england tonite

[hans kraay fan club]

"Absolutely wide open, Clive. You could drive a bus through there."

"She's gone down far too easily there, Clive"

"Absolutely Andy. Nobody wants to see that".

 

[spring hall convert]

The only issue is ITV are so sh1te at this, I may experiment as only one in tonight and have 5-live and a silent TV but does the Radio commentary get out of sync ?

Oh and looking forward to the game

The Radio will be ahead of the TV.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm completely with you on that, I just don't get it when English football fans don't get excited by England.

"Oh, but the disappointment."
"Always under-achieve."
"They're cack"

Etc etc etc.

Hang on, I kind of expect that from ManUre fans (from outside Manchester), who have picked their football team based on who is most likely to win. But we are BRIGHTON fans, we have picked the team to support based on where we from. So it's Brighton in club football, and England in International Football. Simples.

As you say Easy10, there is nothing more depressing than watching a summer festival of football with us playing no part. That IS more depressing than even watching us play as badly as we did in South Africa. At least there is the hope, the nights out, the crowded bars, with everyone willing the team on etc etc. How exciting is the night in the pub, or the night at home with family and beers, when England aren't there, and the game is Denmark vs Ivory Coast?

Come on EN-GER-LAAAND!!!

Agree with all of that.

In fairness, I can see why a mood of apathy has descended with regard to the national team. The last 2 World Cups have been utterly embarrassing performancewise, unacceptably poor. And this from a group of millionaire players who talk the talk but then fail miserably to walk the walk when it comes down to it. The whole WAGS thing in Baden-Baden, Rooneys sarcastic outburst at the camera post-Algeria (possibly the most rancid game of international football I have ever witnessed), Ashley Cole just...being Ashley Cole. Its the perception that this cossetted group of players don't really care very much about playing for England. I think there has been a steady erosion of the relationship between the England team and the fans. So some fans react to this by saying "well they're rubbish, they don't care, so neither do I".

I've lost a lot of love I used to have for England. But when it comes down to it, I care passionately about England, I so desperately want to see us do well in a tournament. The build-up and excitement is still there for me. I still get that big-game BUZZ. And seeing us playing in a World Cup in Brazil, well I don't think it could get much more exciting than that, it'd be amazing. Yes it can and almost certainly will all go horribly wrong, and end in disappointment, disillusion and rancour. It always does. But surely thats preferable to....

...nothing.

 

[Brovion]

Blimey, over forty posts and not one of them from Herr Tubthumper telling us he doesn't care, we're shit and Germany are better. C'mon Tubby, it's not the same without your contribution!

I shall be watching. It's an important game and I DO care as I want us to be in Brazil next year. I hate watching tournaments, especially World Cups, when England aren't in them. I did enough of that in the 1970s.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Off topic, I know, but a MASSIVE game for Austria tonight - Sweden away with a draw or a win preserving hopes of qualifying for a tournament for the first time this CENTURY.

Oh, and Zlatan will be playing, so that's what I'll be watching.

Good luck to England, though.

 

[maltaseagull]

I'm looking forward to it. Got nothing better to do, so something to sit and watch with the family. England freindlies are massively tedious, but this game has a lot riding on it.

A little BET will add some interest, too.

I predict a comfortable 2-0 home win, greeted by a euphoric press declaring us as favourites for the World Cup*





*Until the inevitable 0-0 draw against Poland on Tuesday, relegates us to a play-off.

I am really concerned that Poland will beat us!

 

[spring hall convert]

I would have thoroughly agreed with this in the McLaren and Capello eras. The way the players were viewed was at an all-time low and the incidents you speak of were really poor in terms of fans-players relations. However, I think the departures of JT and Rio have really helped me to develop a bit more of a fondness for the England team again. Our players might not be great, they might not be perfect and they may play dull football at times, but they are generally younger and hungrier than they were two or three years ago. Credit to Woy, he might not be a sexy appointment, but he has instilled more discipline. The likes of Welbeck, Cleverley, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Wilshere and Townsend may not set the world alight, but at least their inclusion suggests we are trying something new and they COULD go on to form the basis of a decent team. Guys like Lambert and Jagielka are also hard to dislike in the international arena, as you get the feeling they just love getting a chance.

Maybe it's just me, but when I look around the England squad I see far fewer dicks than I did a few years ago.

Agreed, it's not perfect but at least it seems a little more genuine.

