I've rarely, if ever, felt shitter than on Sunday, but I still think Albion means more - It would be interesting to see how winning Euro 2004 (or WC2006, whatever) compares to the various Albion successes ... can't see me finding out though
I think this may just sum up most peoples feelings (taken from Geordie wesite)
What puts me off supporting England
1: Hype.
I can't watch the build up or read the papers whenever England play because the hype does my head in. It's so monotonous and self replicating it can send people insane.
2: Build them up, nock em' down.
I detest that about the UK in general and when it comes to England the media and people are the worlds best at doing this. If Heskey had of scored tonight, he would have been the worlds best striker. Rooney will be hailed for his performance, but the day after tomorrow slagged for his petulance.
I dread to think what size the knives would be if he was to ever get sent off in an England shirt.
3: Sven.
His tactics are so boring and so counter productive they are stopping England developing. How he fails to notice that he can play a left footer on the left wing (Bridge) in front of Cole is staggering because it's so obvious. But he is too scared to drop Scholes, Beckham, Gerrard and now Lampard meaning they all have to play.
4: Blindness.
According to the media, England should always win every game and every tournament because they are on a par with France and Brazil. No they ain't. England are a team of maybe 3 world-class players, some very good ones and the rest are very average. Basically they are a very good team and on their day they can beat anyone, but overall they are just a very good team, nothing more, nothing less and always will be until the way we teach our younger players in this Country changes.
5: England are not the Toon.
I try, I did tonight, I screamed, I panicked, my heart raced, my nerves went, my heart swelled with pride and passion...but it was fleeting. As I write I'm not down, depressed or even indifferent. It's as if I didn't just watch England at all.
Just before a Toon game, even against the likes of Wolves I get the shakes, I feel sick, my head spins, my heart feels like it's doing 100 laps around Le Mans, every emotion is tampered with. The night before a Toon game I can't sleep, in the morning when I wake up I wake up and think; hey the Toon play today, I'm so excited. With England I feel nothing, just in those 90 minutes and that's it. With the Toon it's an every day, every moment thing.
I see England as a day out, enjoy it regardless and don't get too uptight about whatever happens because it bears no significance to my life.
Newcastle United on the other hand mean the world to me.
Anyway that's how I see following England.
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The poster formerly known as Grassroots
Don't know if it was all the emotion that we had gone thru with the Albion in the playoffs but i couldn't get excited about the England game, don't get me wrong, i want them to win every game, but i just were'nt that up for it Sunday night. Do you know what i mean??
No comparason. Watching the Albion win promotion is like ``Making love to a beautiful women` while watching England scrape thru yet again is like banging a ugly slapper over a wheelie bin.
England when they are playing............ Albion when they are..... if they are both playing then i make a judgement call, who is playing who, and which game offers more.
So long as things are well in Albionland what happens to England isn't too important. Of course I want them to win but I want The Albion to win more.
As stated elsewhere-if it was England to win Euro 2004 or The Albion to survive in whatever the hell our division is now called there is no contest for me-Albion take priority.
I always say 'Club first', but Sunday is easily the most depressed I've been after an England game. The penalty defeats against Germany (twice) and Argentina left me slightly down but no more.
However I'm over Sunday now, whereas if Albion had lost to two 90th minute goals I'd still be pig sick about it for at least a fortnight. Also I won't be too depressed if England lose to Switzerland - providing it isn't in the same manner.