James Collins - England

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Trigger has replied in a way i couldnt add anything



Indeed, if you are not English and dont support them, fair enough, but the idea to support the team they are playing in anything and wishing England fail in everything, if thats not a chip on your shoulder, then i am not sure what is



losing in sports hardly effect the " ruling classes " but it does effect the average Joe imho

anyway, your post does look like the example of my example of the chip on the shoulder

I say, Marmaduke, our chaps have done a super job tonight. How do you fancy putting on our smoking jackets and celebrating with a cucumber sandwich and a tea cake?

[surge]

There are both nice England supporters who will wish Wales well and England supporters who, if you tell them they haven't been away from home yet this tournament, will be quick to tell you that Wales wouldn't survive without England or will shout "come on England" in the Millenium Stadium when watching the UK play Olympic football - a country of 68 million having both good and bad to it shocker!!

England football does what they think is right for England football though: they've pushed for an Olympics' team because it's right for England despite concerns about what it means for other home nations independent football status, they broke away from home nations youth cup because it was right for England despite it being a knock to other home nations and they pushed David Gill to be lead representative for governing body despite it being the Welsh official's turn because it was right for England football.

There are also many in Wales who will be quick to enjoy this summer but weren't bothered by 2016 because they don't want to see Wales as a nation in any small way. Welsh Tories are second biggest party in the Senedd and basically ran a campaign of "we're doing too much thinking for ourselves" while several other parties picked up hundreds of votes wanting to unwind any sense of nation status. There are MP's (Shrewsbury MP, Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP) in England who would likely agree.

James Collins has right to support whoever he wants, it's really not any different from him saying he'll support Spain now, but doesn't have right to say he's speaking for everyone. A small adjustment to his wording would likely see a different reaction from most.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Sport, particularly football, very often has a tradition of not wanting your closest neighbours to succeed whether your side are involved or not. We see that in the local derbies and indeed if your local rival is playing anyone else. Like it or not the majority of us have got a deep, ingrained dislike of Swansea and Bristol City (Rovers seems to get a free pass). The success of these rivals though isn’t rammed down your throat 24/7, the media, who are the real villains, go overboard with any glimmer of English success and we can’t escape it given the papers we buy and the television we watch. A lot of us have most probably admired many English players over the years but it’s difficult not to gloat when it inevitably goes tits up and the media goes into meltdown. Turn the tables though and they win this thing are we going to face an avalanche of back slapping and self congratulation on a scale we’ve never seen before? I reckon we will, much bigger than immediately after 1966 when things were a touch more reserved. I can’t f*cking wait......

The irony being that the press have harangued the England team a great deal over the last half-century due to their lack of success.

[blue matt]

The irony being that the press have harangued the England team a great deal over the last half-century due to their lack of success.

Build them up and them knock them down

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Build them up and them knock them down

Indeed. And it happens in most other countries, of course. The media need a story either way.

[Divine Wright]

I'd prefer to see the Jacks winning the premier league, especially if their team had a number of welsh lads.... and I dont like them very much at all.

Unlike many on here who claim the english premier league is boring, I enjoy watching it.... I don't begrudge Mount or Henderson winning the champions league either.

When it comes to their international team it wouldn't hurt me if they won it (nothing like losing the Denmark game) but I can help but feel life would be better if they didn't.

If they did win it, it shouldn't come as a shock considering they probably have one of the richest FA's in the game who have invested big time in a country with one of the bigger populations in Europe.

[Divine Wright]

Indeed. And it happens in most other countries, of course. The media need a story either way.

I don't think it does happen to the same extent in other countries. I was listening to the Euro leagues podcast and Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens were commenting on the extent to which people in England are the only people who talk about a final before they had even got beyond the quarters......they mentioned how arrogant the "coming home" chant is...........I was thinking " Finally, someone else understands!! It's not the chip on the shoulder after all and they actually ARE unbearable".

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I don't think it does happen to the same extent in other countries. I was listening to the Euro leagues podcast and Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens were commenting on the extent to which people in England are the only people who talk about a final before they had even got beyond the quarters......they mentioned how arrogant the "coming home" chant is...........I was thinking " Finally, someone else understands!! It's not the chip on the shoulder after all and they actually ARE unbearable".

Well I have lived in England for over 40 years and I can't say that I have usually heard much talk about England being in a final at such an early stage of a competition. And the ditty to which you refer is a light-hearted aspirational song penned by a couple of chaps and reflects an historical link that England has with the game. Some people on here think that the English are two-headed monsters and have unique, negatives attributes that do not exist elsewhere.

