England national team

[SamTheMouse]

I just spoke to Ollie Watkins and he said that's a great achievement and you should have a beer to celebrate.

[Smirker]

I just spoke to Ollie Watkins and he said that's a great achievement and you should have a beer to celebrate.

Thanks Ollie!

And everyone else.

[ChicagoLion]

Yeh well done mate.

[Small Rodent]

Flower of Scotland is xenophobic (not that I am arsed).

I’ve always thought it is quite a pathetic song. Boo hoo, the English have a verse about unruly Scot’s, let’s choose a crap 60s folk song that mentions the wanker English and replace the fantastic Scotland the Brave.

The fans do sing it well, though.

[Small Rodent]

On patriotism, I don’t really feel it, but I do like to support the teams of my ancestry in a purely tribal way. I’ve even adopted Poland because of marriage.

Sorely tempted to walk down the pub for Scotland at 11pm tonight, but it’s at least 6 minutes walk.

[Nev]

If you're downtroden the songs are ace, if your the downtrodee they tend to be a bit shit.

[Ads]

Flower of Scotland is xenophobic (not that I am arsed).

I’ve always thought it is quite a pathetic song. Boo hoo, the English have a verse about unruly Scot’s, let’s choose a crap 60s folk song that mentions the wanker English and replace the fantastic Scotland the Brave.

The fans do sing it well, though.

Yeah sounds decent, but it is shite. The one battle they win before his son comes back with his teenage mates like an unruly lads away day and smashes them left right and centre as a laboratory for what he fancies doing in France. Its a bit "Small Heath" Stern John scored when they won 2-2, 22 years ago sort of vibe.

[Small Rodent]

If you're downtroden the songs are ace, if your the downtrodee they tend to be a bit shit.

I often wonder about those without any lyrics. Why?

I have a friend whose great great great grandfather is named in the Polish anthem. And that is not about Poland at all, but Polish soldiers fighting with Napoleon.

[UK Redsox]

I agree with the pride thing.

I don't know how you can be proud of something you didn't achieve.

I'm proud of being 10 years sober or my athletic achievements.

I'm not proud of being born here.

I'm glad I was and I think I'm lucky to have been born here.

But I can't say I was proud or that I'm proud of my nationality.

I'll still going to shag my flag though.

Being British is something to be grateful* for, not something to be proud of.

* because it makes life a lot easier than being from most other places on this planet

[UK Redsox]

TT’s ceremonial first pitch before yesterday’s Kansas City Riyals game was pretty good

https://www.mlb.com/video/england-manager-thomas-tuchel-s-first-pitch

[PeterWithesShin]

Most of us have probably said something like "proud of the Villa today" at some stage, it can just be used as praise. Loads of us said it after the PSG game for example.

[Dave]

TT’s ceremonial first pitch before yesterday’s Kansas City Riyals game was pretty good

Bloody Saudis, buying up all the sports teams.

[Garyth]

I would imagine that people on here are proud to be English for a wholly different set of reasons to the Operation Raise the Colours lot. Whilst it is important not to let those guys take ownership of the idea of patriotism, they do seem to have control of the iconography at the moment, and I don't know how easy that is to change.

There's sad situation in Brazil where the right-wing have co-opted the football shirt so much that folks are choosing to wear the away (blue) version so as not to be associated with them.

I feel the idea of patriotism for a nation is a little weird, when the concept of 'nation-state' hasn't even been around all that long (in the big scheme of things), and made even more arbitrary by shifting borders and such. It's all human created lines on a map, after all. For extra absurdity, it gets mixed up with ideas of genetics and religion - Eg. the mess left behind in India/Pakistan/Bangladesh by the British.

As a pakeha New Zealander, it's extra messy given the history of colonialism - if I absolve myself of responsibility for some historical action (I didn't steal land!), then it's a bit rich to turn around and be proud of another (We were first to give women the vote!).

[rooboy316]

I'm always jealous of people from smaller countries who can be patriotic without any of the baggage that can come with being an English patriot. Being able to say 'we're really good' and 'I'm proud to be one of us' in an innocent way without the history of colonialism, English exceptionalism and racial superiority, must be great.

I would imagine that people on here are proud to be English for a wholly different set of reasons to the Operation Raise the Colours lot. Whilst it is important not to let those guys take ownership of the idea of patriotism, they do seem to have control of the iconography at the moment, and I don't know how easy that is to change.

At least as Villa fans we can always take pride in our club representing beauty and righteousness.

This is it. Clearly the history of the nation and the current social/political context from which the patriotism arises impacts how it is seen/used.

Similar themes here in Aus, with the flag shagging lot and their southern cross tattoos.