in almost every position across the pitch. I did enter those tournaments with huge optimism but since then I've not expected anything as we've had a significantly weaker squad evey tournament since.

 

[southstandandy]

Yeah, same here. In all truth this applies to the Albion also. As you get older you do realise there are more important things in life and as much as we all love the game, it is only that - a game.

 

[Stat Brother]

For me it's just the inevitability of being let down by the England football team.

I still struggle when the Albion lose with a whimper, or to a 'lesser' team, partly because of the rollercoaster we share, it's not a rollercoaster with England.

Id imagine Herr Stat would be pretty upset with his national team, right now.
Mr Stat doesn't really give a fudge about his.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Definitely an age thing. I switched over on the final whistle. The result and outcome predictable. Well played England but fell at the first sterner test in the tournament.

However, my 21 and 17 year old sons were out with their mates, big nights out and probably strolled back in at 3am.

 

[portlock seagull]

Difficult to judge because this WC has been wrong on every level.

Final whistle went, switched over and watched Happy Valley on iPlayer.

Couldn’t be arsed with the post-mortem.

Same here. 20-30years ago I’d have been distraught. Last night just changed channels and enjoyed a mince pie! Probably an age thing, but also ‘seen it all before’

 

[withdeanwombat]

Well. That’s almost it. Two points for me: if no European team had ever been to a semi final and then, say, Austria did, would I feel over the moon as a European? Erm……So why is your non Moroccan African going to be over excited because of Morocco’s progress? Second point is, I’m all in for Argentina and Hove Albion.

 

[el punal]

I can very much relate to this - when you’ve watched England for 40+ years you definitely get used to the disappointment ! No matter how well we play we simply never have enough in our locker to beat the elite teams in the knockout games. You find your expectations are always much lower !

I think you’re right! My ‘first’ World Cup was the 1966 effort. I think I watched every game I could on TV, was even offered a ticket for the final - which I couldn’t afford! I got all the souvenirs and reports, I still have them.

The 1970 tournament was superb and England should have got to the final. After that my enthusiasm waned a bit and my last all-in backing for England ended when we lost to Germany in 1990 and in the Euros of 1996.

Since then I’m afraid it’s been more of a passing interest. Don’t get me wrong I still want England to win but the passion has died. That passion is very much reserved for a little south coast Premier League club that play in blue and white!

 

[el punal]

Just watched Waterloo 1970. Life is good again

Blimey! Was there a re-match and was Wellington still captain?

 

[Seasider78]

It’s an age thing you just become more realistic about Englands limitations.

Yesterday was the same as it has been for as long as I can remember in tournaments lots of effort but ultimately falling short against the better teams who have more quality than us and a stronger mentality in the critical moments.

We all knew what was coming before the game even kicked off.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I think as you get older, you become more realistic. As a teenager, I was ecstatic in 1966, broken hearted in 1970, and then just hopeful after that.
We are ranked 5th in the world, so reaching the quarter finals was the expectation.

Football fans, hope, but don’t expect, and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Still as excited when we score or win but meh if we lose. Not interested in the guff surrounding it and the pointless news coverage before, during and after.