nidnoyham

Tommy Smith was playing for the Kiwis today. A few months ago, he was defending at Griffin Park for Div' 1's Brentford. He so wanted to play for N.Z. They are my second team after England. We don't get many International players on our turf !

What ever interpretation you give it- it is resulting in bad play on the pitch. That is the bottom line. Why do you think sports psychologists are in such demand ? I have no idea what is getting to them. I don't care what the cause is, it is showing in the players game. If something is wrong, something is wrong. England don't seem to be alone with this problem. Why do you have to question every post I make ? Could it be your dour ? Bored ? wound as tight as a cheap watch......

For Vic We have a British Army, it is made up of regiments from Welsh Guards, Irish Guards. Scots Guards and Grenadier Guards. That is regiments from Wales, Ireland. Scotland and England, collectively called British. Regiments from all four separate countries. Individually Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English. I know it is difficult for someone from one huge country, to absorb the fact that you can have four different countries in such a small land mass, each with it's own border, accent, culture, food..... but that's how it is. As an outsider, you will have no idea about the sporting rivalry between us. Just do your best to accept our word for it. My family has Scots friends, so close our kids looked upon each other as cousins, but when England and Scotland played any spots in opposition, loyalties divided our families. You got to live here to understand.

As far as the English performance goes so far. It is dire. There is something very wrong in Camp England. I have yet to see a player seen getting off a coach, checking in at the airport, or training, who has a smile on their face. Other teams have made comment on how serious England are in S.A. The on pitch performance is down to the players, but that performance reflects what is happening inside their head- look at France. They have had some internal wrangling with their manager and it has shown in their performance. It hapend to Holland at a W.C. or Euro '96. they were awful. As I have said before. No country has ever won the World Cup under a foreign manager- coincidence ? Despite Wac' claiming this Cappello bloke being our greatest asset, I 'ain't so sure. All this bollocks about not telling the team who is playing until 2 hours before kick of. It is supposed to keep them on their toes- or make them think, you are taking the piss- you chose. He seems to have no plan B to change things. He is playing a Striker - Heskey up front, who has not scored a goal for anyone since February! This is the World Cup finals FFS. Peter Crouch scored 5 times in the qualifying rounds and is ignored until 18 minutes to go. Everyone was pleased to see Joe Cole make the final 23, but he hasn't kicked a ball in anger. Gerard is playing out of position...... None of the team who play in the Premiership, are used to a 4-4-2 system.... and on it goes. If he was to take a backhander to fuck up our chances, he would do exactly what he is doing now. As an England supporter said " I was talking to an Algerian, who told me that their team was not as good as England, but played with more pride. I couldn't argue with him. " Capello was saying last week " I want to encourage the English spirit in to the play " well you have not done too well so far mate. Give Alan Shearer, or any Englishman five minutes with them before the next game. Oh and Vic- notice I didn't say " Any Brit "'

I believe it is about 1 in 3 EPL players are available to play for England. The vast majority of traveling English fans, are supporters of lower clubs ( notice the Brentfrord flag at the US game ? ) It is our money that pays the England teams expenses. Wayne Rooney has apologised for his remark about the reaction of the fans to the Algerian game- so he should. Almost every W.C team has a player from the English leagues lower divisions too. Brentford had Tom Smith, the Kiwi lad on loan for a few months. He was desperate to play football for us, rather than sit on a bench of a higher club where he would not be seen. He is a good old fashion defender, with just the touch of aggression you need. Knowing he was a possible W.C. player for N.Z, kept him on his toes. How many other teams had someone in the same situation? There can be some good come from foreign players at lower levels, but..... The majority of English supporters may well see a player from their club playing in the W.C, but it will be for the opposition. The difference being, those players are honoured to be there.

It 'ain't all down to the Media- but they don't help ! The only two England players who seem to have any passion for representing their country, are David Beckham and John Terry. Both were made captain for this reason. The rest just seem to ' turn up ' for the match. The media are cruelist when a mistake is made by the goalie, such as happened in the first game. He is playing for England mate- he needs a bit of support, not to be harassed by some overweight, nicotine stained fingered hack, who has spent months thinking up a headline for every eventuality, while sitting on his arse at a desk. Yes critisize, by all means, but not humiliate. Today's International football has moved on. Most of the Algerian team were born in and could play for France. By look of things, they would have played better than the French team did. I remember Ian Botham being crusified by the Tabloids when he was caught smoking weed. A few weeks later, he took 8 W. Indian wickets and was a hero. Billy Connelly had it right when addressing an audience " Ladies and Gentleman- children- pets of children- flees that live on the backs of pets of children- microscopic organisms that live off the flees on the pets of children- and finally members of the media ..."

You slag ! Hope you put your house on it !

No mentioning of a non American sport ? I don't believe you ! Perhaps the word " World" would have confused them into thinking it was about baseball anyway.