[Divine Wright]

Well I have lived in England for over 40 years and I can't say that I have usually heard much talk about England being in a final at such an early stage of a competition. And the ditty to which you refer is a light-hearted aspirational song penned by a couple of chaps and reflects an historical link that England has with the game. Some people on here think that the English are two-headed monsters and have unique, negatives attributes that do not exist elsewhere.

Not only some people on here it seems but those from other countries without any ties to England think they are two-headed monsters as you so melodramatically put it. The ditty is fine, it's just taken to another level when chanted in a football stadium by people dressed as english crusaders. Again, not just me or other petty welshmen who think that. I do realise there are perfectly humble england supporters btw. I don't feel any ill-will towards them.

[surge]

Well I have lived in England for over 40 years and I can't say that I have usually heard much talk about England being in a final at such an early stage of a competition. And the ditty to which you refer is a light-hearted aspirational song penned by a couple of chaps and reflects an historical link that England has with the game. Some people on here think that the English are two-headed monsters and have unique, negatives attributes that do not exist elsewhere.

If Luka Modric, Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens are saying they find the singing of that song arrogant then even if not written with that in mind it could mean it's sung in an arrogant way.

Hard not to find Jenas' commentary at 1-0 to England far too dismissive of Ukraine's chances. Although, this year majority of English press has been almost afraid to speak up their chances so, up until Germany result, the arrogance had gone.

I think it's interesting to see online reaction to Gunter's instagram post. In Wales there was recognition of it being how we felt and being accurate but even some of the most even-handed of twitter English fans were quite negative about it, felt it was sour grapes and were quite mocking. If this is your only experience of an England football fan then can see why some are more negative, but no need to see English football fans as one two-headed monster.

[Wash DC Blue]

If Luka Modric, Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens are saying they find the singing of that song arrogant then even if not written with that in mind it could mean it's sung in an arrogant way.

Hard not to find Jenas' commentary at 1-0 to England far too dismissive of Ukraine's chances. Although, this year majority of English press has been almost afraid to speak up their chances so, up until Germany result, the arrogance had gone.

I think it's interesting to see online reaction to Gunter's instagram post. In Wales there was recognition of it being how we felt and being accurate but even some of the most even-handed of twitter English fans were quite negative about it, felt it was sour grapes and were quite mocking. If this is your only experience of an England football fan then can see why some are more negative, but no need to see English football fans as one two-headed monster.

Keep talking Mate.
It’s going make the fckers winning it less painful to me.

It’s going to happen this year.
We all know it...
Time to start the * campaign.
2020 not 21 home games, terrible format, Covid, Banned Welsh Fans, Denmark missing Erickson, Italy’s left back getting injured.

#startthe*

[Taunton Blue Genie]

If Luka Modric, Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens are saying they find the singing of that song arrogant then even if not written with that in mind it could mean it's sung in an arrogant way.

Hard not to find Jenas' commentary at 1-0 to England far too dismissive of Ukraine's chances. Although, this year majority of English press has been almost afraid to speak up their chances so, up until Germany result, the arrogance had gone.

I think it's interesting to see online reaction to Gunter's instagram post. In Wales there was recognition of it being how we felt and being accurate but even some of the most even-handed of twitter English fans were quite negative about it, felt it was sour grapes and were quite mocking. If this is your only experience of an England football fan then can see why some are more negative, but no need to see English football fans as one two-headed monster.

I have mentioned on here myself about the patronising remarks made by English-speaking commentators and why I sometimes tune into broadcasts of the games in German for a more fair-minded perspective. However, bearing a grudge against the England team and their fans as a whole due to some people in the media and on Twitter seems to be a case of misdirection, in my opinion.
Similarly, I don't like being judged by any knuckle-dragging behaviour of people who support the same club as me.
Most football fans are not bigoted idiots even if the latter make the greatest noise.

[the other bob wilson]

I can't get too worked up about this subject. Surely the truth has to be that there are plenty of Welsh people who wanted England to win last night and will hope that they end up lifting the trophy? On the other hand, it has to be wrong for James Collins or anyone else for that matter to claim they are speaking for our country when they say they want England to win for the simple reason that they do not speak for at least one Welsh person - me!

As a confirmed member of the anyone but England club, I look back and to try to understand why I'm like I am. Some of it is quite pathetic really - I can remember loving it so much in 1973 when Poland knocked England out of the World Cup 1974 by topping their qualifying group, for no other reason than it shoved the arrogant, entitled and disparaging (when it came to the Poles) words of Brian Clough and Malcolm Allison (two men I had a lot of time for in the main) down their throats.

I shouldn't have let something like that form my opinion to such an extent, but it did - although I would say that my anyone but England feelings back then were more along the lines of the sort of good natured joshing you get between rival football fans.

