Wonderful England

[zolayes 14,489]

I shall never forget that wonderful summer of 66. So many thrilling games culminating in the Wembley final.

I shall never forget the celebrations of an entire nation,and my personal celebration is recalled each time

I see my eldest son born nine months after that Wembley triumph over the Huns.

But neither will you forget it regardless of your age. That victory ranks along with Trafalgar or Waterloo as

the greatest day in our Nations history. 1966 a more iconic date than 1066 or November5th..

Cynics will point out we were lucky. hom.e advantage, a game switched to Wembley which should have been

played elsewhere,help from a Russian linesman. Who cared, We were on the top of the world.

Forward 4 years 1970 Mexico. This time listening on a radio in Kenya we were on the brink of dispatching

the Germans to oblivion,,a giant step to retaining our trophy. Then Ramsey substitutes Charlton to rest him

for our next game. The rest is history as the hacks would say. The glory days were over.

After that glorious summer of 66 and those hopes of 70 we descended into a nuclear winter which has lasted

40 years. Only a few bright shards of light have broken the Stygian darkness.

Who is to blame.?

Long ago have I ceased to care,,,so many factors could be blamed. I will leave the post mortem to others.

The malaisse has lasted the length oh my eldest son's life and no end is in sight. Of course the media

will rejoice and "Arry " will now lead us to triumphs unrivalled.

The main reason I lost interest in the England was not because of defeats or failure to reach finals.

It was decades of sterile football, Kick and rush, Lack of skill yet praised by a terrible media as "Golden Generations"

At least there is the CL to watch and enjoy while International football sinks into decline. Even this

years ACON failed to attract interest

My sympathy lies with those still supporting a team unworthy of your support.

I am proud to be English, proud of the beauty of my land ,proud of what we have achieved.

PROUD TO BE A CHELSEA FAN,

England FA ...I couldn't care less.

[Beirut_Blues 306]

The media....the fukkn media.

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

The media....the fukkn media.

I think it realises its on a slow decline because of the internet, so is creating fictional sensationalism.

Today for example, it highlights players tweets of such iluminary observance regarding Capellos departure:.

Michael Owen '' The tea lady must be English'' Barton '' Whats going on?'' Ferdinand '' What next?''

Christ on a bike

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Because I'm growing up in a very much multicultural age, I find some solace in a proud sense of nationalism. For that reason I will always support my country in whatever endeavour - I am very proud to be an Englishman. That applies even now. Fuck the FA, not the team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I'm so glad we're not the 'golden generation' any more..

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

Club above country every time.

The FA are a load of mega salaried old farts, totally unelected, an old boys network of sordid corruption.

Italia 90 with Bobby Robson was Englands swansong

[Fernando 6,375]

It's not just England nationals me thinks. Even the great Argentina national team has turned nothing but a big fat joke.

People like your age say the same thing about the Argentinian team.....

But I guess it's mainly due to that point you made, International football is dropping in quality and it's getting less and less attention, while club football like EPL and CL is gaining more popularity.

[BluesChick 1,260]

Heck, the US National team (men's) has always been a joke... or the butt of many of them! Which is why I always choose club over country!

[Badboy 1,526]

I hope the police really crack down on the English football fans in the Euro's. The English can't just do what they did in Holland and Belgium in Euro 2000 and cause millions of pounds of damage to local business's and residential properties. I hope everyone travelling to the Euro's is CRB checked. As soon as the English arrived in Holland they were looking for a fight, to be honest we were all glad that England and Germany went out together in the same group. But the English must behave themselves because this shit can't carry on.

[Spike 12,049]

It's not just England nationals me thinks. Even the great Argentina national team has turned nothing but a big fat joke.

People like your age say the same thing about the Argentinian team.....

But I guess it's mainly due to that point you made, International football is dropping in quality and it's getting less and less attention, while club football like EPL and CL is gaining more popularity.

The problem with Argentina is that they cannot make a Defender to save themselves. Javier Zannetti is still their best Defender and he is 39.

Though Argentina creates Fowards like no other country.

Messi

Aguero

Tevez

Di Maria

Higuian

Milito

Lavezzi

[Fernando 6,375]

The problem with Argentina is that they cannot make a Defender to save themselves. Javier Zannetti is still their best Defender and he is 39.

Though Argentina creates Fowards like no other country.

Messi

Aguero

Tevez

Di Maria

Higuian

Milito

Lavezzi

And it's not just that, is also the media and merry go around of managers.

Similar to England.

[manpe 10,855]

I hope the police really crack down on the English football fans in the Euro's. The English can't just do what they did in Holland and Belgium in Euro 2000 and cause millions of pounds of damage to local business's and residential properties. I hope everyone travelling to the Euro's is CRB checked. As soon as the English arrived in Holland they were looking for a fight, to be honest we were all glad that England and Germany went out together in the same group. But the English must behave themselves because this shit can't carry on.

Yeah.. whenever Estonia played England, there were long talks in our media how the police will handle the hooligans and drunks etc. One of the few games where the police were on heightened alert.

[Spike 12,049]

I hope the police really crack down on the English football fans in the Euro's. The English can't just do what they did in Holland and Belgium in Euro 2000 and cause millions of pounds of damage to local business's and residential properties. I hope everyone travelling to the Euro's is CRB checked. As soon as the English arrived in Holland they were looking for a fight, to be honest we were all glad that England and Germany went out together in the same group. But the English must behave themselves because this shit can't carry on.

Weren't the English Hooligans also really bad during France '98?

I was only four in those days.

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

Theres been hardly any English hooliganism abroad for years now - mostly has been exacerbated by the foreign police who see the previous reputation of English fans as an excuse to wade in

Unlike the Dutch gangs associated with Ajax, Feyenoord and and Utrecht -who admittedly just copied the old English hoolies, and are still...yawn...looking for trouble

[Badboy 1,526]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvXd9MIuENk

Do you remember the scenes in Germany ? The English were by far the biggest load of trouble in world cup 2006. There was a few scuffles with Germany and Poland but the German fans v England fans was the biggest problem in the whole tournament. That's why everyone wants to avoid giving the English a major tournament.

[Badboy 1,526]

Gregg we don't cause that much trouble in major tournaments mate. We're colourful and cheerful and we always want to have a good time. The Spanish never cause trouble neither do the French and Italians, the Germans only react to when the English start trouble. The polish are bad too.

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

Theres a;ways a few idiots who see themselves as fighting for their country abroad - that was 6 years ago to be fair. Domestically the Dutch still have a lot to do in cleaning up their act, a lot of them are stuck in an 80s time warp.

But I agree, by far the worst culptits now are the new Eastern European countries