World Cup Russia 2018

[Marco]

Sure, but the difference is I, as an EBC license payer (and my half-German wife), don't have to listen to it!!!

Back soon!

Marco.

[Joe]

<Shamelessly lifted from pfm>

'Don't mention the VAR!'.

[Stratmangler]

I can't believe you're getting getting yer frillies in a twist over Lineker uttering the words "Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen", with a wave goodbye.
Jingoism my fat and hairy arse!
I just watched the commentary following the game on iPlayer, and there's nothing in the commentary to defend.

There were 4 former pro footballers sat there bewildered at a German side going out at the group stage for the first time ever.

Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen

[Sherwood]

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.

Reminds me of the 1998 World Cup. I had just arrived in Namibia to start a 3 year contract. I watched the England vs Argentina game in a bar in Windhoek full of Afrikaners and German Namibians. Needless to say there was little support for England and I feared for my health when I cheered the Michael Owen goal, alone!

The roars when Beckham got himself sent off through a petulant kick were only a whisper compared to the cheers when England went out on penalties.

To add insult to injury, I found a parking ticket on my car when I left the bar later that evening, for the heinous crime of parking my car facing the wrong way. The police in Windhoek don't have a lot to do!

Geoff

I was in a Dublin bar in 1990 when England went out against Germany on penalties but that's another story!

[Marco]

<Shamelessly lifted from pfm>

'Don't mention the VAR!'.

*That* is funny!

Marco.

[chris@panteg]

I can't believe you're getting getting yer frillies in a twist over Lineker uttering the words "Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen", with a wave goodbye.
Jingoism my fat and hairy arse!
I just watched the commentary following the game on iPlayer, and there's nothing in the commentary to defend.

There were 4 former pro footballers sat there bewildered at a German side going out at the group stage for the first time ever.

Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen

Yeah common Marco, lighten up ffs it's Gary Lineker what do you expect? And because he makes a fool of himself, he speaks for all of us does he? But be honest now it's traditional for the Scots to want England to lose, mind you I remember cheering on Peru in 78 for the overconfident and arrogant Ally's Army, so I think I understand it.

I always wondered if it's more to do with our colonial past though.

[Marco]

I can't believe you're getting getting yer frillies in a twist over Lineker uttering the words "Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen", with a wave goodbye.
Jingoism my fat and hairy arse!

Then, we'll have to agree to disagree. It's not just what Lineker said, it was Jonathan Pearce's ridiculous pant-wetting antics during the commentary, and his obvious glee that Germany were going out, plus what was also said during the ITV commentary of the Brazil game.

The English don't seem to realise just how much that shit annoys the fuck out of everyone else, as Svend pointed out earlier.

We do get rather tired of listening to, England this, England that, when the automatic presumption is that everyone watching or listening will be an England fan. Like I said, it's supposed to be the BBC, not the EBC. I made a similar point recently about the Royal wedding!

I just watched the commentary following the game on iPlayer, and there's nothing in the commentary to defend.

That's because, being English, the anti-German bias doesn't bother you, or you're simply more tolerant of it, or perhaps you sympathise with it. Read Svend's earlier post again for the feelings of the vast majority of others who were listening to it.

There were 4 former pro footballers sat there bewildered at a German side going out at the group stage for the first time ever.

"Bewildered" and quite obviously delighted.

What we need is more Scots in the commentary box, aside from sporadic appearances from Ally McCoist, and also in the studios as pundits, along with the existing Irish, such as Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane, to temper the 'Pro-English excesses' of all the ex-England footballers, which gets right on the tits of the majority of non-English fans watching.

Then we might stand a chance of getting football TV coverage from a more neutral perspective!

Marco.

[Marco]

Reminds me of the 1998 World Cup. I had just arrived in Namibia to start a 3 year contract. I watched the England vs Argentina game in a bar in Windhoek full of Afrikaners and German Namibians. Needless to say there was little support for England and I feared for my health when I cheered the Michael Owen goal, alone!

The roars when Beckham got himself sent off through a petulant kick were only a whisper compared to the cheers when England went out on penalties.

Seriously though, Geoff, have you ever wondered why folks abroad feel that way towards the English? Could it be the bigger picture created by behaviour, such as I've outlined earlier?

Having toured extensively all over Europe, since I was five years old, I can tell you that there have always been advantages gained by letting the locals know that I was from Scotland, not England, and similarly in more recent times, my wife letting them know that she was Welsh (her other half, along with German).

In my experience, the Scots, Welsh and Irish tend to be welcomed with open arms by the locals abroad, yet not so much the English, who seem to be resented more. I wonder why that is?

Marco.

[Svend N]

I just watched the commentary following the game on iPlayer, and there's nothing in the commentary to defend.

There were 4 former pro footballers sat there bewildered at a German side going out at the group stage for the first time ever.

Mein Gott! Auf wiedersehen

I'm guessing no one here was listening to BBC 5, and heard the announcer screaming into his mic "NEUER IS A DISGRACE! NEUER IS A DISGRACE!" over and over again. I've never heard such a verbal attack from any sports announcer, anywhere, for any sport. The announcer was the one with disgraceful behaviour. I expected better.

Sadly, it has really turned me off the BBC broadcasts, as I had actually been rather enjoying them until today. E.g. yesterday's game between France and Denmark, the announcers were hilarious describing the utterly boring game they were witnessing. Different crew today, not the same light-hearted spirit.

Regards,
Svend

[Marco]

Yeah common Marco, lighten up ffs it's Gary Lineker what do you expect?

Erm, professional behaviour from a supposedly professional broadcaster. Is that too much to ask?

And because he makes a fool of himself, he speaks for all of us does he?

I'm glad you thought he made a fool of himself, because it's a fact.

I didn't say he spoke for all of you. I made the point earlier, quite clearly, that my annoyance was directly SOLELY at the English pundits and commentators. You must've missed that. You guys, as ordinary fans, can gloat and laugh, at Germany's expense, as much as you like!

But be honest now it's traditional for the Scots to want England to lose, mind you I remember cheering on Peru in 78 for the overconfident and arrogant Ally's Army, so I think I understand it.

Lol... And I wouldn't have blamed you either. If I'd been old enough then, I'd have laughed at those idiots falling flat on their faces, too. They turned Scotland into a laughing stock. However, it was more the media's fault, creating all that ridiculous hype in the first place, than that of the players.

You're right though; it was about arrogance, which if truth be told, is normally more of an English trait than a Scottish one!

I always wondered if it's more to do with our colonial past though.

I think that plays a BIG part in things, in all sorts of areas.

Marco.