Raheem Sterling

[Shaggy]

I'm not that arsed about England - I've wanted them to lose for a good while - but last night with half the team Reds I wanted them to win. I thought Sterling's was in - I think everyone did. Very confusing when I saw him not celebrating.

But the outpouring of love for him is great to see. He is a phenomenon. What. A. Player.

[Leyton388]

I woner if the club will get some bids for him this summer? He'll get a new contract after the WC IMO

[Fierce]

I'm not that arsed about England - I've wanted them to lose for a good while

Such a strange attitude

[Gray]

Such a strange attitude

Not really, I hated them when Terry was captain.

[Shaggy]

Badly wanted them to lose at Euro 2012. LOL when they concede. Could not bear the jingoism if they'd won it......'Arise Sir Roy!', Big Brave JT and all that ****e. Would have had to leave the country.

But Rodgers has helped me soften towards Hodgson, a bit, and I enjoyed watching our lads last night. I thought they all played well.

[danperkins]

Badly wanted them to lose at Euro 2012. LOL when they concede. Could not bear the jingoism if they'd won it......'Arise Sir Roy!', Big Brave JT and all that ****e. Would have had to leave the country.

But Rodgers has helped me soften towards Hodgson, a bit, and I enjoyed watching our lads last night. I thought they all played well.

For the most part... It's the media for me.

To be honest i want them to do well in this competition as things have been refreshingly low key. I'm Irish but I support LFC & watch premier league football every week so why not want them to do well. I've wanted them to lose in the past as the media hype is nothing short of embarrassing, but the media have been a bit more realistic & the whole rule britannia thing has been on hiatus...thank christ.

[McDermotX]

Yeah...the media is a bit more reserved, but it's always just bubbling under the surface and if they had of won last night, it'd be back front and center. Absolutely no doubt about that.
Don't like the manager, don't like/rate most of the players.......obviously as long as the Liverpool lads don't embarrass themselves, that's the main thing, but in the end, they're not a great side and, as a football institution, still fairly unlikable to outsiders.

Fella says to me the other day, and he wouldn't be into the football, after seeing Sturridge's advert on TV........'that's a good move by him, getting his fast-food advert in before the usual dump out of the tournament'.

[danperkins]

Yeah...the media is a bit more reserved, but it's always just bubbling under the surface and if they had of won last night, it'd be back front and center. Absolutely no doubt about that.
Don't like the manager, don't like/rate most of the players.......obviously as long as the Liverpool lads don't embarrass themselves, that's the main thing, but in the end, they're not a great side and, as a football institution, still fairly unlikable to outsiders.

Fella says to me the other day, and he wouldn't be into the football, after seeing Sturridge's advert on TV........'that's a good move by him, getting his fast-food advert in before the usual dump out of the tournament'.

England aren't very good as a team. Lot of good individuals but never seem to get it right.

Yeh that's true, always a few wins away from we're going to beat the world! I can only imagine how much pressure that puts the players under... the media don't seem to get that.

To be fair to Sturridge.. he now probably gets free subway for the rest of his life.. which is always nice

[McDermotX]

....
Yeh that's true, always a few wins away from we're going to beat the world! I can only imagine how much pressure that puts the players under... the media don't seem to get that.
..

Good thing that Sky are busy pretending the World Cup doesn't exist, as if they carried the matches you could expect 24hr build-up, Live, in HD and in 3D !
Rolling out interviews with anyone who pays even England the smallest compliment. Numerous panels of old washed-up players, asking 'Why Can't England Win the World Cup ?? Why are we being dismissed ?? Best league in the world etc etc'
Then after they lose a game, they'll trot out Sturridge's old PE teacher who once saw him miss an open goal in the inter-school challenge of 2003. Then show that every hour for the rest of the day.
Insufferable would even begin to describe that, but they can be avoided, as usual in the summer, so no-one gives a ****e about Sky's limited World Cup report.

