The ITV pundits just started discussing what would have happened in the group with Germany and Croatia if England had qualified instead of Croatia. 
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The Official Euro 2008 England Thread (4 Viewers)
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What did those imbeciles say? England would have topped the group?
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The ITV pundits just started discussing what would have happened in the group with Germany and Croatia if England had qualified instead of Croatia.
Pretty much.
A classic from the other day-
Harry Redknapp: 'I haven't been that impressed by the standard so far. If we (England) had qualified, we would have a great chance to win it.'
Priceless.
A classic from the other day-
Harry Redknapp: 'I haven't been that impressed by the standard so far. If we (England) had qualified, we would have a great chance to win it.'
Priceless.
this shit won't stop seriously, someone have to confront those people and wake them from that day dream that they live in........
another good article from the scotland on sunday,shows what we have to put up with
Neutrality's a foreign country for England-obsessed pundits
OK, SO it's been a great week's football, but it didn't start well. Twenty minutes into the first tie of Euro 2008, boredom was setting in and I'd gone into the kitchen with the radio, to get things ready for a barbecue. Then matters got infinitely worse.
Just before half time in the Switzerland versus the Czech Republic game, Radio Five Live's Alan Green came up with one of those "let's-be-honest-folks" routines which immediately have me reaching for the off switch
As we know by now, these infuriating sequences have become Green's calling card. They usually focus on the standard of refereeing, and Green had already had a ridiculous pop at Lubos Michel, the veteran whistler of Stropkov. But this was far more irritating, a let's-be-honest-folks riff which ran to itemising which of the Swiss and Czech players would be good enough to make the England squad. And for the next few minutes, together with his co-commentator Chris Waddle, Green worked his way through the men on view. And this was before half time. While play was going on. In the first game of the tournament.
What is it about these lads that they can't get over England's absence? And what is it about Green, a lad from Belfast, that he's so obsessed with England in the first place? As he reminds listeners most weeks, he lives in Macclesfield, a town which is home to the original Hovis flour mill. Something about this environment has obviously entered his soul, because he's gone native. Green has morphed into Jimmy Hill, the commentator we love to hate.
But he's not the only one absorbed in home thoughts from abroad. Five days later, observing events at Klagenfurt, ITV's Peter Drury sounded like an imperialist explorer sending a report back to his boss, as he readied himself for Germany versus Croatia. "German football is a watchable brand," Drury remarked with an extra special note of condescension, before embarking on a evocation of English national life which would have JB Priestley wiping tears from his eyes. "This would have been the day when the nation closed down. It could have been Germany versus England. The office would have closed at lunch time, if it ever opened at all." (He might have added: "It's the day when a drunken riot would have broken out around 7.30 as the disappointed mob ran through the streets trashing VW Golfs.")
Of course, there are a few good reasons why England aren't there in Switzerland and Austria, and these were enunciated by Slaven Bilic, Croatia's manager, earlier in the week. In qualifying they had been fortunate to be placed in the so-called "group of dross" yet contrived to lose twice to Croatia; they were beaten by Russia, and they were held by the giants of Macedonia and Israel. Like Scotland, they weren't talented enough, and looking at the quality on view in virtually every game of the finals it's a good job they didn't make it.
Would England or Scotland beat Spain, Holland or Portugal? Not likely. But even in pairings like Switzerland and Turkey (which produced a fantastically exciting game), the teams played with a passion and togetherness which would challenge any of the home nations.
Heroes and villains have emerged from the tournament. Bilic (pictured) is the guy the cameras and the microphones love. On the touchline, he lives every kick; in the press conference, his English is better than any of his interviewers. Villains? The hapless Marcell Jansen, Germany's full back, who everyone back in the studio agrees is just a pile of pants, or lederhosen, or whatever it is. He'll be lucky to keep his place for the final group game.
Back in the ITV4 studios, Matt Smith, wondered what former German international Dietmar Hamann had made of his side's defeat. "It gets everybody back down to earth – now we have a tough game against our neighbour," muttered Hamann.
The unbearable Smith grinned: "A good pragmatic German view. Well done Didi." Patronising, or what? Next time I'm watching in the pub, so I don't have to hear this nonsense.
By Mike Wade
Neutrality's a foreign country for England-obsessed pundits
OK, SO it's been a great week's football, but it didn't start well. Twenty minutes into the first tie of Euro 2008, boredom was setting in and I'd gone into the kitchen with the radio, to get things ready for a barbecue. Then matters got infinitely worse.
