Leicester or England

[Carl the Llama]

I didn't even know there was an England match on today, only just found out after visiting the BBC page and having a laugh at the difference in tone between McNulty's take on the match (inspired, positive, class) and the comments section which sounded much more like how I imagine any England game (boring, negative, lifeless).

 

As others have touched on though it's an apathy borne out of the big-6 sycophancy.  For a brief spell I thought Southgate might be breaking the status quo, but after the Croatia match where the game was crying out for Vardy at half time and he didn't get thrown on until the 112th minute when we were trailing... well I haven't really looked back since.  For me that proved for certain that England will never have the mentality to win anything, not how the national team is currently run, and if we aren't going to give it a proper go why should I be interested?

[Guest StevieLynex]

2 hours ago, Gresley Fox said:

I bought an Australian national shirt because I loved Patrick kisnorbo, I'll be buying Belgium's shirt this summer with Tielemans on the back!. 

So you will also need Turkey as your second strip, Denmark as the third, Nigeria as the fourth, Portugal as the fifth, Northern Ireland as the sixth, Spain as the seventh, France as the eighth, Wales as the ninth, Switzerland as the tenth

[Guest StevieLynex]

56 minutes ago, Koke said:

Who are the 7 people who voted England?

Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Bashful, and Doc.

[Ric Flair]

20 minutes ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

Italia 90 I think was the World Cup before the modern monied era of football. Perhaps no coincidence... although I was only 4 years old it’s probably my favourite World Cup. Seemed like it was a game played by proper men and not these modern day Nancy boys who care more about selfies, social media and their haircuts.

I'm an italia 90 obsessive. Got numerous shirts from that tournament, loads of books written on it, memorabilia and merchandise etc. Tried to call my two kids Schillaci and Milla. I had just turned 7 when it was on and it was the summer I fell in love with foot all. Italy has always been cool but the 80's and early 90's it was just pure gold for football and the tournament was so classy and original.

 

There's been plenty of better tournaments for the quality of football but not for drama and theatre. So many people seem to still be obsessed with it as well, Mark Godfrey did a superb podcast series called " Vincera " during lockdown last year to mark the 30th anniversary. But Kevin Allen's documentary on YouTube of travelling Italy as an England fan is so good. It paints a pretty grim picture to start with as it really was the last old fashioned world Cup before money and corporate bull shit but its fascinating. 

 

 

[Alf Bentley]

2 hours ago, Finnegan said:

Oh christ, this is tough. 

 

Which would you prefer - LCFC to win the Champions' League or Wales to win the World Cup?

[bovril]

I chose Leicester, but only just. Pre 2016 it would've been a very easy answer, but honestly now I would love to see England win a world cup. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

5 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm an italia 90 obsessive. Got numerous shirts from that tournament, loads of books written on it, memorabilia and merchandise etc. Tried to call my two kids Schillaci and Milla. I had just turned 7 when it was on and it was the summer I fell in love with foot all. Italy has always been cool but the 80's and early 90's it was just pure gold for football and the tournament was so classy and original.

 

There's been plenty of better tournaments for the quality of football but not for drama and theatre. So many people seem to still be obsessed with it as well, Mark Godfrey did a superb podcast series called " Vincera " during lockdown last year to mark the 30th anniversary. But Kevin Allen's documentary on YouTube of travelling Italy as an England fan is so good. It paints a pretty grim picture to start with as it really was the last old fashioned world Cup before money and corporate bull shit but its fascinating. 

 

 

I have the 90 Gazza England shirt. Probably won’t fit into it now mind. I have a good doc on it as well called ‘One Night in Turin’. I think it might even be narrated by Gary Oldman.
 

In 90 I loved the fact for England it was the exact opposite to what we’ve had since - an unfancied team who went on a journey (whereas since it’s mostly been overhyped teams who even then under deliver).

[Out Foxed]

**** england

[MANFACE]

When I watch Leicester, I'm jumping about.

 

England...sat on the toilet texting on Whatsapp.

[Sly]

I preferred watching the Harry’s Hero’s to watching the current England team. We lack character to a degree, which is odd as fans are more connected than ever with social media. 

[Finnegan]

8 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

Which would you prefer - LCFC to win the Champions' League or Wales to win the World Cup?

 

Oh in all seriousness I've always been country before club. 