I know the exact time and place where my feelings crystalised into something more serious - Twickenham car park after the England v Wales match in 1980 (the Paul Ringer game). What I saw after that match, which England won 9-8 with a very late penalty to make it three of them to our two tries really took me aback - it was pure hatred of the Welsh team and, by implication, Wales. It wasn't the odd one or two either, there were hundreds of them - now, I'm sensible enough to know that what I saw that day did not represent the views of most English men/women, but I'd also say that what I saw that day was proof that the sort of attitude some have mentioned in this thread is not just limited to the likes of Tommy Robinson.

[Vindec]

Given that the vast majority of Cardiff City players are not Welsh, and most probably English, I find it difficult to understand the anti English bias by some on this forum on this forum. If Cardiff City with no Welsh players played Swansea City with 4 Welsh players would we all support Swansea City? Of course not.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

You will be pleased to hear that my word bag is now empty regarding this subject matter. I'm off to lead a walk in the thunder, lightning and rain in the Quantocks....

[life on mars]

I was cheering with James Collins last night , big on him to say it, perhaps he should have worded it a bit differently by saying something like a lot of Welsh fans will be cheering England on now Wales are out ..

I do think we should rise above this hatred crap .

[chrisp_1927]

I'd be quite happy to see them win. Mind you, if they do lose im going to take great delight in winding up every English person I know

[Allez Allez Allez]

I was cheering with James Collins last night , big on him to say it, perhaps he should have worded it a bit differently by saying something like a lot of Welsh fans will be cheering England on now Wales are out ..

I do think we should rise above this hatred crap .

England is as foreign a country to me as Ukraine.

[Trigger]

England is as foreign a country to me as Ukraine.

Well if you live in the UK or have ever lived in the UK that's pretty much impossible.

[Allez Allez Allez]

Well if you live in the UK or have ever lived in the UK that's pretty much impossible.

How so?

[Divine Wright]

Given that the vast majority of Cardiff City players are not Welsh, and most probably English, I find it difficult to understand the anti English bias by some on this forum on this forum. If Cardiff City with no Welsh players played Swansea City with 4 Welsh players would we all support Swansea City? Of course not.

I didn't support the Philippines when Etheridge was playing for us. But I don't have any ill will towards the the Philipino government because they do not try to control how we do things in Wales.

It's really not that difficult to understand.

You wanna support england, that's your choice. No need to dictate how the rest of us should feel or suggest we are small minded if we don't. That's like me calling any welsh person who supports england a glory-hunting, sycophant , brainwashed, brown-noser.

[Allez Allez Allez]

That's like me calling any welsh person who supports england a glory-hunting, sycophant , brainwashed, brown-noser.

England are as significant to me as Botswana, Cambodia, Djibouti, Azerbaijan or any other third world country. An unelected head of state too.

[splott parker]

I didn't support the Philippines when Etheridge was playing for us. But I don't have any ill will towards the the Philipino government because they do not try to control how we do things in Wales.

It's really not that difficult to understand.

You wanna support england, that's your choice. No need to dictate how the rest of us should feel or suggest we are small minded if we don't. That's like me calling any welsh person who supports england a glory-hunting, sycophant , brainwashed, brown-noser.

Strangely it’s the Filipino government in the Philippines in the English language.

[Trigger]

How so?

Our culture, currency, passport and everything else is intrinsically linked with them as part of the UK. Ukraine not so much.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Our culture, currency, passport and everything else is intrinsically linked with them as part of the UK. Ukraine not so much.

I fully concur with Allez, Allez, Allez. I communicate predominantly in Ukrainian and I am far more familiar with the works of Hryhorii Skovoroda, Yuriy Drohobych, Stanislav Orikhovsky-Roxolan, Feofan Prokopovych than Shakespeare, Chaucer and Alan Bennett. I have many Ukranian friends, relatives,colleagues and acquaintances but no English ones. My sporting heroes are all Ukranian and I visit that country every few months. On the other hand, I have never been to England. I watch Ukranian TV and am not familiar with the London-based BBC or ITV. On a Saturday morning I listen to Радио Шансон radio station and my record collection contains more Ukranian artists than English ones. I enjoy watching a bit of Ukranian footy on TV station Футбол 1 and Match of the Day, with all its English take on things, leaves me cold. I pay taxes to the Ukranian government and use their health service. And I'm looking forward to my state pension from Пенсійний Фонд України and I'll spend a few of my hryvnia watching my local team that has more Ukrainian players than English players. However, I'm concerned about taking a DNA test as the results may be slightly at odds with my perception of who I think I'm not......