The Crow - No one likes England friendlies, do they care?
Published: 31 March, 2011
ARSENAL
THERE is a theory that the England football team can have an important sway on the way we feel as a nation and the way we feel about life itself.
When they are doing well, we are all supposed to feel good about life, nothing bad happens.
People can play music from their mobile phones on the bus as loud as they want from the seat behind – doesn’t matter if England are winning.
People old enough to know better can use annoying words and phrases like “epic fail” and “my bad” in your face – doesn’t matter if England are winning.
People can tell you over and over again how funny Miranda is – no bother if England are winning.
People can fall on top of you in a pub, sick kebab juice into your eyes, wipe it off with their sleeve and then sick on you again even worse than the first time – it does not matter one iota if England are winning.
Thing is, this theory is at risk. You can sense there is a growing dislike for the way the England team handles itself – a general contempt for the friendlies, the captaincy row, and the lacklustre performances.
England need a PR makeover before the European Championships, they need to put the fun back into watching them. We need Linekers, not Jarvises.
At the moment, even with the wonderful Wilshere, not much feels great about following them.
RICHARD OSLEY
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
DON’T ask what your country can do for you…
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a bit fed up of the country versus club scenario. Gareth Bale is now supposedly struggling to play in next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, with the Welsh FA claiming he had a hamstring tear before he joined them!
Now I ask you, what team in their right mind would send an injured player on international duty? It’s happened before and it will happen again and I wouldn’t be surprised if managers refuse to send players, especially at the business end of the season.
I understand the Euro qualifier against Wales on Saturday, but what was the point of staging an England friendly against Ghana at Wembley three days later?
The powers that be will have you believe it’s about promoting the game. Although the colour and splendour of Ghanaian supporters in full flow is a sight and sound to behold – and the fact they actually scared England in this 1-1 draw – I have no doubt it’s reason is purely financial and with Wembley reputed to have cost £780million, the FA have to fill the coffers somehow.
So until that money is recouped be assured that we’ll have these superfluous spectacles for a long time to come and the football fans will be continually ripped off with prices for tickets and refreshments that are astronomical and way beyond the realms of a normal household income.
TONY DALLAS