As the excitement starts to mount for the return of ‘proper’ football this weekend against Crystal Palace, it got me thinking about why there’s so much negativity directed towards our national team.
I’m as patriotic as the next person but these days, I’m only really interested in watching an England match if it’s in a competitive tournament like the Euros or the World Cup. The problem is that I really don’t know when this lethargy started.
I distinctly remember a time when I was having a discussion
with my mates in the pub — probably during the early 1990s — when my stance was that I’d rather England win in a meaningful game than for Sunderland to get three points. Some of my friends agreed and some disagreed, but it was a stance that some took and maybe some still do? Now, I view that opinion as sacrilege! How dare I?
Being an older fan, I remember watching the ‘Home Internationals’ in the 1970s and 1980s.
This was a league format involving England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and typically played from late winter to early spring. The tournament was spread out over a couple of months, so it didn’t affect the league fixtures as they were usually midweek affairs.
Now, some of these games are imprinted on my brain, partly because there wasn’t a lot of live football shown in those days, but there just always seemed to be more passion and grit shown, and I still recall George Best kicking the ball out of Gordon Banks’ hands as he attempted to punt the ball downfield.
Another Besty moment was when his boot came off but he continued to goad an opponent into trying to get the ball off him, even though he was shoeless! I even loved watching Scotland versus Wales, or any of the other fixtures. Now? Groan. When did it all change?
The answer is of course “I don’t know”, otherwise I’d be telling you, but live matches flooding the TV screens don’t help.
Last Saturday, England were playing Andorra, and they kicked off at the same time that England’s women were taking on Australia in the Rugby World Cup. I knew it was going to be a ‘flicking from one channel to another’ sort of evening, but I must’ve watched around 75% of the rugby as opposed to roughly 25% of the men’s football — and the rugby was more engaging, exciting and passionate.
I’ll watch any sport involving my country. If there were international tiddlywinks competitions, I’d be there watching, but these days, if there’s a clash between England football and most other sports, it’ll be the football that gets the occasional cursory glance.
One of the final games I remember watching England in with any total commitment that wasn’t a World Cup or European Championship match was in the late 1990s/early 2000s, when Micky Gray and Kevin Phillips were in the England squad. I’m not sure if they were ever on the pitch in the same game, but they were certainly around the England scene at that time.
Just the other night, I watched Northern Ireland versus Germany because Trai Hume was the Northern Irish captain and I wanted to see how he got on. For the same reasons of club interest, I may well be watching the AFCON tournament in a couple of months’ time in order to follow our boys as they turn out for their nations, even if I’ve never had much interest in it before.
There’s greater nuance to this that muddies my confusion further.
In the past, I used to support all British teams playing in Europe. No matter who it was, if one of the British clubs was playing abroad, I’d be backing them. This generally holds true to this day, but there are certain clubs about whom I couldn’t care whether they progress or not. Maybe money and greed has affected my love of these competitions.
The ‘club over country’ argument has certainly swayed massively for me over the years — not because my passion for Sunderland has grown, but because my passion for the England football team has diminished. But it’s only football. I’m still glued to every rugby or cricket Test and I still love watching GB in athletics, hockey and swimming.
Over the years, maybe there’s been a growing sense of disappointment with the England men’s team’s performances. This promotes a general lack of excitement and even a perceived sense of cynicism rather than genuine passion.
There’s a sense from some England players of delusions of grandeur, believing themselves to be a much stronger footballing nation than they actually are, whereas at club level, the atmosphere and support is more vibrant, passionate and breeds a more energetic fan culture. Add the domestic season being halted mid-stream to accommodate these international fixtures, and no wonder negativity and depression sets in!
To be clear: come the next World Cup, I’ll be behind our national team, but the normal football season will have finished and the real stuff is at club level. Welcome back!
