England 1 USA 1…Meh
June 14, 2010 8 Comments
So, England eked out a joyless one-one draw with the USA in their opening game of the World Cup. What did we learn from this match, other than the fact that only English goalies make such ridiculous howlers on a frequent basis? I don’t know about you, but what I learned is that I wasn’t a bit bothered about the result.
I’m not a nationalistic person by nature, and my interest in the England team has waned over recent years, so I wasn’t exactly shocked that I wasn’t bothered. I do usually have a vague interest in the World Cup matches, though, so I was at least mildly surprised that I didn’t care in the least. I watched the match in the pub and I began to feel slightly embarrassed when I realised that I was the only person not reacting to the action. I had to actually stop myself laughing when Robert Green threw the ball into the goal; not because I wanted England to lose, I think I was just struck by the absurdity of the situation, rather than being upset by conceding a goal.
I don’t expect any one to necessarily agree with or even understand my position (although, it would be nice to know I’m not alone). It’s definitely a personal point of view that I wouldn’t try and convince anybody else to concur with. I am kind of curious as to why I think like this, though. I think in the main it’s because, although I can understand being proud of where you come from, I don’t feel the need to prove myself for this thing called England. Also, on a much baser level, I find it increasingly difficult to forget my staunch Liverpool allegiances and cheer for players that play for rival clubs. I know it’s a bit pathetic, but I am still a football fan.
Apart from those reasons, I think I struggle to relate to the concept of “England” – it somehow doesn’t feel specific enough for me to get behind. If there was a North West England team then perhaps I’d feel more connected. Likewise, if we had a British team then I’d feel more inclined to get behind it. Somehow, “England” seems to fall in the middle and I don’t quite know what it means. Maybe I’m just thinking about it too much.
The final reason that I can’t warm to the national side is because it seems symptomatic of the whole commercialisation of everything. The country seems to be caught in an ever escalating spiral of buying stuff to prove that you are celebrating the thing that you’re only celebrating because you can buy stuff related to it. The worst offender in this category is Halloween, which seems to have become increasingly popular solely because you can buy stuff with pumpkins on it. How long before we totally forget the true meaning of Christmas and it becomes purely about how many tacky lights you can fit on your lawn?
Anyway. I should probably go now, as I suspect that I may be coming across as a bit of a killjoy. I won’t regale you with my views on how unbearable the country will become if England were actually to win the bloody thing. I’ll just wish the lads good luck and hope they do well – although I’ll probably do that in quite a half-hearted way.
About sherby57
I think this is why I’ve never really got into football; I don’t identify with any particular team. God knows why because I live right next to so many top class football clubs; Man U, Liverpool, Everton, etc. Maybe its because the teams don’t really have much to do with the area they represent. Certainly there’s rarely any players from the locality on the team (often there’s not even many from England! Jees I hope that doesn’t sound horribly nationalistic and right wing coz that’s not what I am). So when it comes to half-hearted support for England, I’m whole-heartedly up for it.
Strangely, I don’t have a problem supporting a local team full of foreigners. My only conclusion is that people are weird.
I think I experienced the opposite – I live in USA so to some extent I am one of those prats who defines myself as English simply because there is no way on God’s earth I’d want to define myself as an American even if I do have rather an easy life out here. Yet when I watched the match I got excited every time england tried to score a goal. I was sober too!! maybe I’m turning into a man?
There’s quite an easy check you can do to see if you’re turning into a man.
There’s nothing wrong with cheering for where you’re from! I think I’m the weird one for not doing it!
As a ‘sweaty sock’ I struggle with the England World Cup shenanigans. I’m not a bitter, English-hating, hairy highlander but I am Scottish and it gets my back up when people give off and tell the whole of the UK to get behind the English team as I’m not English. I wish them well but have a dread that if they actually win it would be a bloody media nightmare. Hmmm. No matter how I say that I still sound like a bitter Scot. I’m not honestly, I accept that we’ve got a rubbish national team. But we did win the rugby at the weekend and no one seemed to give a toot!
You don’t sound bitter, it would be an absolute media nightmare of the highest order. I think I’d have to emigrate for a few months if they did win or I might actually go insane. And I’m actually English, so I fully sympathise with your position.
I always want all the UK teams to do well, it would be much better if we were all at the WC.
I think you are all being miserable. It is once every four years and is just a bit of fun in a somewhat dreary world. OK I agree the team is a bit rubbish but that doesn’t matter it is a chance for everyone in England to get behind the same thing and dare I say it – unite!! I much prefer to discuss the inabilities of our goalkeepers rather than discuss some mad head who decides to shoot up a load of people because he is having a bad day! Life is too shit not to take advantage of jumping on the bandwagon, painting yer face red and white and singing Vindaloo!!!!! Come on England!!! I still love you!!!
I’d like to hope that I’d be equally miserable about the whole thing if the team were actually really good!