England: How do you stand?

[burtonreferees]

Was going to sit down and write a comment......but this, for me hits all nails on said head...full stop !!!

i think they're tossers... from the fa men at the top, to the players at the bottom...

its not so much the fact we havent won anything since 1966, or done that well since 1996, as i have been convinced we simply arent good enough for many a year now, despite the media hyperbole about their favourite players, it just irritates me how players like gerrard, lampard, rooney, terry, etc, can all be so shit, for so long, yet still command a place in the team, simply down to their media love in gained "reputation" (christ, they even have cringeworthy nicknames for them, i mean, 'stevie g'?... *shudder*), and the commercial value to the fa...

and these players believe it themselves... they believe they are the worlds best players, they believe the world owes them, and they believe they are above any normal rules and laws that apply to everyone else... (and in "stevie g's" case, maybe that is true...) footballers live on another planet... the english "untouchables", live in another galaxy... personally, i would love it if they all lived on io... bunch of c***s...

[KRS]

Over hyped and over rated.

[peter w]

I do support England and will make an effort to watch every game that I possibly can. I also agree with the sentiment that it is increasingly difficult to watch our team of Terry's, Cole's, etcShame though because they are actually very good footballers.

But what is the thing that we dislike? Their money? Is it jealousy? Their lives outside of the game? Has it really been any diffeent over players and their sexual peccadilloes? If not is it becaus ethey are now elevated to the status of pop-star like celebrity?

Anyway, I still care because I'm English and I support England. I always want to see us win and even more so, see a Villa player do well when playing.

[PaulTheVillan]

I'm not English.

[ventnor villain]

Can you imagine it if we'd won the world cup? Arise Sir John Terry. Arise Sir Steven Gerrard. Arise Sir Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard Wayne Rooney etc. Doesn't bear thinking about. I laughed when we lost to Germany, especially when Barry got outpaced by Ozil for one of the goals. And yet, despite the evidence to the contrary Lampard still came out afterwards and said it wasn't a 4-1 game. He was right, but only in the sense that 5-1 or 6-1 would have been  a better reflection of Germany's superiority. Arrogant twat.

[Quiet Lion]

I care about England every bit as much as I do about Villa.

They annoy and frustrate me equally as well.

[lovejoy]

I care about England every bit as much as I do about Villa.

They annoy and frustrate me equally as well.

How do you reconcile shouting abuse at Rooney/Gerrard one week and them cheering them on the next?

[Quiet Lion]

the same way I would reconcile it if Rooney signed for villa tomorrow ?

[Clampy]

In years gone by, i've been disapointed when England have gone out of tournaments. At the last World Cup, i really did'nt care.

[cheltenhamlion]

I certainly don't have the interest I used to. I will still watch a major tournament and dip into the occasional game outside of this but that is about it.

[john e]

England are rubbish, they were even worse back in the 70's,

but i support Villa through thick and thin, same with England, my support for the team doesnt depend on how good or bad they are,
 or i'd just go and support Man u, Chelsea or Spain

[Hookeysmith]

i think they're tossers... from the fa men at the top, to the players at the bottom...

its not so much the fact we havent won anything since 1966, or done that well since 1996, as i have been convinced we simply arent good enough for many a year now, despite the media hyperbole about their favourite players, it just irritates me how players like gerrard, lampard, rooney, terry, etc, can all be so shit, for so long, yet still command a place in the team, simply down to their media love in gained "reputation" (christ, they even have cringeworthy nicknames for them, i mean, 'stevie g'?... *shudder*), and the commercial value to the fa...

and these players believe it themselves... they believe they are the worlds best players, they believe the world owes them, and they believe they are above any normal rules and laws that apply to everyone else... (and in "stevie g's" case, maybe that is true...) footballers live on another planet... the english "untouchables", live in another galaxy... personally, i would love it if they all lived on io... bunch of c***s...

This is an excellent wording of what i feel like

I would also add that in recent times (since Euro 96 actually) i hate all the false patriotism associated with the England team by plastic supporters

Flags on houses
England shirts in the pub
Screaming women in the pubs - when they really do no know what is going on or who is playing
Stupid flags on cars

IF you are that patriotic then do it all year round not just when there is a game on

Also the way like the quote states players for England become legends in their own time. ONce an established 15-18 cap regular then its almost like the players themselves will say when they will leave the squad - it does not matter who the manager is its always the same player living on reputations and the clubs they play for. PLayers that are well past their sell  by date yet still trot out for the team

Everything is about corperate endorsements and nothing else

Rooney was total shit last night and any other player would have been hauled off - then the media this morning wanking over why Dean Richards is not starting or jack Wilshire - err you mean the players that dont play regulary for their clubs - surely its not because they play for London clubs that have so few English players in them ...mmmmmm

Fucking rotten all the way through it

Will watch only if there is a villa interest - but after last night and Ashley "I go down cheaper than one of Rooneys ho's" Young they can all piss off.

If he becomes a regular then i will bet my left nut he will become another billiy big bollocks and feel we are beneath him

[eamonn]

Don't really care how England do, though if Villa players are involved I like to see them do well.
Just a point on Montenegro - they are only the weakest seed because they only won independence five years ago. Yugoslavia were a traditionally pretty strong team, Bosnia and Serbia are decent these days, so to lump Montenegro in with Europe's minnows is a red herring imo.

[Dan England]

My interest has rapidly declined over the last 5-6 years as it has became more and more obvious that players are not picked by the England but a comitee of The Sun, Mirror, Daily Mail etc. When current form and ability is overlooked in the selection of players in favour of reputation and hype it becomes a joke. There is no pride, no passion from the players and they are not playing to keep or to win the shirt, hence a performance that is consistently average with early exits from tournaments. Would Kevin Davies be in the next England squad if he'd scored a couple of goals yesterday? I doubt it because Zamora, Defoe, Bent, Agbonlahor would be fit.

[Richie]

Although I will always watch an England match and hope they win, I'm finding it difficult to be as passionate as I used to be when most the players don't seem to give a toss.

The likes of Cole, Terry and Rooney just seem to be arrogant toss pots to me, who think they are doing us a favour by playing for their Country.

When you look back at the passion shown by the players in days gone by (Germany in 1990, 1996 and the 5-1 in Munich), these lot aren't fit to wear the shirt.