Bloody Hell Get Over Yourselves!!!

Chardee MacDennis

From the front page of the Beeb's Football section:

Is Europe pining for absent England?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/its_a_shame_england_arent_here.html

The justification for that title is:

Me: "Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about your team?"
Local/fan/journo: "Ok, where are you from?"
Me: "England."
Local/fan/journo: "Oh." Several seconds of silence follow. "I cannot believe England are not here. Such a disappointment"

pretty sure if I was in Switzerland or Austria right now this would not be an uncommon occurrence:

Local/fan/journo: "Where are you from?"
Me: "Ireland."
Local/fan/journo: "Oh." Several seconds of silence follow. "I cannot believe Ireland are not here. Such a disappointment"

They really do like to kid themselves about how good they are and how much the world actually likes them. Sure a joke in Croatia is "Where do England Play? On the PlayStation".

copacetic

would say every neutral would much rather seen them there than us.

markos79

england are not in euro 2008 because they are not good enough!!simple:D

Chardee MacDennis

copacetic wrote: »

would say every neutral would much rather seen them there than us.

if you're there, you deserve to be and vice versa; simple as. No matter what country you're from someone is gonna say "oh, it's a disappointment you're country isn't here".

monkey9

Not good enough is true enough. I mean, England are a big footballing nation and their absense will always be noticable to an extent, but this tournament has been so good that it's been great not having to put up with all the hype and crap that goes with it and to be just able to enjoy the show.

Pigman II

In fairness, I think this has been the best European Championships I've ever seen and I think that is in some small part down to the fact that ourselves and England aren't at it, playing our brutal brands of headless unintelligent football.

Galvasean

I think the coverage of this Euro has been refreshing. Now we don't have to watch 'reports' on Sky News detailing the prophecy of why England will win this year. 'Someone saw two pigeons mating in Cornwall, last time that happened we won the World Cup!'

Although I do miss seeing the aul green white n' orange hanging from everyone's windows.

Sherifu

markos79 wrote: »

england are not in euro 2008 because they are not good enough!!simple:D

Exactly.

Life goes on. Been good so far.

Tom65

Galvasean wrote: »

I think the coverage of this Euro has been refreshing. Now we don't have to watch 'reports' on Sky News detailing the prophecy of why England will win this year. 'Someone saw two pigeons mating in Cornwall, last time that happened we won the World Cup!'

Although I do miss seeing the aul green white n' orange hanging from everyone's windows.

I remember for the last World Cup, when England was waiting to see how Wayne Rooney's injury was, he was leaving a clinic and Sky News had cameras outside. In the three or four steps from the building to the car he looked up. Sky News proceeded to spend the next half an hour analysing whether he was smiling or not.
I don't miss that.


I think everyone in Ireland realises we aren't there because we were **** in quailifying. I wish England would realise as much.

gixerfixer

English footballers are not good enough.As many a great manager has said."The table never lies" and it didnt for Englands qualifying group for this championship.The english believe they have a divine right to be considered one of the best teams in Europe and the fact is they are not because they have not got the players of the quality required.As the OP says get over yourselfs

estebancambias

What a moron that lad is.

This is why I hate the English National Team.

Pighead

Call_me_al wrote: »

if you're there, you deserve to be and vice versa; simple as. No matter what country you're from someone is gonna say "oh, it's a disappointment you're country isn't here".

Austria nd Switzerland didn't deserve it. They were pants. They didn't get there on merit.

Pigman II wrote: »

In fairness, I think this has been the best European Championships I've ever seen and I think that is in some small part down to the fact that ourselves and England aren't at it, playing our brutal brands of headless unintelligent football.

C'mon are you telling me you wouldn't have enjoyed it just a little bit more if say for example instead of Greece, Austria and Switzerland you had England Ireland and Scotland? Actually forget about the Scotland bit.

estebancambias

It would be much better if Ireland were there, but they aren't.

I don't sort of buy a team like Greece(at this moment) is better than us though. I think if they had been in our group they would have finished on the same amount of points as us in fairness)

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Tom65

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Clive Tyldesley has taken to apologizing before mentioning England. I think it was during the Germany-Croatia match he said "...and I'm sorry to keep mentioning England, but had we qualified this would be an England-Germany match" (and then talks about how that would've worked out).

internelligent

Tom65 wrote: »

Clive Tyldesley has taken to apologizing before mentioning England. I think it was during the Germany-Croatia match he said "...and I'm sorry to keep mentioning England, but had we qualified this would be an England-Germany match" (and then talks about how that would've worked out).

