[Football] How’s your England mojo?

[Kinky Gerbil]

At 3 at the moment as I feel we will be a disaster in Qatar.

Can’t see us getting past the 1/4 at best

We have the players to play entertaining football, but we won’t.

 

[keaton]

*puts on devil's advocate hat*

Yes, this is probably whataboutery, and doesn't make Qatar any more palatable, but what about the last two major tournaments? Russia was legitimised to the world and stage managed a tournament so that their far right hoolies were kept off the street, but less than four years after it they were committing horrible war crimes in Ukraine.

In 2021, meanwhile, despite global warming and Covid, a tournament was trucked round the whole of Europe, including Italy that now has a fascist government and Hungary where they also crack down on minorities, especially LGBTQ+ people. The final was played out to the scenes of cocaine fuelled anarchy in London, and I don't just mean in the Houses of Parliament.

By all means consider Qatar worse if you want but FIFA and UEFA have been shown to be exactly what they are for a very long time and people have mostly watched. Personally, I'm going to watch the games because England, the only team I've ever supported other than Brighton, are playing and some of our best players are playing for Ecuador and Japan, who I can now consider other teams I'd like to do well. It's winter, it's cold and dark and I'd like to have a beer, a takeaway and watch some sport. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Not as bad as Putin, Orban or Johnson though, right?

*takes hat off again*

On the global warming front, I imagine the Euros was by far one of the least environmentally damaging tournaments. Flying is bad but building is worse and every tournament nowadays leads to hugely unnecessary stadiums and infrastructure being built

 

[Guinness Boy]

On the global warming front, I imagine the Euros was by far one of the least environmentally damaging tournaments. Flying is bad but building is worse and every tournament nowadays leads to hugely unnecessary stadiums and infrastructure being built

The Puskas Arena was purpose built for the Euros.

 

[1066familyman]

*puts on devil's advocate hat*

Yes, this is probably whataboutery, and doesn't make Qatar any more palatable, but what about the last two major tournaments? Russia was legitimised to the world and stage managed a tournament so that their far right hoolies were kept off the street, but less than four years after it they were committing horrible war crimes in Ukraine.

In 2021, meanwhile, despite global warming and Covid, a tournament was trucked round the whole of Europe, including Italy that now has a fascist government and Hungary where they also crack down on minorities, especially LGBTQ+ people. The final was played out to the scenes of cocaine fuelled anarchy in London, and I don't just mean in the Houses of Parliament.

By all means consider Qatar worse if you want but FIFA and UEFA have been shown to be exactly what they are for a very long time and people have mostly watched. Personally, I'm going to watch the games because England, the only team I've ever supported other than Brighton, are playing and some of our best players are playing for Ecuador and Japan, who I can now consider other teams I'd like to do well. It's winter, it's cold and dark and I'd like to have a beer, a takeaway and watch some sport. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Not as bad as Putin, Orban or Johnson though, right?

*takes hat off again*

Exactly where I'm at.

I respect anyone boycotting this WC. Fair play to them and can't argue with that at all.

I find myself holding my nose pretty much everyday of my life. I've shopped with Amazon, use Google daily, have had to fill up a car at a Shell garage on occasion. The list goes on and on.
I haven't eaten an animal in over 30 years and still not visited the Great Satan, and that won't ever change, but everyday I'm living in a world that I really don't like tbh, and unfortunately I can only make small changes myself and learn to accept the things I cannot change.

Such is life.

 

[Hamilton]

*puts on devil's advocate hat*

Yes, this is probably whataboutery, and doesn't make Qatar any more palatable, but what about the last two major tournaments? Russia was legitimised to the world and stage managed a tournament so that their far right hoolies were kept off the street, but less than four years after it they were committing horrible war crimes in Ukraine.

In 2021, meanwhile, despite global warming and Covid, a tournament was trucked round the whole of Europe, including Italy that now has a fascist government and Hungary where they also crack down on minorities, especially LGBTQ+ people. The final was played out to the scenes of cocaine fuelled anarchy in London, and I don't just mean in the Houses of Parliament.

By all means consider Qatar worse if you want but FIFA and UEFA have been shown to be exactly what they are for a very long time and people have mostly watched. Personally, I'm going to watch the games because England, the only team I've ever supported other than Brighton, are playing and some of our best players are playing for Ecuador and Japan, who I can now consider other teams I'd like to do well. It's winter, it's cold and dark and I'd like to have a beer, a takeaway and watch some sport. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Not as bad as Putin, Orban or Johnson though, right?

*takes hat off again*

I hear you.

As I said, I'm not going to judge people who do watch it - I understand why. And yes, you're right, for a long time FIFA and their tournaments have left a nasty taste in the mouth, although only 21 workers died constructing Russian stadiums and it's not (yet) illegal to be gay in Hungary or Italy. Straw, camels and backs I guess. Eventually it gets to a point where you say, 'nope, I ain't playing any part in this.'

But, as I say, I totally understand why people will watch. It's our sport, and yet it's been hijacked for ill-gotten and morally reprehensible gains. I imagine there's a load of Toon fans that can't stand the fact that their club is being used by the Saudi Investment Fund, but where else do they go? Gateshead? Why, when St James Park is their home.

 

[Easy 10]

It'll be nice talking about England, regardless of how well they do or don't do, without the same old people falling over themselves to tell us all how little they care and spouting the same old tiresome bollocks.


My MOJO was at a neutral 5 or 6 with my focus still on the Albion but it's gone up a notch or two in anticipation of no whingers posting...

