Good morning.
I am amazed. Shocked and amazed, and perhaps slightly disappointed. Shocked, amazed, slightly disappointed and also puzzled.
The reason?
Simply this. The English association football squad, have either won or drawn all their matches in this year's World Cup competition. They have qualified simply and without controversy for the second round, and have since gone on to win their first knock-out match of the tournament.
Now, unless I am very much sillier than even I thought, isn't that a very /good/ thing? Isn't that what we actually wanted? I'm going to stick my neck out and say that it pretty much is exactly what most fans would have said they wanted before the competition began.
How strange, therefore, to hear the soccer pundits and the media in general roundly criticising England and saying how disappointed they are with the performance so far. Judging by this response, they will be all bar heartbroken should we do the unthinkable and actually win the whole thing.
I agree - the press etc are simply never happy. I hope the players aren't taking too much notice and hopefully we will win again at the weekend. I love football.
Posted by: christine | June 26, 2006 at 09:55 PM
And here I was thinking that this blog would be World Cup Free ...... As a Dutch supporter, I love watching the differences between the Dutch press and the English press. At a Dutch Post match conference it goes something like (except in Dutch) "Well done, you guys must be pleased with the hard earned 3 points. You beat a strong team. the country is proud of you. Now, you know you played badly, but what can we see to next game?" In an English post match conference they say, you played terrible8 you must be disappointed how you played8, do you think you can go on? etc etc ... and oh by the way at least you won. ....... Pffft!
Posted by: Mr. Mavin | June 27, 2006 at 12:16 PM