no fooiball

[claymore]

Does anyone in England NOT follow football?

[Kathyan]

Yes, me!

[joggerjayne]

What was claymore doing up at 4 o'clock this morning ???

[joggerjayne]

ps. maybe NOW everyone will watch a game we are good at ... like Netball ...

... at which England are consistently in the World's Top 4.

[ludwig]

When your team plays in the world cup finals, it generates alot of interest. People who normally couldn't care less about football get behind the team and start watching the matches and waving flags etc. I'm sure it would be the same in Scotland.
Now they're out, things will go back to normal and you can stop worrying about it.

[TheOtherHalf]

Ive only watched the England games to see what going on as it will obviously be a talking point but now theyre out I wont, as I usually dont, be watching or following football. Glad when we get back to normal

[bibblebub]

pah, netball's for girls

[sarumite]

No need for me to answer !! ;O)

[Kromovaracun]

I hate football and I've not been following the world cup (insofar as that's possible). I find it insufferably dull.

[sp1814]

I'm gutted that England are out of the World Cup because now it means that the that it won't be as easy to get restaurant seats, and the roads won't be completely clear when matches are on.

[andy-hughes]

i am indifferent, but the present Mrs Hughes loves her football, and is very sad at England's poor performance.

I was at Glastonbury all weekend, so missed the game, but I hard about it at length while driving home.

[New Judge]

I have absolutely no interest in watching football whatsoever. I take a passing interest in the English League results and frankly that is all football is worthy of.

I used to watch it many years ago but gave up when cheating and intimidation of the match officials became widespread. In no other sport do the participants seek to cheat in such a blatant manner as do professional footballers and certainly in no other sport would intimidation of the officials be permitted. Please don’t say “Ah but it’s a physical game....in the heat of the moment, etc. etc.” Rugby Union is a far more physical game than football and boxing is perhaps the most physical of all. But in both those sports the participants respect the officials and their decisions absolutely.

The game itself is tedious, with perhaps two or three minutes of excitement per match. The international game is even more so. The European and World competitions usually feature two or three matches of note out of the total of the 64 played.

I really don’t know why England football fans (and the media) work themselves into such frenzy when these events take place. It is quite clear that, for whatever reason, England cannot compete at the highest level internationally. The fans will always be disappointed, usually at about the same stage as this time, and I would have thought by now that they would manage their expectations accordingly. But somehow they always seem to think that this is “our” year.

[andy-hughes]

New Judge - as someone who lives with a Premier League season ticket holder (the team are Premier League, as indeed, on reflection is the present Mrs Hughes) I do understand some of the psychology of supporting a team.

To be a supporter, you need to indulge in a triumph of hope over experience - otherwise Arsenal / Chelsea would be the only team with regular support.

You must always believe that your team will win, no matter how stacked against it the odds may be. that is why you go along weekly / fortnightly and share in their joys and sorrows, always believeing passionately in the team's belief to fulfil your dreams.

To adopt anything less as an approach is to be a follower, not a fan.

If you extrapolate that League approach to the national game, and the four-yearly World Cup, you have an army of people willing their team on, regardless of history, odds, other teams, or even how England perform on a daily basis. Belief in them winning is what makes their supporters, and yes, realistically, they know the chances are slim to none, but that is what support is all about - deserved, or in this case - not.

But they will be there again in 2014, and onwards, because it's bred into the national psyche, and people love it, and there is no harm at all in that.

For me, they are a bunch of over-paid prima donnas, and the reason why we will never win is because eighty per cent of our Premier League is made up of players who play for other countries in the World Cup.

Would I point this out to the present Mrs Hughes? Why would I? She knows it already - and why spoil her enjoyable dream with cold hard reality? I'll keep quiet thanks - maybe you should do the same with fans you know.

[New Judge]

Nice reply, Andy!

I don’t talk football with anybody. I have no knowledge of the game today except the aspects I have already mentioned – and on those I really only have opinions rather than knowledge. When I’m amongst those that seem to be able to talk nothing but, I simply keep quiet.

The only thing that gets my goat when events such as these are on is that I simply cannot get away from them. Three matches a day, all shown in (it seems) every pub in the land. Restaurants (of all places) showing it. Big screens in the street.

I’m quite happy for those hapless souls who seem to lose all sense of proportion to indulge their fantasies for a couple of weeks. If only they’d let me do likewise without me having to sit indoors!

[boxtops]

Yup, I don't, nor does OH, we are a football-free zone.

[maggie21]

Personally, though I know little about football and care less,about over paid posers.who cant kick a ball for toffee.

[andy-hughes]

Absolutely fair point New Judge.

I have just got back from Glastonbury, and i am willing to bet i got as much, if not more pleasure from watching Imelda May wsinging her hips to her rockabilly band as any England fan - but I wouldn't expect it to be shown in every pub and restaurant in the UK!

I guess, being reasonable people, we just smile and put up with it, and accept that it's only for a short, albeit intense period of time, and once it's over, we can start planning for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!

[jno]

Football has long been part of the fabric of life in Britain - but not to the degree it is now. Thirty years ago it was a winter game; it alternated with cricket (as well as competing with rugby etc). It's only since Sky bought it up and billions started to pour int the sport - prompted by media hype - that it became the massive commercial enterprise it is now. Cracking down on hooliganism, building safe stands, even Nick Hornby's book, contributed to spreading its appeal among the middle class. So now it dominates many people's lives to an unprecedented degree. And all those people ranting about how pathetic we are and what a waste of time ane money it all is will be back to following their team with their usual devotion in a few weeks' time.