Why Don't You Support England?

[stripeyshark]

1) The players make it almost impossible for you to like them: Cole, Terry and Rooney are individuals I have no time for.
2) The football is prehistoric and lacking any wit, artistry, thought or technical ability.
3) The constant bleating and excuses from the players is tedious.
4) The is no coherent plan or process for the national team. All you get is this seemingly endless cycle of hope, failure, embarrassment and blame; then a new group of players come along and the cycle starts again. After previous failures the FA always stated they'd undertake a "root and branch" analysis of what went wrong; they don't even bother with this anymore. By the way, have any of these reports ever come to light?

What's wrong with Cole?

 

[el punal]

It's because, in recent times, it's one of the few sports in this country that is not the pinnacle of a player's ambition. (Or seems to be). How many times have players withdrawn from the England squad because of the wishes of their clubs.

In most other sports to represent England/Great Britain is the ultimate accolade and respected as such. In a recent poll Everton fans were asked which they would prefer - England to win the World Cup or Everton to be Premier League champions? The result was the latter.

Adding to this apathy of supporting England is the team have been poor in successive tournaments, never realising the potential or status that we allude to.

To sum up, can you remember the last truly memorable England match and tournament? For me, England v Greece at Old Trafford in 2001 and Euro'96.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What's wrong with Cole?

The line in his book about pissing himself with laughter at a derisory x thousand a week, changing his story during the Terry case and above all else talking about himself in third party language. Plenty more but he is a horrible person.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

how well England play has nothing to do with it

remember Hereford,how well did Brighton play that season?

but everyone was ecstatic that day

I think the crux of the reason why so many don't support England is down to what the player's earn

and yet we'd all be the same,if we found ourselves in their position

 

[MICK PATCHAM]

foreigners

 

[HastingsSeagull]

I do, obviously, I'm English

 

[Mowgli37]

4 of us at Wembley on Wednesday and a Union Flag with both old and new crests was clearly visible from our seats,it was in the upper section next to the Irish fans.
So at least 5 BHAFC support England enough to go to a pointless end of season friendly.

I was there too, make that 6

 

[stripeyshark]

The line in his book about pissing himself with laughter at a derisory x thousand a week, changing his story during the Terry case and above all else talking about himself in third party language. Plenty more but he is a horrible person.

None of that makes him a horrible person.

 

[Wally Gould]

I will always support England but cannot get excited when they play.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Its been OK to support England since 1996 (football's (be)coming middle class home, innit). Personally I have always supported them, but not as strongly as I support The Albion.

Its partly an English identity thing. When I was younger, being Proper English meant being white, and against things (I don't need to list them) and it was a tough call to know what I was supposed to be in favour of (Thatcher? The Police? Proper English Food? Elgar? Winning the war? Not eating snails? Hating the Jocks?) . . . oh yes, of course, tolerance, abolishing slavery, inventing things, parliamentary democracy . . . getting a bit intellectual now . . . do wake up, over there.

Jump forward and we have a load of passionless overpaid tw&ts letting the side down . . .

Mathew Norman wrote about the 4 stages of England supporting:

Fear
Miss-placed optimism
Disappointment
Disgust

That's about right. But I'm happy enough to go back for another sup at the well of sorrow. On the telly. Can't be sufficiently motivated to shell out the ackers and give up my time to attend. Hat's off to those who do, though.

 

[SK1NT]

1) The players make it almost impossible for you to like them: Cole, Terry and Rooney are individuals I have no time for.
2) The football is prehistoric and lacking any wit, artistry, thought or technical ability.
3) The constant bleating and excuses from the players is tedious.
4) The is no coherent plan or process for the national team. All you get is this seemingly endless cycle of hope, failure, embarrassment and blame; then a new group of players come along and the cycle starts again. After previous failures the FA always stated they'd undertake a "root and branch" analysis of what went wrong; they don't even bother with this anymore. By the way, have any of these reports ever come to light?

Great post...

When I was a kid my first World Cup I remember was 1990... I wanted us to win and getting to the semi's was amazing... I cried when we lost (I was 10) since then, waiting every 2 years for the big stage tournaments have just ended in dissapointment. The last 23 years have beaten me down. Such a shame as over a decade ago the country was so up for a comp and everyone got behind England. Now everyone has seen through all that FA bullshit and ****ing **** wits of players. Never will I support a team with those over paid scum John terry , rooney and ashley cole.

They don't give a shit and not do I...

Atleast players should show heart and passion as they don't have the talent.

 

[otk]

The FA sold off the top division to the highest bidder, e.g. Sky, with the ensuing millions pumped into the Prem used to bring in loads of foreigners, meaning very few English players actually got to play in it. Now, along with the lag in coaching investment, we are decades behind other nations, and with the fact that the FA would have been totally aware these situations were arising and ongoing, means I give as much thought as they do when it comes to supporting England i.e. not a lot...

 

[Philzo-93]

Because there are 11 "players" that essentially show everytime they do not give a flying monkeys about kicking a football with the three lions on their chest...so why should I waste my time, breath and money watching these egotistical ********s who take no pride or any ounce of patriotism!?

 

[Philzo-93]

None of that makes him a horrible person.

The fact that he changed his story before the courts suggests he is a crook.

Oh and he cheated on his missus, multiple times, too.

Genuine wanker.

 

[keithbeaky]

The FA is full of people with no knowledge of football is the main reason. Second and third are we're shit and Hodgson is manager. Why bother

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I still watch England but there is a load of stuff which dampens my enthusiasm

ITV coverage
The England Band (The Great Escape when we are 3-0 up against Moldova - Well done lads)
John Terry / Rio Ferdinand and the like
Pukka Pies
The atmosphere at Wembley and the transportation after the game (especially in the evening, you end up leaving early which isn't the point)
The realisation that we aren't very good. When you look at the Ivory Coast team for example, you realise that there are a good few players that would get in our team. That's before you get to the likes of Spain / Germany etc who are infinately better than we are.
4-4-2 and our inability to play anything else

 

[rcf0712]

Interesting read this thread. I like many used to love watching and following England but now have nothing but apathy towards them. The only time I ever get excited about any England team nowadys is The Ashes and that's as much about the fact that EVERY SINGLE Australian is obsessed with beating England so you can't help but get sucked in. I also think that never seeing them on telly other than in tournaments is another reson my interest has waned, yet I've seen even less of The Albion in that time and my interest has never weakened. In Germany 2008 I was more interested in Australia's progress to be honest, and I always prefer watching the South Americam teams in The World Cup, every time. I don't really have a convincing answer but I think the English desease of apathetic self loathing is partly to blame, most other countries seem to get behind their teams much more.....

 

[sydney]

Rooney slagging off the fans in south africa after another gutless performance was a turning point for me........i used to be passionate about England..........can't be arsed now.

 

[Brovion]

Why do people always say the players "don't care"?

 

[elbowpatches]

I chose to support Brighton but I got lumbered with England by birth. I do support them over any other national team but I can't be arsed to watch them unless I have nothing better to do.

When Albion do badly,however shit we might be, I am always disappointed, I don't really care how England do, it's just the way I am. I am unable to force myself to care

Bizarrely though, I have real passion for our rugby union side.

This.