World Cup Russia 2018

[Macca]

As predicted, another disastrous Russian campaign for Germany!

Geoff

LOL

Another tenner down the drain for me. Useless bastards.

[struth]

You must know what I'm talking about though, Grant.

How do you think the Scots footy fans where you are would've reacted to that ridiculous commentary and Lineker's antics afterwards? I know my mates up there will be as angered about it as I am. If they'd done that to anyone else but Germany, there would've been an outrage.

Well...The 'Anyone But England' t-shirts will be out in force now!

Marco.

not seen it but can imagine the pathetic bigotry oozing out.... I dont mind a joke etc but pure bigotry, if thats what they did, they should be kicked out. if it had been an african nation there would be calls of racism. i dont see the difference

[Marco]

Whilst I can appreciate the skills of other teams, surely much of the attraction of football in general and the World Cup in particular is seeing old rivals getting stuffed by more lowly teams. Football is a tribal game and always will be. As to the "bias" of the English pundits, I am guessing you are not that familiar with other broadcasting networks worldwide. Many if not most love to see England beaten. Have you forgotten this from politically correct Norway? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZTP8-8wIs

Yes, but as a Scots/Italian, I couldn't give a toss!! All I want, and think I should be entitled to as a license fee payer, is professional behaviour, from supposed broadcasting professionals, during coverage of this World Cup. The Norwegian guy was just as bad.

So do you think the behaviour today of the BBC pundits and commentators will have helped the issue of folk wanting to see England get beaten?

Btw, just to be 100% clear, my comments here are directed SOLELY at the BBC commentators and pundits, not ordinary England fans, including those here, who have every right to gloat!

As a sports broadcaster, it's simply about being 100% professional, which those today on the BBC most certainly weren't.

Marco

[Marco]

not seen it but can imagine the pathetic bigotry oozing out.... I dont mind a joke etc but pure bigotry, if thats what they did, they should be kicked out. if it had been an african nation there would be calls of racism. i dont see the difference

EXACTLY!!! Disgraceful and distasteful BIGOTRY is precisely what it was! Makes me puke.... I'll see if someone's posted something on YouTube.

Marco.

[Macca]

It's traditional. Germany are a special case and everyone knows that.


Remember when we beat them 5-1? We were celebrating for a week.


I think it all goes back to the war when they had that whole 'master race' thing going on. Same as everyone wants to see the English get beaten because of the Empire and all that, except with the Germans it's just a special thing for the English, no-one else cares. And it's only a bit of fun anyway, it's breaking balls, it's English humour. You don't imagine anyone really takes it seriously do you?

[Marco]

It's traditional. Germany are a special case and everyone knows that.


Remember when we beat them 5-1? We were celebrating for a week.

Is that the royal "we", Martin?

You've just neatly highlighted the problem!

Marco.

[Macca]

This handy Wikipedia article explains it all: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englan...otball_rivalry

Since World War II, Britain has considered itself a rival to Germany in many areas, such as automobile production, naval forces, trade and economy[35]—this rivalry has also permeated into football.
English football fans often deem Germany to be their traditional football rival and care more about this rivalry than those with other countries, such as Scotland or Argentina. In the run-up to any football match against Germany, many English tabloids publish articles that contain references to the Second World War, such as calling their opposition derogatory terms such as "krauts" or "hun".[36]

Two days before the UEFA Euro 1996 semifinal, The Daily Mirror published an article on its front page that ran with the headline "Achtung! Surrender!": another reference to the war.[37]
After the 5–1 victory over Germany in 2001, the English news media were ecstatic. The Sunday Mirror drew more comparisons to World War II, by running an article about the game on the front page under the headline "BLITZED".[38]

And of course:

in the BBC television series Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, the character Terry remarks that 14 June 1970, the day that England lost 3–2 to West Germany, should be "indelibly printed on every true Englishman's mind".[44][45]

[Macca]

Is that the royal "we", Martin?

You've just neatly highlighted the problem!

Marco.

'We' as in 'The English'.

[Marco]

So why, as a Scot, and a BBC license fee payer, should I be subjected to it? I'm not the slightest bit interested in age-old English football rivalries, during coverage of a World Cup football match!

Marco.

[struth]

shouldnt have player Neuer and should have taken Sane and played him. he is a crackin' player. Neuer has been injured and not the player he was.
It will give many sides confidence tho.....doesnt excuse the commentators etc tho. What happened to the bbc's position on bias