Being English, i of course want England to qualify for things like the World Cup and as deluded as it makes me, i want us to win them. Can't see it happening but it won't stop me cheering us on until we get knocked out the first time we meet a halfway decent team as usually happens.
Usual practise is to then half heartedly switch my allegiance to whatever European teams are left in it with the exception of any of the other British teams who i want to see not just beaten but sent home as early as possible broken and battered.
Luckily, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are what are technically known in footballing parlance as shite so they never bother the finals of many tournaments but this weekend the Republic of Ireland took on France in a World Cup Qualifier.
I'm not sure when Ireland became part of Britain but because of the high number of British based players in the Ireland team, we were urged to get behind 'our boys'.
Because of the high number of current and former Arsenal based players in the French team, us Gooners found ourselves cheering for Les Bleus.
Whether Ireland manage to still qualify or the French make it through on Wednesday, i'm not really all that bothered but i would prefer the French if i had to choose just because of the shallow reason i gave above.
The British have a strange sense of patriotism when it comes to the countries that make up the British Isles.
It's a weird 'if we can't win, we don't want our closest neighbours to win it either' which is the sentiment that got Andy Murray into problems a few years back when he claimed support for any team that were playing against England.
By a strange quirk of geography, France is actually closer to England than Ireland and the majority of French actually speak more understandable English than the Irish so trade in those pints of Guinness and grab yourself a Stella Artois and let's cheer on Thierry Henry's boys to South Africa.
6 comments:
Lucy,
as a texan i think i relate more to the Irish than the French. now, if i was from louisianna...
GO FIGHTING IRISH!!!
q
Looking at recent history Q, i can't see the French getting much support for anything over there. Given how the French were such a large part of how the USA came about, why are you both not more closer?
well, off the top of my head i'd say:
- it is easier to understand what Brits are saying (though not a lot easier)
- the French are even considered arrogant even by American standards
- they dumped S.E. Asia and parts of the Middle East on us (but then so did the Brits... but its easier to understand what Brits are saying...)
- most Americans don't consider the French to be as tough as Brits and Americans like tough
- more Americans are related to Brits than French
- most Americans consider French men to be wussies (even if it isn't true)
- today, the French seem to dislike Americans less than Brits, regardless of what they did for us 200 years ago
- France is considered the birth place of freedom (gag me) instead of America which is the real birth place of freedom
- Americans see Brits as blue-collar, hard workering, earthy people and see the French as a bunch of lazy, cry babies
- the French gave refuge to Polanski the child rapist for decades
- the French don't play American football (or anything as tough like rugby), don't have good boxers
q
Are you feeling slightly ashamed at your pro-cheating-ex-gooner-froggie stance yet, Lucy? ;-)
I liked most of your list, Q, but must pull you up on this one:
"the French don't play American football (or anything as tough like rugby)"
Rugby is pretty popular in France, particularly the rural parts. And the even tougher game of rugby league is also played over the ditch.
All of this is, of course, entirely incidental to - and not at all excusing - their dirty low-down cheating during the football last night.
Cheezy,
i had no idea they were so inclined toward rugby... maybe i'll have to rethink my opinion of them... naaaaaaah... still have a general preference for the Irish...
q
Same here.
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