Soccer

» phillongman - Winning ugly -- it's not worth it.

England have been a fantastic disappointment in the tournament (so far - he says, optimistically). So many creative midfielders with so many club goals between them, and yet their impact on games has been pathetic.

Such a strong, reliable defence so hard to break down in qualifying and warm-ups, has looked uncharacteristically shaky and disorientated.

And the less said about our forwards, the better.

Our attacking set-plays have been shabby, while our weak defending at set-pieces has been baffling. Our long balls have been an incredible frustration, and our short balls often inaccurate. We've become a team no one wants to watch, and most would probably prefer to lose (thanks for that Sepp, you big-mouthed, self-important t*sser).

And if England win the World Cup this year -- it'll be quite possibly the best day of my life. I simply could not currently imagine the elation I would feel if I saw our much-maligned captain lift that gold nugget in July. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. And any England 'fan' who claims to feel otherwise, simply doesn't understand the magnitude of the event and the impact it would have on the game in England.

Forget the Ashes (errr, excuse me, but we are not better than Australia) and the Rugby World Cup (how many teams could realistically have won it? and it's a skilless, graceless, brute of a game anyway) - the football WC is THE greatest sporting event on the planet. To be able to say in my lifetime, "We are the Champions of the World", would make me unimaginably proud. The ripples of excitement, pride and increase in interest and sponsorship would be felt throughout the English game for years to come.

And it would piss those Scots RIGHT off.

We won't win it, Christ no. We're no where near good enough.

But if we did, I'd be in the streets singing and dancing and crying and shouting having a day I would remember for the rest of my life and one I'd be recounting to my grandchildren 30 years from now with a quiver in my voice and a starry look in my eyes (that'll be the glaucoma).

And presumably you’d be sat in your room bemoaning the fact that Brazil’s individual skill, attacking play and general arrogance wasn’t enough to win it for them seeing as their defence was sh:t (football is a game requiring skilled attacking AND defending, by the way). And, eventually, dressing your grandchildren in Argentina shirts and teaching them to recite the Koran.

In 1966 that ball DID NOT cross the line. If that 'goal' had not been given, who knows what would've happened? The Germans might have beaten us on our own soil. Would you have preferred that in the name of all that is right and just? Probably you would. But not I, my controversial and misguided fool of a friend. I’ll be supporting the players trying their hardest to bring joy to 60 million people despite their manager’s best efforts to blow our best chance for 40 years with his spoiling tactics.

Bring it home, boys. I’m still rooting for you.

-- posted by phillongman