What no Jock glee??

"I've got no issue with the English fans generally (other than the scum in Albuferia etc)"

The sad thing is that, mobs of half-brained drunken louts aside, England have always had the best fans in international football. They are the only international side that has fans that are like club fans.

Matthew

Matthew

Dedicated as they are, the English fans are not the only fans that travel all over the world like club fans.

Dutch and Scots fans are more than an equal. And we sing songs, support when we lose (it's a habit !) and generally respect everywhere we go.

I seem to remember the Tartan Army winning an award at a World Cup for behaviour one year. Something English fans have yet to do.......

long-time-dead,

If you go back to the 70s Scotland (the national team) used to have fans much like England's but in successfully shedding their hooligan problem the Scots seem to have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. What you are left with is something more like Rugby Union fans with a bizarre dash of "McDonaldsisation" of Scottishness that involves wearing increasingly preposterous ginger wigs and those funny hats. In FIFA's world view where bland medicority is everything this wins you awards.

Somewhere along the line the fans of your national team have lost your football culture; although this may be linked to a general decline in the game in Scotland, the poor state of the national side, the lack of Scottish talent compared to previous eras etc. Whatever the cuase, the essence and atmosphere that makes (and still makes) an Old Firm derby special used to also come with the Scottish national team and now, AFAICT, it doesn't.

Matthew

So the suggestion that we regain the hooligan element is vital to being good fans ?

I'm sorry Matthew but to truly appreciate things without rose-coloured specs you need to be able to accept humility now and again.

FWIW - I got rid of my Ibrox season ticket at an Old Firm game when the Ranger's fans sang the usual tirade of abuse at all the Catholics (and >50% of the Rangers team were Catholic) and the Celtic Fans were responding in the usual "death to all things Protestant" manner (and >50% of the Celtic team were Protestant.

Bigotry and racism are not good in any walk of life. But having a right good laugh is !!

*deep sigh*

is that they are the worst divers in the tournament. For all the sanctimonious drivel we hear about Johnny Foreigner the antics of Owen, Gerrard (disgraceful collapse into penalty area) and Cole early in the game against Croatia leaves a sour taste. If England do lose out to a dodgy decision or bit of bad luck, no whining from you limeys.

John
<shoulders with Celtic brethren as England victory gets closer>

With Italy going out and France still not playing well I've now got a horrible feeling that England will win the tournament.

So far I think the best 4 sides in the tournament have been the Czech Republic, Denmark, France and England but with any luck the last remaining of my bets (Prso to score first against England, Italy to win the competition and England to win the tournament) will go the way of the others...

I agree with Denmark, England and the Czech Republic being the best sides to date.

Pavel Nedved and Wayne Rooney are the players that have impressed.

The good thing for England is Beckham and Owen have yet to hit form. So there's room for improvement. Both are big match players and I expect they will rise to the occasion tomorrow night against Portugal.

The best sides so far have been the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden. France are still warming up. There's little to choose between Portugal and England.

Davie

"What no Jock glee"

Yes actually

quote:

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Originally posted by Bhoyo:
......... There's little to choose between Portugal and England

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Not now.

You wanted Jock Glee - you got it but I think it is fair to say that you were robbed.

Regarding Beckham - A Dutch friend was here last weekend and summed him up perfectly in a comparison with ZZ.

"Zidane has a chicken on his shirt and a lion in his heart. Beckham has a lion on his shirt and a chicken in his heart."

Kinda sums it up at the moment........

I was wondering how the Scottish Broadcasting Corperation have covered the Euro 2004 Championships so far, in comparison to their great rival the British Broadcasting Corperation ?

Fritz Von McBurtybuggers&cheese

We get the inclusion of Alan (Sassenach) Hansen to give an unbiased (my arse) account of the tournament from a Scot's perspective on BBC.

We also get the same ITV1 & 2 transmissions for the tournament as the rest of the country.

Maybe we should have Gordon Ramsay giving his opinions ?