Just before half time in the Switzerland versus the Czech Republic game, Radio Five Live's Alan Green came up with one of those "let's-be-honest-folks" routines which immediately have me reaching for the off switch
As we know by now, these infuriating sequences have become Green's calling card. They usually focus on the standard of refereeing, and Green had already had a ridiculous pop at Lubos Michel, the veteran whistler of Stropkov. But this was far more irritating, a let's-be-honest-folks riff which ran to itemising which of the Swiss and Czech players would be good enough to make the England squad. And for the next few minutes, together with his co-commentator Chris Waddle, Green worked his way through the men on view. And this was before half time. While play was going on. In the first game of the tournament.
What is it about these lads that they can't get over England's absence? And what is it about Green, a lad from Belfast, that he's so obsessed with England in the first place? As he reminds listeners most weeks, he lives in Macclesfield, a town which is home to the original Hovis flour mill. Something about this environment has obviously entered his soul, because he's gone native. Green has morphed into Jimmy Hill, the commentator we love to hate.
But he's not the only one absorbed in home thoughts from abroad. Five days later, observing events at Klagenfurt, ITV's Peter Drury sounded like an imperialist explorer sending a report back to his boss, as he readied himself for Germany versus Croatia. "German football is a watchable brand," Drury remarked with an extra special note of condescension, before embarking on a evocation of English national life which would have JB Priestley wiping tears from his eyes. "This would have been the day when the nation closed down. It could have been Germany versus England. The office would have closed at lunch time, if it ever opened at all." (He might have added: "It's the day when a drunken riot would have broken out around 7.30 as the disappointed mob ran through the streets trashing VW Golfs.")
Of course, there are a few good reasons why England aren't there in Switzerland and Austria, and these were enunciated by Slaven Bilic, Croatia's manager, earlier in the week. In qualifying they had been fortunate to be placed in the so-called "group of dross" yet contrived to lose twice to Croatia; they were beaten by Russia, and they were held by the giants of Macedonia and Israel. Like Scotland, they weren't talented enough, and looking at the quality on view in virtually every game of the finals it's a good job they didn't make it.
Would England or Scotland beat Spain, Holland or Portugal? Not likely. But even in pairings like Switzerland and Turkey (which produced a fantastically exciting game), the teams played with a passion and togetherness which would challenge any of the home nations.
Heroes and villains have emerged from the tournament. Bilic (pictured) is the guy the cameras and the microphones love. On the touchline, he lives every kick; in the press conference, his English is better than any of his interviewers. Villains? The hapless Marcell Jansen, Germany's full back, who everyone back in the studio agrees is just a pile of pants, or lederhosen, or whatever it is. He'll be lucky to keep his place for the final group game.
Back in the ITV4 studios, Matt Smith, wondered what former German international Dietmar Hamann had made of his side's defeat. "It gets everybody back down to earth – now we have a tough game against our neighbour," muttered Hamann.
The unbearable Smith grinned: "A good pragmatic German view. Well done Didi." Patronising, or what? Next time I'm watching in the pub, so I don't have to hear this nonsense.
By Mike Wade
If I hated everything English a much as some here, I would have this as my signature:
"Hats off to the England cricketers for their achievements in the Ashes this summer, which rightly earned Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff BBC Sports personality of the Year. Winning a two-team tournament against a nation with a much smaller population once in every ten attempts, then never shutting up about it makes me proud to be British."
"Hats off to the England cricketers for their achievements in the Ashes this summer, which rightly earned Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff BBC Sports personality of the Year. Winning a two-team tournament against a nation with a much smaller population once in every ten attempts, then never shutting up about it makes me proud to be British."
A classic from the other day-
Harry Redknapp: 'I haven't been that impressed by the standard so far. If we (England) had qualified, we would have a great chance to win it.'
Priceless.
Harry Redknapp: 'I haven't been that impressed by the standard so far. If we (England) had qualified, we would have a great chance to win it.'
Priceless.
It's not just Redknapp Sr. Junior Redknapp, Jamie, wrote something similar in a newspaper. He couldn't believe how poor the teams were, England would beat most of them. It seems this disease has now spread to the rest of the country in numorous phone ins and comment pages - 'England would have given any of these teams a beating' - Mick, Grimsby.
