How can we have pride in these Lions?
Published: 10 June, 2010
THE big kick-off looms and the country is united by one goal.
Across the nation almost everyone is frantically waving their St George flags, hoping to spur England on to World Cup glory. Almost everyone.
I don’t want England to win. In fact I’d hate to see it.
Before anyone jumps to conclusions and assumes I’m just a bitter England-hater, let me make a few things clear.
I was born and raised in north London and, despite making my ancestors proud by looking every inch like an Irishman, I am English.
I love football, I think the Premiership is the most exciting league in the world and I even get an indescribably warm feeling inside when I think about how happy everyone is leading up to a major tournament.
Yet, I still don’t want England to win the World Cup.
The exploits surrounding the likes of Terry and Cole are already well-documented and I’m sure need no replays.
So put your flags down for a moment and picture the sight of a young, starry-eyed child staring up at a huge bronze statue of Sir John Terry or Sir Ashley Cole. Little butterflies in their stomach as they stand in awe of so-called heroes, who became immortalised for leading a success-starved nation to glory. It’s an image that saddens my soul.
In my book, winning the World Cup is not enough of a reason to ignore how some of the players about to represent our country have behaved when they think nobody is looking. I totally understand the argument that a footballer should only be judged on what they do on the pitch – that their personal lives are just that, personal. Being a role model, however, isn’t a nine-to-five job, and everything they do is always in the public eye.
It’s a small price to pay for the lifestyles they get to enjoy in which bills, recession and a mortgage are made-up words simply to scare the kids.
How can we be proud to see England lift the World Cup if we can’t be proud of the players wearing the shirts?
STEVE BARNETT