It seems that you can't pick up a newspaper or magazine lately without a World Cup wallchart falling into your lap. All the media pundits are predicting who will beat who and which nation will walk away with the trophy.
Taking a quick glance it seems perfectly set up for a Spain v Brazil final with both avoiding each other until the last game.
As for England, we should comfortably get out of our group and there is a possibility that we would meet the Aussies in the next round if they finish second so i may find myself in the shocking position of actually cheering on the socceroos if only so we can have the pleasure of knocking them out.
As there are only 32 countries being represented, that leaves a lot of the globe with no home team to support so how many of them will adopt England as the team to cheer for?
Our closest friends, the Welsh, Scots and both sets of the Irish will be urging on anyone we play and the places that have now tenuous links to England, namely the Australians and Americans, are there with us so no St George flag waving there.
As we share a queen with Canada, they may be tempted to urge on Walcott and his boys if a ice hockey game isn't on at the time.
The Eurovision song contest has proven time and again that we have no real friends in Europe and Argentina and Brazil have the South American vote all tied up.
The Africans have a choice of countries from their own continent to choose from and thanks to Mr Blair, we would be seriously wasting our time looking towards the Middle East for support.
Nope, it seems that nobody loves us although we can guarantee our National Anthem will be greeted with admiration and pride in Liechtenstein. The tune of their national anthem is exactly the same as ours.
It's you and us Lichtenstein against the World!!
4 comments:
In terms of countries that would cheer for England (and, almost alone in Europe, they still vote for us in the Eurovision) I would like to name plucky little Malta.
Culturally it's quite an intriguing mix of English and Italian, but the bottom line is that they still remember how the Spitfires helped kick out Harry Hun. Brits still get a smile and a thumbs up from most locals, and made to feel welcome. In fact, Oliver Reed thought so much of the place he saw fit to expire in one of their pubs.
"...Walcott and his boys..."
Think he'll get a game, do you? I don't think he's much better, in terms of the mental side of the game, than he was 4 years ago - when he clearly wasn't up to it.
"there is a possibility that we would meet the Aussies in the next round if they finish second"
A possibility is right. But Aussie aren't the team they were 5 years ago. They beat NZ in a friendly yesterday (with the last kick of the game) but got outplayed for long periods, and they're in a bit of a 'group of death' with the Germs, the Serbs and Ghana...
If England do end up playing them, I think it'll be an easier game than the one against the USA, which strikes me as being a definite potential 'banana skin'...
NB: While I was writing this post I went off and drew a team in the World Cup sweepstake... and I got... Australia! :-(
Who cares?
Your predecessor seemed a little obsessed with being liked - she used popularity with the idiot masses to substantiate her arguments. The logic was something like this: most people (keeping in mind that under 10% can read), don't like your condition (keeping in mind that they want it but don't have it), because you got it unfairly (keeping in mind that "unfairly" means anything they want it to mean).
When I was a wee pup my dad gave me some golf advice: "you make more friends losing than winning." said he.
Well, its true at the national level as well says I.
If you (a nation) are weak, if others get the best of you, if you are worse off than others then they seem to like you. If, on the other hand, you have something they want whether it be economic, power, or other and you don't volunteer to give it away then you are nationalistic, self-centered, over bearing, etc., etc., etc.
So, who cares if England is liked? I say its better to be good and hated (by the losers!).
q
If it was down to me Cheezy i would pick Lennon above Walcott. Don't know if it is injuries or just that too much was expected from him but Theo hasn't progressed as expected.
We are still sorting out our sweepstake at work but i just know i will end up with North Korea.
Very deep q. On a lighter note, you lot are probably as unpopular as us only we have Malta & Lichtenstein on our side.
North Korea... their chances are not good. Still, I'd rather the Koreans won the thing than the &%£$ing Aussies...
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