^^:pac:
Unbelievable the way they bring England into it ALL the time. I can't stand Motson myself. I do think england have some great players and I felt they would qualify but from watching sky sports I'm delighted they didn't. It's horrible turning on SSN and listening to the most ridiculous unimportant reports about England's play/team which would be solely based on superstition. Incredibly annoying. Also, the standard of soccer has been so much higher than I was expecting. Extremely refreshing to watch. C'mon Spain.

gogglebok

estebancambias wrote: »

What a moron that lad is.

This is why I hate the English National Team.

Do you mean Rooney? I think an awful lot of the team are horribly unlikeable. Joey Barton is no-one's idea of an upstanding citizen, but I did like his description of all the World Cup memoirs the players wrote. "I played in the Cup, I was ****, here's me book."

I can't believe a country which hasn't been in a final for over forty years can have such a sense of entitlement. As if being the home of football gave them any kind of rights. It's like a bunch of Egyptians expecting the Booker Prize because their ancestors invented writing.

Chardee MacDennis

Pighead wrote: »

Austria nd Switzerland didn't deserve it. They were pants. They didn't get there on merit.


C'mon are you telling me you wouldn't have enjoyed it just a little bit more if say for example instead of Greece, Austria and Switzerland you had England Ireland and Scotland? Actually forget about the Scotland bit.

I have very much enjoyed this tournament and i wouldnt want to change much about it tbh, the only reason i would want Ireland there is coz it's my country but not because it would actually improve the tournament.

The journalist is implying that Europe thinks the tournament would have been better with England - i don't believe that for a second and if you can't qualify for a tournament then you're certainly not goning to make it better.

Tom65

Call_me_al wrote: »

I have very much enjoyed this tournament and i wouldnt want to change much about it tbh, the only reason i would want Ireland there is coz it's my country but not because it would actually improve the tournament.

The journalist is implying that Europe thinks the tournament would have been better with England - i don't believe that for a second and if you can't qualify for a tournament then you're certainly not goning to make it better.

Yeah, I can't believe anyone outside England would think England would make the tournament better. They're absolutely the most boring team to watch. Worse than Greece!
I know Ireland can be fairly dull at time, but being from there I want them in the tournament. I don't fool myself into thinking the rest of Europe spends it's time at tournaments pining for a bit of 'de craic'.

ROCKMAN

Call_me_al wrote: »

I have very much enjoyed this tournament and i wouldnt want to change much about it tbh, the only reason i would want Ireland there is coz it's my country but not because it would actually improve the tournament.

The journalist is implying that Europe thinks the tournament would have been better with England - i don't believe that for a second and if you can't qualify for a tournament then you're certainly not goning to make it better.[/QUOTE]


Hmmmmm

DENMARK 1992 :eek:

Mr.Nice Guy

I don't miss them although I have enjoyed seeing them get knocked out over the years due to their unbelievable arrogance. Dunphy taking them tot ask over it was always a good laugh.

Chardee MacDennis

ROCKMAN wrote: »

Hmmmmm

DENMARK 1992 :eek:

one example from 48 years of the tournament. Remember that if England had qualified McClaren would still have been in charge, would anyone expect that team to have improved the tournament. i really dont think so.

dobsdave

Maybe the op should get over it too?

Its a guy writing a blog, where is the bit in it that says anything like the tournament would have been better with England in it?
He actually says that they weren't good enough to qualify.

I personally would have prefered them and us in it, doesn't mean I think the tournament would have been better.

OPENROAD

dobsdave wrote: »

Maybe the op should get over it too?

Its a guy writing a blog, where is the bit in it that says anything like the tournament would have been better with England in it?
He actually says that they weren't good enough to qualify.

I agree with you.

I think the OP should read the article again very slowly, then maybe again. Really not worth a thread imo.

Mr Alan

people are always dying to kick England while they're down its hilariously sad.

for example, where was the thread for this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/09/germanyfootballteam.poland?gusrc=rss&feed=football

If this was England you would have had a huge thread on it calling for them to be banned etc, but because its not them, it didnt even get a mention on boards.ie, sad.

gogglebok

Mr Alan wrote: »

people are always dying to kick England while they're down its hilariously sad.

for example, where was the thread for this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/09/germanyfootballteam.poland?gusrc=rss&feed=football

If this was England you would have had a huge thread on it calling for them to be banned etc, but because its not them, it didnt even get a mention on boards.ie, sad.

I hope it's not anti-Englishness. Isn't it more a case of caring most about our immediate neighbours, and the players and fans we know more about?