This is where I am. The "I don't give a f*** about England" brigade are so, SO tiresome, because you know damn well if we go deep, then they'll soon be jumping on the bandwagon and tuning in despite themselves.

I've never seen England win anything in my lifetime. Despite the corrupt carve-up thats sent this tournament to a tiny desert dustbowl, its still the World Cup, and I'll still be cheering on MY NATION, hoping they entertain and go far. If you really don't give a shit and won't be watching then fine - burn it all off, and don't bother posting about it because its BORING.

 

[Easy 10]

Sven Goran-Eriksen couldn't manage it and he had the "golden generation" to pick from

You believe the current crop are better than: Owen, Rooney, Rio, Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham, Scholes, Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell etc etc ? Even with that embarrasment of riches we could only muster a quarter final.....

So we only support a team if they're brilliant ?

 

[chickens]

This is where I am. The "I don't give a f*** about England" brigade are so, SO tiresome, because you know damn well if we go deep, then they'll soon be jumping on the bandwagon and tuning in despite themselves.

I've never seen England win anything in my lifetime. Despite the corrupt carve-up thats sent this tournament to a tiny desert dustbowl, its still the World Cup, and I'll still be cheering on MY NATION, hoping they entertain and go far. If you really don't give a shit and won't be watching then fine - burn it all off, and don't bother posting about it because its BORING.

That’s all fine as long as you’re prepared to accept that the “we don’t care who died, we don’t care that we legitimise hate” brigade seem pretty tiresome to those whose minds work differently.

It’s a horrible realisation as you get older that everything, to one extent or another, is political. For myself I have to feel that I do what I can to not reward the worst excesses of our society. I can’t avoid it all, but I can sidestep the convenience of Amazon or the lure of a glossy football tournament.

At some point my kids are going to be grown up and have to live in the world we’ve shaped. At the moment the core values we seem to have as a society (in the US and Britain at least) are get rich and powerful or die trying. These are not values I share or aspire to.

I accept many will watch, and I’m not angry, just terribly, terribly disappointed.

 

[Dibdab]

I literally couldn't give less of a shit about England and this world cup. I hate Southgate, I don't really warm to any of the squad, and I despise everything about a Qatar WC. And to counter the challenge that I'll jump the bad wagon if we do well I wasn't actually that fussed about our loss to Italy in the final of the Euros too.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think the fact the WC is in Qatar has automatically taken 2 points off my mojo for starters. However, the last 12 months have been depressing for England. Southgate should have gone after the borefest final vs Italy. They were not all that, it was a glorious chance for a trophy missed.

What I hate is his sense of loyalty re very ordinary players - we all know who they are. The likes of Maguire, TAA, Dier, Shaw, Calvert-Lewin, Sterling, Coady, Mings have been out of form, injured or are just not good enough in the first place and yet they're still ahead of players like Dunk, White, Maddison that have been delivering week in, week out since the Euros.

 

[Icy Gull]

I would now love to see GP get the job. He could pick exactly who he wanted and they would be players who'd buy into his philosophy. Players like Sterling and other billy big bollock who are seen to be kicking against following instructions would be dropped without the fall out that would happen at a top four club.

It may take a couple of years but we'd end up with a youngish talented side who will play football as it should be played in the 21st century.

It may tie in nicely, end of the WC Southgate sacked. Potter walks in frustration or is sacked shortly after the season commences because Chelsea are not top 4 and the fans have gone even further into meltdown

 

[brightn'ove]

Viva Ecuador

 

[Wardy's twin]

I don't have a mojo at the moment...

 

[sparkie]

About zero.

Just wondering which players will behave badly over there - to tabloid delight - and if any will be slung into Qatar jail.

 

[Randy McNob]

So we only support a team if they're brilliant ?

no, I was just picking him (her) up on the point that anyone could have achieved the same as Southgate, if not more, with the same set of players. The example being Sven had arguably the best ever players to choose from yet only managed a quarter final.

Since there was no response i'll mark this down as argument won

 

[Nobby]

Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter says the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar was a "mistake".

Blatter, 86, was president of world football's governing body when Qatar was awarded the tournament in 2010.

The Gulf state has been criticised for its stance on same-sex relationships, human rights record and treatment of migrant workers.

"It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it," he told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger.

 

[el punal]

I don't have a mojo at the moment...

I managed to get my mojo back after Chelsea nicked it, luckily they left it lying around the Amex about ten days ago and I retrieved it.

As for my England mojo that went flying off into the sunset years ago never to return.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I have no England mojo. Sooner it's over and we can get back to the Albion, the better

 

[Wardy's twin]

I managed to get my mojo back after Chelsea nicked it, luckily they left it lying around the Amex about ten days ago and I retrieved it.

As for my England mojo that went flying off into the sunset years ago never to return.

I think that describes my position nicely ...

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Parking aside the fairly unanimous views on Qatar (yes a dismal host venue) - personally I’ve felt a growing apathy towards the England national team. At times I’m having to artificially motivate myself to get enthused - gone are the days I was naturally buzzing with excitement to watch England in a major tournament.

But for me, this is symptomatic of a world which is saturated with too much ‘stuff’ - everything is hyped to hell, monetised, sanitised, analysed and spewed across TV, social and digital media.

Christmas, TV, music, sport, World Cup, FA Cup, Euros, big events and life in general has lost its magic due to this info overload.

I never thought I’d say ‘I miss the old days’ but there you go, I’ve said it….