 

[Brovion]

I would have thoroughly agreed with this in the McLaren and Capello eras. The way the players were viewed was at an all-time low and the incidents you speak of were really poor in terms of fans-players relations. However, I think the departures of JT and Rio have really helped me to develop a bit more of a fondness for the England team again. Our players might not be great, they might not be perfect and they may play dull football at times, but they are generally younger and hungrier than they were two or three years ago. Credit to Woy, he might not be a sexy appointment, but he has instilled more discipline. The likes of Welbeck, Cleverley, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Wilshere and Townsend may not set the world alight, but at least their inclusion suggests we are trying something new and they COULD go on to form the basis of a decent team. Guys like Lambert and Jagielka are also hard to dislike in the international arena, as you get the feeling they just love getting a chance.

Maybe it's just me, but when I look around the England squad I see far fewer dicks than I did a few years ago.

I don't know what's happened to you but I find myself agreeing with you more and more these days! The current squad aren't worldbeaters, we know that, but I do feel far more of a connection with them than I did with the 'Golden Generation'. And as you say Roy is actually the ideal England manager.

 

[sparkie]

England can qualify for the World Cup or effectively get knocked out of it ( Ukraine and Montenegro will win their easy last matches ) tonight, or neither.

Need to match Ukraine's result in the earlier kick off as a minimum.

 

[Easy 10]

I would have thoroughly agreed with this in the McLaren and Capello eras. The way the players were viewed was at an all-time low and the incidents you speak of were really poor in terms of fans-players relations. However, I think the departures of JT and Rio have really helped me to develop a bit more of a fondness for the England team again. Our players might not be great, they might not be perfect and they may play dull football at times, but they are generally younger and hungrier than they were two or three years ago. Credit to Woy, he might not be a sexy appointment, but he has instilled more discipline. The likes of Welbeck, Cleverley, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Wilshere and Townsend may not set the world alight, but at least their inclusion suggests we are trying something new and they COULD go on to form the basis of a decent team. Guys like Lambert and Jagielka are also hard to dislike in the international arena, as you get the feeling they just love getting a chance.

Maybe it's just me, but when I look around the England squad I see far fewer dicks than I did a few years ago.

Fair comments. I think the suffocating STENCH of the class of 2006 / 2010 has taken a long time to clear, but the players you mention are going some way towards doing that. This group of players are far from being worldbeaters, and its no bad thing that fact has been acknowledged, and that expectations have been lowered as a result. Nobody is expecting us to do well, its more a case of hoping. Which is pretty much how I approach every Albion game. I'm in my comfort zone with that.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Chances are Poland will be out of contention by Tuesday night, in which case I'd back England.

Tonight concerns me a lot more as Montenegro are a decent team and have EVERYTHING to play for.

There is a TINY possibility that the job could be done tonight, too. If England win, and Poland grab an unlikely win in Ukraine, England are there*


*barring a 7-0 defeat on Tuesday.

 

[PWA]

There tonight, as always.

 

[crodonilson]

Watching the game in the Ship Inn, they've got all 3 group games on from 5pm. Also doing an offer on Carlsberg bottles 15% off and spot prizes including a signed football, Carlsberg t-shirts and an England mug.

I'm already apprehensive but I back Roy and the boys to do the business.

 

[dougdeep]

How can an english football fan simply not be bothered whether or not England takes part in a World Cup in BRAZIL next year ?

England should stop paying players to play. Then we might get a team of players that want to play. To be honest if the Albion Development team were playing in a stadium next door then I'd rather watch them than England.

 

[Tummy Burger]

Agree with all of that.

In fairness, I can see why a mood of apathy has descended with regard to the national team. The last 2 World Cups have been utterly embarrassing performancewise, unacceptably poor. And this from a group of millionaire players who talk the talk but then fail miserably to walk the walk when it comes down to it. The whole WAGS thing in Baden-Baden, Rooneys sarcastic outburst at the camera post-Algeria (possibly the most rancid game of international football I have ever witnessed), Ashley Cole just...being Ashley Cole. Its the perception that this cossetted group of players don't really care very much about playing for England. I think there has been a steady erosion of the relationship between the England team and the fans. So some fans react to this by saying "well they're rubbish, they don't care, so neither do I".

I've lost a lot of love I used to have for England. But when it comes down to it, I care passionately about England, I so desperately want to see us do well in a tournament. The build-up and excitement is still there for me. I still get that big-game BUZZ. And seeing us playing in a World Cup in Brazil, well I don't think it could get much more exciting than that, it'd be amazing. Yes it can and almost certainly will all go horribly wrong, and end in disappointment, disillusion and rancour. It always does. But surely thats preferable to....

...nothing.

Almost as if you had read my mind and written it down. Precisely every word of THIS

 

[hans kraay fan club]

England should stop paying players to play. Then we might get a team of players that want to play..

I don't think they actually DO get paid, do they? I thought they got some form of 'allowance' which was always given to charity.