Club v Country

[Forbury Lion]

They had this poll on Skysports recently, I've kept it a bit vague so the Scots/Welsh/N Irish/other foreigners feel included and can vote for their country/club.

[genome]

It's hard to answer this question with a level head when England have just reached the World Cup semi final.

[Old Man Andrews]

I have changed my opinion on this. Prior to the World Cup I would have said club every time. England's national side had been in decline for years and everthing was dull and grey. We had been in the hands of some abysmal managers who failed on so many levels. McLaren, Capello, Hodgson and Allardyce all deeply dull and awful in their own ways.

Southgate and his team have turned it around completely. They have installed a new belief in English football and re-inspired a whole nation. We have fallen in love with international football again and hopefully Southgate and his team will be around for many years to come bringing through young players and building an identity similar to Germany under Low. This is hopefully just the start of a long and fruitful time for English football.

[Scutterbucketz]

I really don’t know. It’s great to see absolutely everyone so excited about England. That wouldn’t be the case if Reading were winning the Premier league.

Before the WC I’d have definitely said club but now I’m not sure.

Can you clarify how Reading would do it? If they had a load of young lads who no one had really heard of rather than bought the league then I might lean towards that.

[Sanguine]

A WC win, obvs. Since I started watching Reading 20 years ago, we've been a struggling League One side, and a team on the verge of a European place. A team playing FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, and a team losing to Leyton Orient in round one in front of a few thousand. And hopefully I'll see it all again before I snuff it.

But like no-one under 60 will recall seeing us in a World Cup final, nevermind winning the thing.

[TheSpread]

I think ask now and the answer might be a little skewed. Most fair weather fans will say WC. Come the football season they'll say club.

[6ft Kerplunk]

If we hadn't had 05/06 & 06/07 I'd have gone club but we have so I'd love to see a World Cup win.

[Victor Meldrew]

Club every day of the week.
Opinion may be swayed by having seen the one-time winners and watched what might have been a better side do really well 4 years later.
Incidentally going back to those days I think international sides were the tops (apart from Real Madrid who were better than any national team) whereas now I think that probably the top 8 club sides in Europe are better than any of the national teams at this World Cup.

I am looking forward much more to the first game of the season than this Wednesday's semi final but if England make it to the final then maybe not.

[From Despair To Where?]

Club absolutely every time without question.

Maybe it's because my family is Irish but I've never lived in Ireland, I was born in Wales but never lived there and live in England but am not English so I have absolutely no affinity to any of them. If Jon Dadi stepped up to take the deciding kick in a penalty shoot out against England, I'd be praying for him to score.

I am British and can get behind a Great Britain team but even then, club would come first.

[Sutekh]

Why. Why can't we have both ?

[Silver Fox]

Exactly, when it comes home on Sunday does that mean nobody who is happy about it will be allowed to have their team win the league? also, if a team has some fans who vote club and some who vote country who gets their way?

It's almost like it's a nonsense

[Theroyalbox]

Agreed with the above, I love watching Reading but also I am really proud to be English and see the way we have all come together to celebrate... ICH

[TheSpread]

Why. Why can't we have both ?

You can. You'll just have to support a different club team.

[Hoop Blah]

As one of the few posters on here who seem to have been interested in the England side over the last few years I'd probably say the World Cup to be honest.

As we're seeing now, international football can grab a nation like no club competition can and to see young Englishmen performing for their country with a bit of zest and pride is quite something and in many ways club football can't come close.

[Victor Meldrew]

Exactly, when it comes home on Sunday does that mean nobody who is happy about it will be allowed to have their team win the league? also, if a team has some fans who vote club and some who vote country who gets their way?

It's almost like it's a nonsense

Love the positivity of "when" and not "if".
Of course you can have both but some people might care more about one than the other.
I think about and worry for RFC but don't when it comes to England.

BTW does anybody know whether the French are also singing something like ca reviens?

[BR0B0T]

Club every day of the week.
Opinion may be swayed by having seen the one-time winners and watched what might have been a better side do really well 4 years later.
Incidentally going back to those days I think international sides were the tops (apart from Real Madrid who were better than any national team) whereas now I think that probably the top 8 club sides in Europe are better than any of the national teams at this World Cup.

I am looking forward much more to the first game of the season than this Wednesday's semi final but if England make it to the final then maybe not.

next season m8! Fingers crossed!

[Sanguine]

As one of the few posters on here who seem to have been interested in the England side over the last few years I'd probably say the World Cup to be honest.

As we're seeing now, international football can grab a nation like no club competition can and to see young Englishmen performing for their country with a bit of zest and pride is quite something and in many ways club football can't come close.

This.
I also detest the tribalism that surrounds club football - it's nice to be able to go out and watch a game in a pub or one a big screen with 99% like-minded fans.

[Victor Meldrew]

As one of the few posters on here who seem to have been interested in the England side over the last few years I'd probably say the World Cup to be honest.

As we're seeing now, international football can grab a nation like no club competition can and to see young Englishmen performing for their country with a bit of zest and pride is quite something and in many ways club football can't come close.

This.
I also detest the tribalism that surrounds club football - it's nice to be able to go out and watch a game in a pub or one a big screen with 99% like-minded fans.

Not a great fan of nationalistic jingoism so quite happy with the tribalism associated with club football but each to their own.

[Zip]

It would be country for me (Wales) which makes me a “foreigner”;

[LUX]

RFC> England, but I get very emotional watching both.