[Albion] As you get older

[Ethelwulf]

As a young lad back in 86 when we lost to Argentina I cried my eyes out as a teen in 1990 when we lost to Germany took me weeks to get over it . Yet tonight just a shrug of the shoulders and don’t really care.

Just wondering if that is due to getting older or whether it’s just typical as like my grandad and then my Father did that as you get older you fall out of love with the game

 

[West Upper Seagull]

I can very much relate to this - when you’ve watched England for 40+ years you definitely get used to the disappointment ! No matter how well we play we simply never have enough in our locker to beat the elite teams in the knockout games. You find your expectations are always much lower !

 

[BadFish]

As a young lad back in 86 when we lost to Argentina I cried my eyes out as a teen in 1990 when we lost to Germany took me weeks to get over it . Yet tonight just a shrug of the shoulders and don’t really care.

Just wondering if that is due to getting older or whether it’s just typical as like my grandad and then my Father did that as you get older you fall out of love with the game

I think we are all just conditioned for disappointment now. Back then youth and optimism told us that we had a decent chance of winning. These days age, experience and pessimism tells us that we are going to get knocked out. Every time that is proven makes us even more pessimistic. Until we actually manage to win something we will continue to feel the same.

 

[Jack Straw]

I certainly don't feel "it" watching England, although I'm English through and through. I used to, starting in 1966 when I was fortunate enough to see us win the thing, but it's been disappointment in both major competitions ever since. You get hardened to it as you get older. As soon as tonight's game finished, I just started watching another programme on the telly, and thought no more of it.
Now, Brighton...that's a different thing all together. I still feel sick when we lose, and the degree of how bad I feel depends on the nature of the defeat, and who the other team are. I'll never lose that.

 

[Beach Hut]

Italia '90 was heartbreak, we were so close now days it is what it is however at least recently we have been in with a shout which we haven't been for quite a while

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

1990 was massive, never been so gutted at an England result. Age definitely makes you care less, you almost yearn to have that teenage/20-something passion back.

 

[Ethelwulf]

I think we are all just conditioned for disappointment now. Back then youth and optimism told us that we had a decent chance of winning. These days age, experience and pessimism tells us that we are going to get knocked out. Every time that is proven makes us even more pessimistic. Until we actually manage to win something we will continue to feel the same.

My son who is nearly 18 was saying at 1-1 Dad we are going to win then beat Morocco I said England will lose 2-1 as I finished the sentence they scored I said Kane would miss 2nd pen
My son is upstairs gutted even my daughter is pissed off but I am on here and to be honest losing 2-1 to Villa before the World Cup hurt a lot more think my 17 year old self in 1990 would of been gutted beyond words tonight

 

[Miximate]

Nope, not too concerned. Oh well! I turned the tv over and been watching Murder on the OE.

 

[wolfie]

As a young lad back in 86 when we lost to Argentina I cried my eyes out as a teen in 1990 when we lost to Germany took me weeks to get over it . Yet tonight just a shrug of the shoulders and don’t really care.

Just wondering if that is due to getting older or whether it’s just typical as like my grandad and then my Father did that as you get older you fall out of love with the game

As a young lad back in 1966, when we beat West Germany, I cried my eyes out as a teen. That was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned. Feel sorry for my son and grandson though !

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

I was in Piccadilly Circus earlier. The Moroccan fans were going nuts. That victory today meant everything to them.
I would not have felt like them, even if England had won.

 

[Beach Hut]

I was in Piccadilly Circus earlier. The Moroccan fans were going nuts. That victory today meant everything to them.
I would not have felt like them, even if England had won.

So they should celebrate wildly as finally an African team reaches a World Cup semi-final, taken far too long

 

[Dirty Dave]

My first real memory of a tournament was Euro 96 and at 11 years old I was devasted to go out the way we did.

Nowadays, I'm disappointed but shrug it off quickly, a bit like the recent Euro final defeat to Italy and now tonight...

Although deep down I really want to see a World Cup win in my lifetime but as each one passes, I do think that's at least another 4 year wait.

 

[vegster]

Italia '90 was heartbreak, we were so close now days it is what it is however at least recently we have been in with a shout which we haven't been for quite a while

Italia 90 was the big one for me too, we had a great combination of genius and dependable players ..a solid defence, a midfield genius in Gazza and the best finisher in the tournament, Lineker..so sad to see us fail with that squad and manager.

 

[Mr Banana]

Age doesn’t help but nor did trudging around watching England being shite for most of this year.

For all their riches and imbecillic indiscretions, the players are as likeable as squads in classic tournaments. But it’s hard not to become indifferent after not being able to go this time, because it was pretty much off-limits for anyone who wasn’t minted. And then having to watch from afar in mid-winter with all the dubious elements surrounding these finals.

 

[Brighton Lines]

I cried after Argentina 86, but I was only young then. Very disappointed after Italia 90. But since then I just feel a bit sad it's all over but I soon forget it.

I've extracted myself from emotional attachment to sports teams. Albion will always be my team, I'll always follow England, but I enjoy the sport above that. So I find myself being philosophical about things.

I always say, and respect that some disagree, that if your sadness lasts more than half an hour after a defeat, or if you find yourself getting angry or writing angry stuff, then it's time to have a think about things. Life is above all that, and it doesn't serve well to dwell on the journeys of ego.

England are out, it doesn't matter, the sun is rising tomorrow. And even if they won that World Cup, a few days later folk would realise life's problems haven't gone away.

I love cricket, England hold both white ball trophies. I was joyful, but ultimately it hasn't improved my life.

 

[hart's shirt]

"The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score." - Nick Hornby

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

Just watched Waterloo 1970. Life is good again

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I looked around at a packed concorde with kids going nuts thinking that was me a few years ago..

 

[wellquickwoody]

Spain 82, Argentina 86 and then especially Italy 1990 made me believe that we would win the thing again in my lifetime (was a few months old last time). Am starting to accept that this may not happen sadly.

 

[Auckland seagull]

On the wrong side of sixty now, but I retain foolish optimism that we will one of the major tournaments one day. I just hope I don't run out of days.