BBC and ITV have been somewhat reserved in this regard, but it's more skin-deep, forced self-deprecation. A win last night and that facade would come crumbling down, and everyone would fall back into the usual line until the traditional penalty shoot-out exit comes along. Then it'd be time to latch onto whichever poor ****er missed his chance, or got sent off.
On the other extreme, the likes of RTE go over the top about England's failings, where every player is harshly judged as being ****e and 'not good enough at this level', but most of that comes from the one man who is just there for entertainment purposes.

This England side may not be great, but the bones of competent international side are there (not to mention the infrastructure in their regional status), and if they had the right man in charge and a bit of luck, they could go further than usual in tournaments (not necessarily this one due to the conditions and approach), but there's something so inherently unlikable with them that I find it hard not to laugh when it goes tits up. As an Irishman, it's not a 'general' anti-English thing at all for myself, far from it, as that would be at odds with the support I have for the club closest to my heart, not to mention people in my life.............just the footballing/media institution/entitlement that rankles me.

[EwarWoo]

BBC and ITV have been somewhat reserved in this regard, but it's more skin-deep, forced self-deprecation.

Its fantastic over here. The odd 10s mention of scores at the end of the news and that's all you get unless you switch to SBS for a match.

Way footy should be.

In saying that though it does take away a little from the whole world cup fever malarky which I used to love. Unless that's just a side effect of growing up.

[danperkins]

Good thing that Sky are busy pretending the World Cup doesn't exist, as if they carried the matches you could expect 24hr build-up, Live, in HD and in 3D !
Rolling out interviews with anyone who pays even England the smallest compliment. Numerous panels of old washed-up players, asking 'Why Can't England Win the World Cup ?? Why are we being dismissed ?? Best league in the world etc etc'
Then after they lose a game, they'll trot out Sturridge's old PE teacher who once saw him miss an open goal in the inter-school challenge of 2003. Then show that every hour for the rest of the day.
Insufferable would even begin to describe that, but they can be avoided, as usual in the summer, so no-one gives a ****e about Sky's limited World Cup report.

BBC and ITV have been somewhat reserved in this regard, but it's more skin-deep, forced self-deprecation. A win last night and that facade would come crumbling down, and everyone would fall back into the usual line until the traditional penalty shoot-out exit comes along. Then it'd be time to latch onto whichever poor ****er missed his chance, or got sent off.
On the other extreme, the likes of RTE go over the top about England's failings, where every player is harshly judged as being ****e and 'not good enough at this level', but most of that comes from the one man who is just there for entertainment purposes.

This England side may not be great, but the bones of competent international side are there (not to mention the infrastructure in their regional status), and if they had the right man in charge and a bit of luck, they could go further than usual in tournaments (not necessarily this one due to the conditions and approach), but there's something so inherently unlikable with them that I find it hard not to laugh when it goes tits up. As an Irishman, it's not a 'general' anti-English thing at all for myself, far from it, as that would be at odds with the support I have for the club closest to my heart, not to mention people in my life.............just the footballing/media institution/entitlement that rankles me.

quality post Mc

[dom9]

Such a strange attitude

I've had similar feelings. I too have softened though and I'm now firmly in the "not arsed" camp.

Last night was the first England game I watched in years and I quite enjoyed it as a neutral.

[Roboklopp]

Aye, even I have softened a bit to the not arsed camp. Gotta be cos so many of our players there- and no Terry or Cole.

[dom9]

Watching the likes of Terry, Cole and Lampard was a real turn off. The ultimate low lifes. Well Terry and Cole anyway.

Now that they've gone it seems to be a bit more fresh again, even with Hodgson at the helm.

And having so many Liverpool players in the team - I support all of our players at the World Cup regardless of their nationality.

[TheElephantMan]

I want England to do well at the moment with them having so many Liverpool and Everton players. I haven't wanted England to do well for a long time.