I was at the opening game at Wembley in 1966. It was one of the most boring 0-0 games I have ever seen. It was a Vic's classic football match. All this speculation about how bad England played, was banded about then, as it is now. I don't recall us ever having a good first game, in any tournament- World or European Cup. Heskey, Wright Phillips and Lampard should have all done better last night and I am sure they will in the following games. O.K. all queue up to take the piss, we are used to it by now- water off a ducks back ! Just think of that game as- 1 goal to England and 1 mistake to the USA. Oh, and for the Sweaties- Taffies and Paddies- You've got to be in it- to win it ! Where are all the flags hanging from the pubs, houses, cars, down your way ? " I'm England 'till i die, I'm England 'till i die.......... "

You will have to explain this post to me. I am a bit slow.

Where as American players were all as pale as- well palefaces I suppose. What about the geezer with a Bin Laden beard ? It was like a EPL game. American players from Fulham- Everton.....

That's why America has got as many points as England.

Ahh Afghanistan it has taken a lot of Anglo Saxons to play the game there all right. If those Damn Yankies win today, they will be returning the favour. Still got the Iron Bru on ice ?

I assume you watched it all then ? The question has to be- why ? If I don't like a sport, I wouldn't waste my time sitting through it. Unless of course, I just wanted to make negative comments about it afterwards..... but I'm not that sad. Some are though ! Yes I know it's hard to believe, but....

As Vic pointed out to me. " You can't judge the excitement of a game by the final score " - well not if it's an American one... The French game was a bore, but I have a feeling a draw suited both sides, as they fancy being able to beat Mexico and S. Africa.

Because you Sweaties, will still be crowing about what happened in the World cup in 1950 after 600 years, let alone 60. I thought you could at least work in a bit about Banockburn or Killiecrankie..... " Freedom ! " The good thing about England playing in the World Cup, it unites all the other non contenders, who are just waiting for us to lose. See ? We qualify to give you lot a reason to watch. It's not just all about us you know ! Well, the playing part is.

No I didn't Tom. From memory, wasn't he a bit on the 'portly' side as a player ? Short gingery hair, a bit like Gazza ? Still a handsome man in LOS though.

Nasa Husein was captain of the England cricket team, a few years back. He made an appeal to the British Asian kids to aspire to play cricket for England. He got absolutely slated by British Asian society. They more or less told him to fuck off. If they were going to play international cricket, it would be for India or Pakistan. Even I felt sorry for him. Perhaps that is the answer to your question. P.S Why do so many West Indians have the name Campbell ?

I think the England - and Brentfords teams, reflect the social divide in racial terms. Our player of the year was a coloured lad. Thing is, if he made a cock up while playing, he still got grief from the fans like everyone else. It is the working class that plays and watches the game. The working class has mixed socially and sexually with immigrants, as is reflected in the national team. How many of England's Cricketers, Rugby , or Tennis players are black ? They may be from S. Africa- so was Tony Gregg 40 years ago, but they are still white. They too, represent the people who play and watch them. Not 100% of course, but in the main. I have to wonder how the average French person feels, when their national side turns out. Yes it's good when you win, but like Arsenal fans - and I know quite a few, would they prefer some of their true countrymen playing for them, even if it meant an inferior team ? Having watched "Match of the Day" reruns from the 70's, when all the first division players had 'British' names, the games were just as entertaining..... I know what Tom is getting at with this thread, but the whole world is on the move. Soon their will be no national identity in sport at all. Away from Sport, we had the case of a 'German' doctor giving a patient 10 times the amount of drug they should have had. His name was something like Abu Habarni- not your usual German name, but German just the same.

Didn't Bonetti, famously turn his back on a high cross, instead of punching it clear, allowing Germany to equalize in the 1970 World Cup ? That was the turning point- get it ? of the game and they went on to score two more. 4-2 to them in the end. I saw him play at Wembley about 15 years ago, in a charity match, before Brentfords Play off final. He was like Wurzell Gummage- Bald on top, with long white hair and skinney as a rake. I would never have recognized him.

O.k this is purely from memory of the German '66 final team. 'The King' Becks- Ziggy Held- Wolfgang Webber- Uwie Seiler- Hans Tilkofski (goalie)- Helmut Haller.. that's all I can recall now, I used to know them all, but the old memory......

I like this post. Two Scots arguing about the England World cup team of 1966. I would never have believed it. Gordon Banks was the goalie in the final. Don't remember Pete playing at all. And the only people to score in the final, both played their football in London for thew same team - West Ham. If the question was "How many Celts does it take.... ? " We'll never know !

It's a case of representing the country of France, but not the people. Unless they do smoke strong fags, ride a bike with onions on the handlebars, while wearing a beret and horizontal stripes on their shirt...... But I some how doubt it !