European Championship 2020 (2021)

[alexscottislegend 2,043]

13 minutes ago, Bill said:

I've been watching footage of the carnage before, during and after last night's game at Wembley - some really good examples of human excrement at its violent and degrading worst, backed up by the usual torrent of racist abuse online. Common consent seems to be that any hope of staging another World Cup in the UK is gone after the nostalgia of some replica 1970's hooliganism. Thankfully it all seems far removed from my sedate northern existence.

 

Then I thought of Manchester in 2008, when I witnessed the same dregs of society practising their daily routines on the streets. Bodies comatose in the gutter, openly shooting up in the closes, fighting in the shops - all on a day I hoped to celebrate our own football achievement with my family and fellow supporters. They embarrassed me then, just as yesterday's mob must embarrass most England fans and the wider country. I draw this parallel in case anyone is tempted to  make the mistake of thinking yesterday's scenes were somehow uniquely English and an excuse to suggest national differences.

 

In any case, it usefully illustrates that football continues to attract a disproportionate number of boorish scumbags who I'd rather not have to rub shoulders with, ever. Sadly, I long since passed to point of hoping to see universal social decency and remain committed to a policy of segregation.

 

While I agree with every word you've written - especially the second paragraph - I would just point out that maybe, just maybe, those ticketless'fans' storming the stadium may have been motivated by the fact that the likes of someone called Kate Moss (and numerous other luvvies)was hogging a seat that should have gone to genuine footy fans. Still no excuse though. 

[Gonzo79 13,552]

Ah, come on asil - Tom Cruise is a regular at English football matches and fully deserved his seat last night.

 

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Edited July 12, 2021 by Gonzo79

[Gribz 743]

Im not buying the age excuse for Saka, thats nothing to do with it - Rooney at 19 would have stepped up and blasted one in. Its more about the personality / confidence of Saka - he is obviously a bit of a shy lad and he hasnt taken a penalty for Arsenal before - thats more to do with it rather than age.

[Bill 13,717]

26 minutes ago, alexscottislegend said:

While I agree with every word you've written - especially the second paragraph - I would just point out that maybe, just maybe, those ticketless'fans' storming the stadium may have been motivated by the fact that the likes of someone called Kate Moss (and numerous other luvvies)was hogging a seat that should have gone to genuine footy fans. Still no excuse though. 

That's an appalling post but so very predictable. 

[Bill 13,717]

At a very fundamental level, so many problems today stem from that awful combination of a profound sense of entitlement and a lack of personal resilience, leading to a complete inability to cope with disappointment. Couldn't get a ticket, couldn't score a penalty kick, couldn't win a trophy, couldn't afford that holiday, etc. Life, eh?

[alexscottislegend 2,043]

13 minutes ago, Bill said:

That's an appalling post but so very predictable. 

In what way 'appalling'? Because I venture to suggest (with suitable qualification) that the rich and famous shouldn't be entitled to seats when they are most likely not real football fans? And I didn't excuse the hooligan behaviour.

[Gonzo79 13,552]

I'd imagine over a year of Covid restrictions was also a contributory factor in some of yesterday's less than pleasant activities.  

 

I think it's good to see people out enjoying themselves again and only a small minority were out of order.  

[Bill 13,717]

5 minutes ago, alexscottislegend said:

In what way 'appalling'? Because I venture to suggest (with suitable qualification) that the rich and famous shouldn't be entitled to seats when they are most likely not real football fans? And I didn't excuse the hooligan behaviour.

That's quite a deflection, even for you. What you're actually saying (explicitly) is that rich people getting a ticket is a "motivation" for violence and criminal behaviour. But of course you're in no way excusing it. Not much.

[Bill 13,717]

7 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

I'd imagine over a year of Covid restrictions was also a contributory factor in some of yesterday's less than pleasant activities.  

 

I think it's good to see people out enjoying themselves again and only a small minority were out of order.  

I think a much bigger contributory factor was another poorly informed, poorly prepared and inept policing operation from Cressida's finest.

[Scott7 5,108]

It’s been a good tournament. Some decent football and some very good individual performances. 
 

How would England have got on against either Spain or Belgium who looked better teams? Or did those two and to a lesser extent, Portugal, only look so good because they weren’t playing against England? Belgium might have beaten Italy. Spain should have.

 

De Bruyne and Ronaldo come home with no medals both much better players than any Englishman.

 

Pickford surprised me in the final. Brilliant goalkeeping. Unlikeable but he’s not there to win friends.

 

The referees were mostly very good. They looked as if they had turned up to watch the game rather than star in their own dramas.

 

The Tally goalie makes a cup winning save and strolls away like an accountant leaving the office at five o’clock.

Lastly, for the football lads who follow Bristol to Sunderland or Carlisle to Newport on Wednesdays in November, I’m sorry England didn’t win.  For the celebs and politicians - the PM in a football shirt, God help us - and for the face-painted, fancy-dressed oafs and oafesses who’ve never pushed a turnstyle or queued for tickets in their lives, I relish their despair. Except that the despair will be play-acting despair for a couple of days only then they’ll jumping on to some other bandwagon.