I've always hated the England national team.
When I was a kid I supported Scotland even though I was brought up in Liverpool, not Livingston.
When Ray Houghton scored the winner for the Republic of Ireland against Bobby Robson's men in Euro 88 I danced around the living room as if Razor had just scored for the Reds.
When Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed those penalties against Germany I celebrated as much as any German.
And when Gareth Southgate repeated the trick to send England crashing out of Euro 96 I bought a bottle of champagne for me and my mates.
In fact, the only times when I've been even remotely interested in England were when Michael Owen scored that goal against Argentina - I cheered then because here was a young Liverpool player proving just how good he was on the international stage - and when Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher missed penalties against Portugal because I wanted anyone to miss but those two.
I don't know what it is but I've always hated England and wanted them to do badly.
There are many Liverpool fans who feel the same way, as proven by the "We're not English, we are Scouse" chant which is becoming increasingly popular with Reds, particularly at away games.
So with Jamie Carragher reportedly having been so scandalously forced out of the national set up I thought I'd come up with a list of my top ten reasons why I don't identify with the national team and why I will never offer any devotion to them.
Here goes:
1. The FA - where to begin here. But let's just say I have never and will never forgive them for the role they played in the Hillsborough disaster. How could I support a team which represents those men in blazers who helped create a situation which sent 96 Liverpool fans to their deaths?
2. London - The whole England thing is so London-centric they may as well replace the Three Lions with a picture of the Bow bells and ban any players who can't speak in rhyming slang.
3. Frank Lampard and Gary Neville - Not just these two but this pair do illustrate how ridiculous it is to support a team which contains players you hate.
4. The songs - Rule Britannia, God Save The Queen, etc, etc. The worst dirges I've ever heard. Can you honestly imagine singing them?
5. Nationalism and jingoism - Best illustrated by two more songs: No Surrender to the IRA and Two World Wars and One World Cup. For a start, I don't think the IRA were ever seeking the surrender of Steve from Slough and Nigel from Northampton and, anyway, would the Ingerlund boys ever have sung No Surrender on the Falls Road? I don't think so. The Two World Wars one is just plain offensive.
6. The booing of opposition national anthems - Let's get this right, they boo the Marseillais, Das Lied der Deutschen and The Soldiers Song but sing God Save The Queen. Is that not the equivalent of singing Barbie Girl and drowning out London Calling?
7. The treatment of John Barnes by England fans - Barnesy was my hero when I was a kid, in my eyes he was only ever bettered as a Liverpool player by King Kenny Dalglish himself. But the Cockney masses treated him like he wasn't fit to lace Glenn Hoddle's boots.
8. The managers - McClaren, Eriksson, Hoddle, Venables, Robson. What is there to like?
9. Injuries - How many times have Liverpool players gone away with England and come back injured? Barnes was the worst victim, picking up a career threatening Achilles injury whilst performing on behalf of fans who didn't even want him. And in recent years, the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Steven Gerrard, and Michael Owen have all been injured whilst on international duty.
10. The treatment of Liverpool players by the England management and fans - Barnes, Steve McManaman, Ray Clemence, Peter Crouch and, most recently Jamie Carragher, have all been treated disgracefully by either the management or fans. No doubt if they played for London clubs they would have been feted.
What do you think? Do you love England? Do you follow the national team and Liverpool?
Or do you agree with me that England should be left to the English?
Let me know.
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Ritchie wrote...
Spot on
Balls to England, hope they don't qualify for 2008.
Posted by: Ritchie | July 8, 2007 3:53 PM