World Cup Russia 2018

[Marco]

Its just common decency quite frankly. as svend says these games are beamed all over the world with such attitudes, its no wonder britain is classed as a leper.

Indeed so, sadly... I could say much more, but I'll leave it there.

Let's get back to more pleasant things now... It's no surprise that Brazil are currently leading against the Serbs. I'm confident that they'll win that one comfortably, and go onto reach the semis, at the very least, but they could well end up winning it.

Fate has a habit of working that way, and so in the same tournament where Germany (who thrashed Brazil the last time), have been humiliated by South Korea and go out of the World Cup, Brazil win it.

Martin should perhaps put some money on that one

Marco.

[Sherwood]

So, are you saying it's only they who matter, and that no-one else viewing should be given similar consideration? Do you think it was only England fans who were watching the match?

Indeed, sadly it's the way it's always been, but that doesn't make it right!

Marco.

As I said very clearly, "I would worry if they were biased against the other home nations"

Actually, my family are Irish and according to my DNA results I am zero percent English!

Geoff

[Marco]

As I said very clearly, "I would worry if they were biased against the other home nations"

Actually, my family are Irish and according to my DNA results I am zero percent English!

Well, if the first bit were true, there'd be riots in the streets, and rightly so! Regardless of your DNA, Geoff, you are clearly pro-England - and btw, that's perfectly ok!!

But it still doesn't excuse the BBC's earlier disgraceful anti-German bias, in a match that, as Grant says, England weren't even playing in!

I'm afraid (and I apologise to all the England fans here) that it's now completely turned me against England in this World Cup, where beforehand I was wishing them well, so tomorrow I hope that Belgium give them a footballing lesson they never forget, and when England do eventually go out, I'll be laughing my tits off, especially at how much it'll piss off that smug, 'waving bye-bye' wanker, Lineker!!

Marco.

[Sherwood]

Well, if the first bit were true, there'd be riots in the streets, and rightly so! Regardless of your DNA, Geoff, you are clearly pro-England - and btw, that's perfectly ok!!

But it still doesn't excuse the BBC's earlier disgraceful anti-German bias, in a match that, as Grant says, England weren't even playing in!

I'm afraid (and I apologise to all the England fans here) that it's now completely turned me against England in this World Cup, where beforehand I was wishing them well, so tomorrow I hope that Belgium give them a footballing lesson they never forget, and when England do eventually go out, I'll be laughing my tits off, especially at how much it'll piss off that smug, 'waving bye-bye' wanker, Lineker!!

Marco.

I always support all of the home nations and Ireland in any competition. However, I am old enough to be realistic about their respective prospects. I think England are better equipped than they have been for some time, but any wins from here on are a bonus!

Geoff

BTW. Belgium has some very good players but they strike me as less than the sum of their parts. That sort of reflects the make up of that "nation".

[Marco]

I always support all of the home nations and Ireland in any competition.
Geoff

BTW. Belgium has some very good players but they strike me as less than the sum of their parts. That sort of reflects the make up of that "nation".

Normally so do I, but that shite today has *really* got my back up, so from now on I'll have my 'Anyone But England' t-shirt on!

I do agree with you about Belgium, and actually expect England to win tomorrow. Not sure what that'll mean, in terms of who they get in the round of 16, but if it's Columbia, I think they'll struggle.

Marco.

[Stratmangler]

Marco

You've said sod all about the disgraceful racial abuse Mesut Özil & Ilkay Gundogan have received from Germans (and it goes all the way up to the top).
What's more the German national team showed great solidarity with their team mates, and did and said nothing too.
So much for having a team mentality & attitude.
And Özil has clashed with German supporters following the game https://www.thesun.co.uk/world-cup-2...-germany-fans/

Lineker has suffered at the hands of the Germans on too many occasions, and that's why he behaved the way he did.
Yes, it was stupid behaviour, but don't read too much into it.

[montesquieu]

Read Svend's comments, and if doesn't hit home how everyone else in the world, who isn't English, feels about this nonsense, and has done for years, then it never will. I'm afraid that when it comes to this sort of stuff, no other country knows how to make enemies around the world better than England!

Marco.

As another Scot Marco I have to disagree entirely here. I have no problem with the English being patriotic especially as their team is doing well, and Macca's point is 100% correct - of course if Scotland qualified there would be precisely no impartiality north of the Border - not a chance, zilch, nada.

Maybe I've been down south too long (since 1996, thinking about it, barring a disastrous attempt to return between 2002 and 2004) but I'm supporting England in this one, and frankly I think anything else is small and petty, which pretty much sums up the whole SNP proposition in my book.

Scots should be big enough to support their nearest neighbours, I'm one of many (most?) Scots whose families are 'complicated', only one example I'm father to a daughter born in Glasgow who moved south at two months old, and a son born in Bristol, their mum is a Kiwi (no surprises who they support at the rugby then!!). But on the whole they pretty much see themselves as English having been brought up there, and our brief time north of the Border didn't help as they were bulled for their English accents - kids aged 7 and 5 when they got there - yes adults might see all that anti-English joshing as bit of fun, but their children don't know the difference. This in a place as 'posh' as you'll get in the west of Scotland (Bothwell).

You have an excuse Marco, having a more complicated heritage than most and probably not as strong an English connection as some, but with both Italy and Scotland failing to qualify I think you should get behind England, like I know perfectly well they would get behind us, barring a few knuckle draggers.

And BTW 'we' do not support independence, Scots voted by 55 per cent to 45 per cent for the status quo. 'You' might support it, but the majority of us (even from Irish backgrounds like myself - another complication in a rather complicated part of the planet) saw more value in being part of the United Kingdom. The SNP irritate me most when they affect to speak for all Scots, well they certainly don't speak for this one.

[Marco]

Hi Chris,

Marco

You've said sod all about the disgraceful racial abuse Mesut Özil & Ilkay Gundogan have received from Germans (and it goes all the way up to the top).

That's because I wasn't aware of it. Of course that's disgraceful, but right now my particular bone of contention is with the anti-German attitude of the English commentators and pundits.

Have you been listening to ITV's commentary tonight during the Brazil vs. Serbia game? They were at it there, too!! Laughing at someone who sent a 'HAHAHAHAHA' message about Germany going out (I forget exactly what was said), and then his co-commentator 'making no apologies' for being anti-German, as he's an England fan

These idiots just don't seem to realise how they're coming across to neutrals, whilst their ignorant comments are being broadcast worldwide to people who care not a jot about England's football history with Germany, as Svend ably pointed out earlier.

The fact is, whilst members of the English media are practicing their distasteful jingoism in public, the rest of the world is cringing at their crassness!!

You know that Del's half-German, don't you? Do you think that, as a license-fee payer, she was 'impressed' by the above comments and those earlier, about Germany, from the EBC team?

Lineker has suffered at the hands of the Germans on too many occasions, and that's why he behaved the way he did.
Yes, it was stupid behaviour, but don't read too much into it.

I get that, but the problem is, as I've outlined, it's not just him - and this pish has been going on mate, for YEARS.....

Marco.

[Marco]

Tom, I'm busy doing something just now, but will reply later

Marco.

[montesquieu]

Tom, I'm busy doing something just now, but will reply later

Marco.

Incidentally I was in Bamberg, Germany, watching the game on the night England went out against Portugal in 2006. And I can assure you that there wasn't a single German in the pub (or, indeed in the TV studio) cheering England that night. It most definitely cuts both ways.