Now listen up, 'cos this is the answer. This is why we so dislike the England football team. This is why Scotland was awash with Argentina football tops last week.
The answer is the English media. When it comes to the England football team all pretence of being British vanishes. Suddenly they are ‘us’, and ‘the nation’ are behind them. I’m sorry, but isn’t this the British Broadcasting Corporation? So aren’t you being a bit presumptuous about the loyalties of the British nation?
I know that Scottish media are every bit as bad at this, but the difference is they are just addressing Scots. Any time Scotland plays, the bosses in London send along their own commentators and pundits. They can’t accept the Scottish coverage because it doesn’t contain the regulation amount of 1966. Yeah, that’s another thing. It’s coming on 40 years now, but they just can’t shut up about it. Every games that features Germany. Any game when someone hits the cross-bar. Russian linesmen. Red shirts. Finals. Pitch invasions. Hat tricks. Four goals. Green grass. Spherical footballs. Anything at all! All roads lead to 1966. A common bet in Scotland is to estimate when the first '66 mention will occur in the commentary. As long as Germany isn’t playing you can expect them holding out for about ten minutes.
So can you imagine just how annoying it’d be if they actually won the thing again?
Apart from that there is the media’s arrogant view of England’s chances. Half way into the Sweden game and you’d be forgiven thinking that they were already at the final. Sweden was apparently ‘very poor’ and none of them would get into the England team. Their keeper even had a second-rate Beckham hair-cut. (Cos as we all know Beckham invented haircuts, in addition to kicking the ball with swerve. Many footballers have since copied him.) Sweden then re-emerged to run rings around England in the second half, much to everyone’s puzzlement. Obviously they hadn’t been listening.
Then we have the Argentina game. Despite Argentina being very poor, this was proof indeed, not that it was needed, that England will sweep all before them to the final! No analysis of just how ineffective they’re looking in attack, nothing about how their captain has been pretty well anonymous in every game. And certainly no-one’s having too close a look at exactly how much contact there was before Owen hit the turf in the penalty area. I’ll give him this, his diving has fair come along since his embarrassing effort at the last World Cup.
And can we, please, for pity sake, just stop with the interminable footage of Beckham’s foot? What exactly are you expecting to see?
They don’t ignore all other British countries. But when they do, like with Ireland, it’s very patronising. They’re plucky, and just doing their best. As long as they remember their place, not getting any ideas above their station, they’re happy to cheer along. They provide some colour to things and maybe win a couple of games. But enough of having a laugh about those funny Irish people celebrating with their Guinness, let’s get back to the serious football. Here’s another five minute interview with each and every England squad member and just exactly did you feel when Beckham scored that penalty?
Honestly, can you imagine just how insufferable it would be if they actually won? They were actually discussing tactics to play against Brazil yesterday. That’s Denmark ruled out of the cup then…:rolleyes:
There’s some things we don’t care for in Scotland. One of them is being patronised, another is our support of England being taken for granted. Bundle this up with relentless and inflated English cheer-leading that bears little resemblence to reality and you have ensured that the opposition will get our fullest support. It’s a pity. I’d like to support England. I like the English, some of my best friends are English 
If they play to their best of their abilities they have a real chance. It’s nothing personal, really. But I just know they’d be unbearable if they won.
Come on Denmark!