Mr Alan

of course its anti-englishness.

so do we enjoy it when they play wellin tournaments? the majority dont.

the majority hope they get knocked out asap every year and then look for any stick possible to beat them with.

its just bitterness on our part i'm afraid.

gogglebok

Mr Alan wrote: »

of course its anti-englishness.

so do we enjoy it when they play wellin tournaments? the majority dont.

the majority hope they get knocked out asap every year and then look for any stick possible to beat them with.

its just bitterness on our part i'm afraid.

Fair enough. I tend to support them, but I'd say I'm in a minority there. I wouldn't feel safe walking around Dublin in an England shirt, anyway, whereas that doesn't apply to any other strip. That makes your point pretty clearly.

I do think the current crop of England players are selfish and whiny, but I think the same about some of the Irish players. Robbie Keane blaming the media for his woeful perfromances was a low point.

gixerfixer

Mr Alan wrote: »

people are always dying to kick England while they're down its hilariously sad.

for example, where was the thread for this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/09/germanyfootballteam.poland?gusrc=rss&feed=football

If this was England you would have had a huge thread on it calling for them to be banned etc, but because its not them, it didnt even get a mention on boards.ie, sad.

Did you start a thread on it Mr.Alan if it's so important.The reason people like to see them fail is arrogance...plain and simple.Same as a lad on the street who talks about being the hardest mother fuc*er out there,shouting his gob off about what a hard man he is and then one day he gets the crap kicked otta him by some small quiet bloke .Thats just what England think they are..The hardest lad out there.Thats why i laugh everytime they get beat.

OPENROAD

gogglebok wrote: »

Fair enough. I tend to support them, but I'd say I'm in a minority there. I wouldn't feel safe walking around Dublin in an England shirt, anyway, whereas that doesn't apply to any other strip. That makes your point pretty clearly.

I do think the current crop of England players are selfish and whiny, but I think the same about some of the Irish players. Robbie Keane blaming the media for his woeful perfromances was a low point.

Things have improved re England much over the years,or maybe I'm wrong but I have been in pubs when England are playing and have seen people cheering them on, especially there club players this would not have happened say 10 years ago when it was common site to see people in man utd shirts jeering the likes of Paul Ince when he had an England top on.

Mr.Nice Guy

Mr Alan wrote: »

of course its anti-englishness.

so do we enjoy it when they play wellin tournaments? the majority dont.

the majority hope they get knocked out asap every year and then look for any stick possible to beat them with.

its just bitterness on our part i'm afraid.

Anti-Englishness? What a load of nonsense. It's nothing to do with bitterness but their arrogance. Why would you want to see a team do well that believes it has a divine right to win everything and which finds any scapegoat around (even if it's an English player) to use as an excuse for a defeat?

By the way I've always wished Jimmy White well in snooker and Phil Tayor well in darts.

gogglebok

OPENROAD wrote: »

Things have improved re England much over the years,or maybe I'm wrong but I have been in pubs when England are playing and have seen people cheering them on, especially there club players this would not have happened say 10 years ago when it was common site to see people in man utd shirts jeering the likes of Paul Ince when he had an England top on.

No, you're right that it has loosened up a bit. Apres Match did a great sketch about during the last World Cup, where the three Dublin guys were on a the couch, skirting around the fact that they secretly hoped England would do well.

I still wouldn't wear the shirt, though. Maybe we're another generation away from that.

OPENROAD

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Anti-Englishness? What a load of nonsense. It's nothing to do with bitterness but their arrogance. Why would you want to see a team do well that believes it has a divine right to win everything and which finds any scapegoat around (even if it's an English player) to use as an excuse for a defeat?

.

But that is only small sections of the media,the supporters don't feel like that, and if you actually read and listen to te majority of UK media, I certainly have not seen that in receny years.

Mr Alan

gixerfixer wrote: »

Did you start a thread on it Mr.Alan if it's so important.

no. but you didnt get my point.

wat i was getting at was there would have been a rush of people to start it if it was english fans involved in it. and a rush of people calling them every name under the sun in the thread. and wishing all sorts of punishment on them. but the same people dont care when its Germany/poland or any other countries.

whereas i dont care no matter who it is, so wouldnt start a thread on it.

OPENROAD

gogglebok wrote: »

No, you're right that it has loosened up a bit. Apres Match did a great sketch about during the last World Cup, where the three Dublin guys were on a the couch, skirting around the fact that they secretly hoped England would do well.

I still wouldn't wear the shirt, though. Maybe we're another generation away from that.

I remember that Apres Match


Re; the shirt, again I could be wrong on this but I feel in most parts of Dublin you could wear it now, their will always be parts of the city which you can't but these are prob areas that most people would avoid.