 

I'd settle for Leicester never winning anything else in my lifetime if Wales could win a world cup. Or at least, as long as England DON'T win one

 

Being able to treat England fans like Forest fans for the rest of my life would be enormously satisfying. 

 

It helps, I think, that Wales are shit and so for me winning a world cup would be miraculous. 

[Foxxed]

27 minutes ago, Sly said:

Oh, I enjoyed 98 as well.
 

I enjoyed La Tournoi in 97, which England actually won. 

 

2000 was a disaster when Phil Neville decided he wanted to reduce that Bleached Blonde Romanian fella. 
 

2002 was enjoyable but awkward times. I was working part time and still in education, so I missed a few games. 
 

2004 was painful with those two late goals against France. I did feel that we could have won this tournament if Rooney not got injured. 
 

2006 - losing to Portugal again was disappointing. I think this was when I lost interest. 
 

2008 - We didn’t qualify.

 

2010 - We finished below the USA in the groups and had to put with those annoying wasp sounding like vuvuzalas. We ended up playing bloody Germany, rather than Ghana. 
 

2012 - Flattered to deceive and binned out on penalties again, bombed out by Italy. 
 

2014 - We were utterly dreadful, finishing bottom of the group, which was won by Costa Rica. The fact we started Danny Welbeck up front, says it all about that squad. 
 

2016 - I was excited for this one, as it was coming off the back of our title win. Some bizarre decisions though and Drinkwater not going, then Vardy not playing was just wrong. Losing to Iceland with Harry Kane having a disaster class of game taking free kicks and corners summed it up. 
 

2018 - Despite getting to the Semi Final, I was past the point of caring. We were largely poor and lost to a poor Croatian team. 
 

I’ll still watch the Euros / World Cup this year, as its football. I don’t have much hope for England though, as I no longer believe the media hype. 
 

 

I enjoyed world cup 2002 actually. The ten years from 1990 to 2000 were the best for me. Despite having good players, we don't seem to have played as a team since then.

 

I also became sick of the media bleating on about the past, 1966 and inventing football, and then falling short in the here and now. And then next year bleating on about the same old things again and again but this time with a worse team.

[Nalis]

Obviously Leicester for me seeing as I'm not English.

 

International football for 23 months of every two year period is shite. For one month though its awesome. This isnt limited to England, I'm sure you'd get a similar response in Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, etc.

Edited 28 March 2021 by Nalis

[tom27111]

28 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm an italia 90 obsessive. Got numerous shirts from that tournament, loads of books written on it, memorabilia and merchandise etc. Tried to call my two kids Schillaci and Milla. I had just turned 7 when it was on and it was the summer I fell in love with foot all. Italy has always been cool but the 80's and early 90's it was just pure gold for football and the tournament was so classy and original.

 

There's been plenty of better tournaments for the quality of football but not for drama and theatre. So many people seem to still be obsessed with it as well, Mark Godfrey did a superb podcast series called " Vincera " during lockdown last year to mark the 30th anniversary. But Kevin Allen's documentary on YouTube of travelling Italy as an England fan is so good. It paints a pretty grim picture to start with as it really was the last old fashioned world Cup before money and corporate bull shit but its fascinating. 

 

 

Great post and brilliantly summed up.

 

I was 10 years old during Italia 90 and i don't think that tournament can ever be beaten.

 

As you alluded to, it was old school and organic compared to modern day, especially when you look at the razzmatazz of USA 94, as you'd expect from the Americans. 

 

It was just pure football, the last real tournament where players you'd never heard of became superstars. 

 

The globalisation of the sport nowadays, means you'll never get another Roger Milla or a Salvatore 'Toto' Schillachi.

 

Dont get me wrong, I'm always delighted when we have a player called up to the England squad, but it's because I'm pleased for them and they've recieved the recognition that they deserve.

 

Euro 2016 confirmed it for me, an injured Wilshere and Henderson chosen over an in-form Drinkwater.

 

As long as there is a 'yes man' in charge, I couldn't care less.

 

The FA are summed up by the fact Brian Clough never got the job, he wouldn't have taken their shit.

 

 

Edited 28 March 2021 by tom27111

[kristianity77]

It's weird because watching England in qualifiers and in the tournaments used to be massive thing.  Nowadays though, apart from the odd knockout game if we get out the groups of a cup, who cares?  

 

International football is worse than its ever been.  Its uninteresting.  Qualifiers are pointless and dull.

