[Other Sport] Do Europeans think the British are arrogant?

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Brian Fantana

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
7,552
In the field
My main take away from a couple of days in Amsterdam was the number of Dutch people saying how much they hated the Germans. We were in a bar pre-match on Thursday and a drunk Ajax fan wandered in, went on a 2 minute rant about the Germans and then started to sing the 'german bombers in the air' song, hoping that we'd all join in. It was tumbleweed moment. Thankfully, he was shuffled out at this point by the mortified bar owner.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,943
When I was in Malta they seemed to dislike Italians more than anything. The Brits and their pounds were welcome.

The truth is, as is always the truth, you only hear extreme voices.

I've never felt unwelcome in any country I've been to. Possibly because I've never behaved like a dick.
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
When I was in Malta they seemed to dislike Italians more than anything. The Brits and their pounds were welcome.

The truth is, as is always the truth, you only hear extreme voices.

I've never felt unwelcome in any country I've been to. Possibly because I've never behaved like a dick.

Very true. Everybody holds their stereotypes but it's rare that someone lets them colour their perspective of an individual. Unless they're a dick.
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
One of my favourite stereotypes of the British came out years ago when I was having dinner with Spanish friends. One asked how we said "barquitos" in English. Literally, it means little boats but is also used to describe a bit of bread for dipping/dunking. I was trying to think of a word when another Spaniard chimed in with "There won't be a word as they don't have sauce." They were not joking 😃

Another food based one that comes to mind is a conversation that went like this:

Spanish bloke: "I love cooking
Bakero: "Me too!"
Spaniard: "Oh, I mean actually cooking. Not just burgers and hotdogs".
 




Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo
One of my favourite stereotypes of the British came out years ago when I was having dinner with Spanish friends. One asked how we said "barquitos" in English. Literally, it means little boats but is also used to describe a bit of bread for dipping/dunking. I was trying to think of a word when another Spaniard chimed in with "There won't be a word as they don't have sauce." They were not joking 😃

Another food based one that comes to mind is a conversation that went like this:

Spanish bloke: "I love cooking
Bakero: "Me too!"
Spaniard: "Oh, I mean actually cooking. Not just burgers and hotdogs".
1) The Spanish sound like dicks.:catfight:

2) The answer is soldiers surely...
 


Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
8,630
I would say neutrals in Europe and around the world want us to lose every single sporting fixture we ever play, with very few exceptions.

So I don't think there's a hatred for Britain, they just want to poke us in the eye for our pomposity
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
1) The Spanish sound like dicks.:catfight:

2) The answer is soldiers surely...

Soldiers would be apt only with a dippy egg though, surely. Other than that we'd just say bread, wouldn't we? Anyway, I didn't have time to think before the full gamut of British sauces was erased from existence. The heathens had never heard of gravy.
 




Gabbafella

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2012
4,907
I don't think we're arrogant, we're just better than everyone else.
 




Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo
Soldiers would be apt only with a dippy egg though, surely. Other than that we'd just say bread, wouldn't we? Anyway, I didn't have time to think before the full gamut of British sauces was erased from existence. The heathens had never heard of gravy.
Runny egg is basically a sauce:eek:

If they've not heard of gravy they shouldn't be allowed at the (kitchen) table. They better have heard of Daddies...
 




Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
Runny egg is basically a sauce:eek:

If they've not heard of gravy they shouldn't be allowed at the (kitchen) table. They better have heard of Daddies...

Even HP is hard to come by in these barbarian lands let alone Daddies.

This conversation has reminded me of an article I read years back about the British obsession with bottled sauces (in Spanish so you may need to translate)

https://ignaciopeyro.es/con-todo-y-con-nada-sobre-salsas-britanicas-en-esquire
 


Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo


Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,652
My main take away from a couple of days in Amsterdam was the number of Dutch people saying how much they hated the Germans. We were in a bar pre-match on Thursday and a drunk Ajax fan wandered in, went on a 2 minute rant about the Germans and then started to sing the 'german bombers in the air' song, hoping that we'd all join in. It was tumbleweed moment. Thankfully, he was shuffled out at this point by the mortified bar owner.
We go camping in Holland near the German border, and whilst there is now much intermingling between the 2 nations, when you actually speak to the Dutch in private, as it were, the dislike of the Germans comes out. The wounds from the war when the Dutch suffered greatly during the "hongerwinter" of 1944/45 will take quite some time to properly heal. It has been going some time -I was surprised to read that the Germans in the border area were forbidden to enter Holland until 1957, and I can still recall my uncle on the German side of the family well into the 1960s saying that it was advisable to not go to Holland as there could be problems. As stated, matters have thankfully improved considerably, but underneath . . .
 




raymondo

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2017
7,386
Wiltshire
My German colleagues once let slip that they call us the Island Monkies. Presumably because our parliament are always noisy and stupid, and also because we don't know (oh wait, choose not to ... in order to fleece the public for extra profit) how to build solid houses and apartments.
Calling @Herr Tubthumper for confirmation or denial
 


Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,816
Valley of Hangleton
I live in europe and I don't agree with the statement at all.
From travelling around the world not only europe I have seen what I call 'little britain' the sort of people who complain the foreigners don't speak English etc. But these people make me embarrassed to be british but they are definitely a minority. In the country where I live british people are very welcome, their main comment would be about our habit to constantly say sorry as a throwaway comment. For them here you only say sorry if you really mean it, otherwise it's like lying
I’m afraid as a nation we have somehow morphed into a selfish race who prefer to “seek forgiveness” and say sorry rather than seek permission, too many entitled people walking our shores these days I’m afraid!
 


Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,816
Valley of Hangleton
My German colleagues once let slip that they call us the Island Monkies. Presumably because our parliament are always noisy and stupid, and also because we don't know (oh wait, choose not to ... in order to fleece the public for extra profit) how to build solid houses and apartments.
Calling @Herr Tubthumper for confirmation or denial
Monkeys 👍 And nothing to do with us being on an island of course 😉
 


raymondo

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2017
7,386
Wiltshire
We go camping in Holland near the German border, and whilst there is now much intermingling between the 2 nations, when you actually speak to the Dutch in private, as it were, the dislike of the Germans comes out. The wounds from the war when the Dutch suffered greatly during the "hongerwinter" of 1944/45 will take quite some time to properly heal. It has been going some time -I was surprised to read that the Germans in the border area were forbidden to enter Holland until 1957, and I can still recall my uncle on the German side of the family well into the 1960s saying that it was advisable to not go to Holland as there could be problems. As stated, matters have thankfully improved considerably, but underneath . . .
A senior manager in the Dutch division of the company I used to work for, often asked the German senior manager if he could have his bike back please! After being baited for 15 years, the German guy came by train to one international meeting and presented his Dutch colleague a brand new bike, with the words... now please shut up.
 




Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,652
My German colleagues once let slip that they call us the Island Monkies. Presumably because our parliament are always noisy and stupid, and also because we don't know (oh wait, choose not to ... in order to fleece the public for extra profit) how to build solid houses and apartments.
Calling @Herr Tubthumper for confirmation or denial
Yes, that is right -"inselaffen"(island apes) is the expression, but to be fair, I only ever heard this rarely and it is so insulting, that the vast majority of Germans would not say this.
 




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