There are those politically correct, conscientious fans who claim that since we support the Premier League and idolise its stars, we should also support our neighbours and be disappointed when they get knocked out of football’s greatest tournament.
Yeah right.
‘This is our year’ is English football’s mantra for every World Cup. Every four years their fans and media herald a ‘golden generation’ that will emulate 1966, so for most Irish supporters it’s soothing when they inevitably come up short.
England simply haven’t been good enough over the past 44 years, but yet they point out crazy injustices and find scapegoats for their World Cup demises. Hence our innate desire for them to get played off the park every four years.
In a twist on an old maxim, JOE believes England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity to laugh. We look back at some of our the most memorable English World Cup moments.
1. Cross The Line
The boys of Germany literally toyed with England last Sunday. The unheralded stars completely outplayed the Premier League’s finest, showing them how the beautiful game should be played.
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2. Hand Of God
Diego Maradona was so brilliant with his feet that many deem him to be the greatest ever to play the game. However, what he did with his hand in 1986 is what English fans like to remember him for. The English seemed to believe the ‘Hand of God’ incident prevented them from winning the World Cup but Maradona subsequently scored one of the greatest goals of all time in the same game and would have ensured Argentina victory regardless.
Speak Maradona’s name in Argentina and those in earshot will bless themselves. The same name will prompt a volley of unprintable verbal abuse in England! Here’s why. What a finish.
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3. The Wink
English fans believe that they exited World Cup 2006 at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, it wasn’t the silky winger’s stepover, flamboyant flicks, rocket free kicks or even his diving that was the catalyst to England’s exit. Instead England’s demise came after he got Wayne Rooney sent off – and then had the cheek to wink!
Rooney’s red had nothing to do with him trying to ensure Ricardo Carvalho would need IVF treatment if he wanted to start a family, but everything to do with Ronnie doing what every footballer does, protesting to the referee and then administrating the lethal killer winking blow. JOE will admit to winking back when we first saw this on the TV.
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4. Not So Golden Boot
Another England red card, another early exit and another hate figure for the English fans. On that occasion, however, David Beckham became public enemy number one. The spice girl loving metro-sexual gets clobbered and flicks out girly style at Diego Simeone and sees red. As a result Beckham becomes a figure of hate in his home country. One newspaper even prints his picture on a dart board whilst an effigy of the player is hung outside a London pub.
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5. Fantastic or fortunate
Ronaldinho claims there was nothing fluky about the free kick that eventually ensured England departed the 2002 World Cup. England’s press and fans are of a different opinion however. They believe the effort that sailed over David Seaman was fortunate and subsequently attacked the brilliant Brazilian for being ‘lucky’.
The more we look at it the more we think he means it, but then again we are biased. What do you think the commentator on this clip thinks?
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6. Psycho psyched out and Waddle’s wedge
It’s no wonder all mention of 1966 brings us red-necked farmer-boys out in a rash. There are two mentions of ’66 inside THE FIRST 13 SECONDS of this video. The rest of it is quite entertaining, though, as England suffer the first in a long line of penalty shoot-out disasters. Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle became the first footballers to audition for a part in Pizza Hut ads, and who could forget Gazza’s tears?
Jonny Stapleton