Things are a lot better now though I remember only 10 years ago you would not see a St Georges Flag hanging outside a hotel/bar or the Union flag but down it seems to be common place especially on rugby weekends.

Mr Alan

gixerfixer wrote: »

The reason people like to see them fail is arrogance...plain and simple.

Arrogance is not an exclusively English trait. We just like to pretend it is.

All countries media like to exagerate their nations chances in events.

For example our media like to pretend that we have an amazing chance to qualify for evey national tournament. when in reality, we are ****.

The only difference is England are better than us, so their national media like to say they actually have a chance at winning a tournament. But they actually do have a talent squad of players, if a little short in a couple of departments.

OPENROAD

Mr Alan wrote: »

no. but you didnt get my point.

wat i was getting at was there would have been a rush of people to start it if it was english fans involved in it. and a rush of people calling them every name under the sun in the thread. and wishing all sorts of punishment on them. but the same people dont care when its Germany/poland or any other clubs.

whereas i dont care no matter who it is, so wouldnt start a thread on it.

I agree with you 100% and I would say our own media are guilty also, if their is even minor trouble involving English clubs our media latch onto it, but if it is any other nation not a bit of reporting.

OPENROAD

Mr Alan wrote: »

Arrogance is not an exclusively English trait. We just like to pretend it is.

All countries media like to exagerate their nations chances in events.

For example our media like to pretend that we have an amazing chance to qualify for evey national tournament. when in reality, we are ****.

The only difference is England are better than us, so their national media like to say they actually have a chance at winning a tournament. But they actually do have a talent squad of players, if a little short in a couple of departments.

Again I agree, one only has to listen to Eamon Dunphy during the Euros talking about Ireland.

gogglebok

OPENROAD wrote: »

Re; the shirt, again I could be wrong on this but I feel in most parts of Dublin you could wear it now, their will always be parts of the city which you can't but these are prob areas that most people would avoid.

Where I live there's a guy with a huge vicious-looking dog, and he and the dog stomp around in lovely matching Celtic shirts. Maybe I'll keep my jacket buttoned till I hit the city centre....

OPENROAD

gogglebok wrote: »

Where I live there's a guy with a huge vicious-looking dog, and he and the dog stomp around in lovely matching Celtic shirts. Maybe I'll keep my jacket buttoned till I hit the city centre....

That might be wise

Pigman II

Where I live there's a guy with a huge vicious-looking dog, and he and the dog stomp around in lovely matching Celtic shirts. Maybe I'll keep my jacket buttoned till I hit the city centre....

OPENROAD wrote: »

That might be wise

Agreed. Scottish people don't seem to fond of the English in general.

Bounty Hunter

there was a chant at the Ireland vs Scotland friendly a few years back that went something like this iirc:

Scots: We hate the English more than you!
Us: No you dont
Scots: yes we do,
We Hate the English more than you

Mr.Nice Guy

OPENROAD wrote: »

But that is only small sections of the media,the supporters don't feel like that.

The supporters are just as bad. If you read the letters pages as I do you'll see countless arrogant viewpoints.

Mr Alan

as opposed to irish viewpoints in letter pages, which are never arrogant!?

copacetic

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

The supporters are just as bad. If you read the letters pages as I do you'll see countless arrogant viewpoints.

reading the letters page is not usually considered sound statistical analysis. Unless you are trying to analyse the subset of the population who will write a letter at the drop of the hat.

Pigman II

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

there was a chant at the Ireland vs Scotland friendly a few years back that went something like this iirc:

Scots: We hate the English more than you!
Us: No you dont
Scots: yes we do,
We Hate the English more than you

Scotland really is the worst nation on Earth. If it wasn't for the sexy accent some of thier women have then the country would literally have nothing going for it.

copacetic

Pigman II wrote: »

If it wasn't for the sexy accent some of thier women have then the country literally have nothing going for it.

yep, nowhere else does 'say trousers' count as a chat up line.

Mr.Nice Guy

Mr Alan wrote:

as opposed to irish viewpoints in letter pages, which are never arrogant!?

Huh? What have we got to be arrogant about?

copacetic wrote: »

reading the letters page is not usually considered sound statistical analysis. Unless you are trying to analyse the subset of the population who will write a letter at the drop of the hat.

I would say an opinion page is a good way to assess the opinions of people.

copacetic

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I would say an opinion page is a good way to assess the opinions of people.

only of the person actually writing the letter.

Mr.Nice Guy

copacetic wrote: »

only of the person actually writing the letter.

Yes and if that person is from England then you get an English viewpoint.

copacetic

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Yes and if that person is from England then you get an English viewpoint.

but not of their fans as a group which is what you said.