Also interesting how politicised the game has become for some people.. or rather how they're attempting to use it as a tool for pushing their political agenda.
To me it's football, and great because it's nothing else but a stupid yet beautiful game. Not anything to do with party politics and who governs the country. Thought Gary Neville was a bellend for trying to introduce political opinion into a great moment in sport.
Racial politics versus party politics, it's a very different thing. When an entire race has been prejudiced against for literally hundreds of years, treated as sub-human scum (ahem..) and used as slaves to enrich current power structures, then I think most people can see the power and relevance of those moments in sport.
Rice has been a defensive powerhouse. He does an enormous amount of dirty work for little reward and has looked one of our best players for my money. I rate Henderson but if you can't appreciate Rice then your Liverpool shirt is showing I think Andy... I also think having Henderson on the bench to close games out is a great option. I would like to see Foden over Mount I think for the final, but wouldn't be too upset if there were no changes. Southgate rates Mount because he is so clever and understands the tactics better than anyone else on the pitch, I can see why that would be useful in a chess match final.
I can recall Galeazzi's "We can't die now!" for the Abbagnale brothers rowing, and many many more.
If it was something specific, for example if they had cut funding for grassroots sports and then hypocritically basked in the glory of sporting success, then it would feel more warranted.
On the other hand, school sport survived the ten years of austerity so, you’re right, there’s nothing to criticise them for there….
If England do win then expect reams of nationalistic jingoism in the redtop rags.
Patel and Johnson had used the England Team to fuel their culture war. They then pivoted from dog whistle criticism to OTT tub thumping. I think that is specific enough to warrant a bit of push back. I’d expect the political leaders to support the team but the way it is being manipulated would make me sick if I was a former England right back and might make say something.
Quote from: Teaboy on July 08, 2021, 04:46:55 pmOn the other hand, school sport survived the ten years of austerity so, you’re right, there’s nothing to criticise them for there….Woah! Gove axed the sport leaders programme within about 3 weeks of assuming leadership at the DfE in 2010. It paid for specialist secondary PE teachers to work in primary schools a couple of days a week. Invaluable given primary teachers are not PE specialists. Small saving, big loss.If school sport is surviving the ravages of austerity, it’s not for want of trying.
Quote from: galpinos on July 08, 2021, 01:42:54 pmQuote from: Falling Down on July 08, 2021, 12:54:58 pmCan’t wait for Sunday. Italy look very strong and they have guile and gamesmanship in spades, but I could say the same for the current England team now which makes for an exciting final.If it comes down to quality of shithousery the Italians are nailed on! Looking forward to it, and I've not felt like that for quite a while!Racial politics versus party politics, it's a very different thing. When an entire race has been prejudiced against for literally hundreds of years, treated as sub-human scum (ahem..) and used as slaves to enrich current power structures, then I think most people can see the power and relevance of those moments in sport. When it's just someone living a pretty good life in an open and fair democratic state, who has a chip on their shoulder because they don't agree with the current government in power, then keep it out of sport ffs.
Quote from: Falling Down on July 08, 2021, 12:54:58 pmCan’t wait for Sunday. Italy look very strong and they have guile and gamesmanship in spades, but I could say the same for the current England team now which makes for an exciting final.If it comes down to quality of shithousery the Italians are nailed on! Looking forward to it, and I've not felt like that for quite a while!
Can’t wait for Sunday. Italy look very strong and they have guile and gamesmanship in spades, but I could say the same for the current England team now which makes for an exciting final.
I walked around not knowing how to feel about actually getting to a final.
Quote from: kelvin on July 09, 2021, 08:18:24 amI walked around not knowing how to feel about actually getting to a final. The only cups I’ve ever seen my team lift are the 1987 Freight Rover Trophy and the 2013 Blue Square Bet Conference Premier. I have absolutely no idea what you do when a team you support is truly in the running for a major title, let alone if they actually win it!To be honest (and probably partly due to the above) I feel like I imagine a lot of England fans do- not choking to theoretically weaker opponents in the semi was the real test and the playing in the final against an excellent team that we can honestly claim to be in the same league as is the icing on the cake. This tournament’s already markedly better than every other one I’ve ever seen England play in and barring the seemingly unlikely event of a down-to-nine-men, 6-0 drubbing on Sunday I’ll be cool with whatever happens and hopeful that the positive characteristics of the current England setup become as entrenched as the negative characteristics of the previous ones.