 

How many from Europe qualify for the world Cup these days, 12?

 

I'd much rather the lesser teams have leagues to qualify for where say 12 of them or so get to go in to groups with the bigger teams. 

 

Then 6 groups of 4 where 2 qualify from each group and thats it.  It mostly gets rid of all the non competitive games and lessens group games for bigger nations to 6 games rather than 10 meaning more more downtime for players.

 

Friendlies should only exist between teams that don't qualify for anything. 

 

 

[Hollyfox]

1990 was a truly stunning world cup💙

 

Although it wasn't as money driven there was some serious cheating that went on in previous tournaments. 

 

We'll worth a look at the world cup in Argentina in 1978, if you want to see how the use of bribery and intimidation helped seal a home win. 

[Guest StevieLynex]

1 minute ago, Hollyfox said:

1990 was a truly stunning world cup💙

 

Although it wasn't as money driven there was some serious cheating that went on in previous tournaments. 

 

We'll worth a look at the world cup in Argentina in 1978, if you want to see how the use of bribery and intimidation helped seal a home win. 

1982 was the best, with a brilliant Brazilian side and a French side with Platini, Giresse and Tigana

[Grebfromgrebland]

40 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

See this quite a lot and really don't understand it. 

 

Fair enough, you don't enjoy watching England but actively supporting another country just because a couple of Leicester players play for them is a bit weird. Unless you are belgian in some way, then I'll let you off 

I don't actively support Belgium but keep more of an eye out for their results due to the Leicester connection

 

[weller54]

35 minutes ago, StevieLynex said:

Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Bashful, and Doc.

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch!

[Hollyfox]

1 minute ago, StevieLynex said:

1982 was the best, with a brilliant Brazilian side and a French side with Platini, Giresse and Tigana

It certainly was, full of brilliant players. 

 

That Brazil side must be one of their greatest ever, surely. 

 

Being English and living in a town full of Italians and having gone to a Catholic school that had Italian flags hanging out of loads of windows, wasn't that enjoyable in 1982 though. 

 

😄

[weller54]

3 hours ago, TrickyTrev Benjamin said:

I’m English and as a kid wanted England to win the World Cup/euros. The older I’ve got though, I don’t actually care about them anymore. I find it hard to support a team made up of players I don’t like. I don’t have any passion for international football what’s so ever. Just wondering if any other Leicester fan feels the same ? 

England are the international version of The Spuds!🤬🤬

[enmac]

3 hours ago, TrickyTrev Benjamin said:

But does anyone really support England ? I genuinely don’t anymore. I always thought of England supporters as a cockney thing. I think 2006 World Cup was the ending for me. I genuinely only watch England if a Leicester players is playing. Yesterday I watched Belgium because of the 3 Leicester players. 

Agree. Much rather watch Belgium or Turkey at the moment. Watched most of the under 21 game, France and Russia tonight. No Fofana. Purely watching to see Eduard. 

[enmac]

20 minutes ago, StevieLynex said:

1982 was the best, with a brilliant Brazilian side and a French side with Platini, Giresse and Tigana

Great WC, but 1970 beats it. 

[Mint23]

I don’t even know anyone that watches international football anymore except maybe in the World Cup when it gets to the knock out stages. There hasn’t been a decent international tournament this century, with the way the modern world views football 24/7 there’s no new players to burst onto the scene and with European big boys buying all the talent there’s no exciting South American teams either, it’s all become so generic and boring. 

[Corky]

1 hour ago, RowlattsFox said:

Leicester will always be a preferred choice but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be incredible if England win something. I really don't understand those who seem to prefer England to fail. Although I'm not sure they really do, it's just an easy feeling to have after years of disappointment.

I don't think people want England to fail but there's a lot more apathy and annoyance than there used to be. I think 2010 was a huge turning point- we had a very good manager plus a qualifying campaign where we'd thrashed an awkward team in Croatia twice so optimism was high. To then produce four dismal or rotten displays probably then had people wondering if England would ever get close to winning a tournament again if the best set-up went spectacularly wrong.

 

2018 was much needed. For all the talk of favourable runs and not beating anyone great, we were still involved late on in the tournament which we hadn't been for over 20 years. Problem is, they now have to repeat or better if from now on.

 

I'm glad that the circus of the Sven era and the cliques/ inter club rivalries of the 2000's decade seem to be long in the past, though.