You're Speechless Bobby Aren't You?

I've been involved in some sort of Flame War most of the morning with some guy from one of the offices down south.

I discovered an e-mail in my inbox that was sent on Friday night saying

"Just before we break up for the weekend I wanted to share a prayer for Sunday and discuss next Thursday. Should we beat France on Sunday then I personally think we should have a day of joyous celebrations on Monday. Then on Thursday arrange big TVs and get all the offices decked out with flags, instead of playing pop music on the sales floors we will just have the 3 lion's [sic] anthem on a loop. All phones should be answered with the following catch phrase "thanks for calling, we are praying for England, how can we help you?"

If and when we do get to the final..." Yada Yada Yada it goes on. Not enough with hearing pundits on the telly and in the papers building up England's chances, I'll be damned if I'm putting up with it in my inbox. So I e-mailed back asking how the 'joyous celebrations' were going so far.

It then descended into some guy having a go at Scotland and 'skirts' etc. I haven't heard back from him since I directed him to a Morris Dancing Discussion Board.

But my point is, I take no big joy in watching England lose at these tournaments. I'm perturbed by the culture that's developed whereby we have to adopt whomever plays England, some people taking it so far as to buy the shirts of their opposition. On the whole England do better than we do, so gloating when they get beat isn't really a smart thing to do. The last time we were at a major finals that they weren't was the World Cup of 1978 and we all know what happened there. But there's no way I'd support them as I've listened to crowing Englishmen oblivious to their shortcomings for as long as I've watched football. I've always liked English players, of the current crop I'd be happy to have Rooney, Owen, Campbell and Beckham in my team anytime, but to see England win a tournament would be unbearable. I must have seen that 1966 game about a dozen times.

As well as the English media the hooligan element comes into play as well. I couldn't cheer on a team who when they lose their fans go out and smash up whatever city they happen to be in. Here's a selection of English 'antics'. Yes, most of their fans are out just to enjoy the game and will drown their sorrows with a few yards of ale when they get beat and refrain from looting or clubbing the nearest foreigner or copper, but I'd still like them to take the first available plane home.

All that said I actually wouldn't mind too much if they made the semis, just please not the final.