by Schards#2 »
20 Jun 2010 08:31
ScottishRoyal Schards#2 England have a chance to get to the semi finals without playing a single team ranked in the first 13 of the FIFA rankings. To state that this represents the easiest route to the semi finals in years, is not arrogant, it is simply stating fact. Slovenia also have the opportunity to exploit this unusual scenario. Or are you seriously suggesting that this is a difficult path compared to the alternatives?
Come on, you're wise enough to know that football is played on a pitch and not paper, and numerous results would have to work in Englands favour, otherwise Germany and Argentina will be on the cards. And no i'm certainly NOT suggesting that this ideal route would be more difficult than facing Germany and Argentina, i'm just saying it wouldn't be easy.
I don't want to argue semantics here, however it's the assumptions and grounding from which some of RL's posts have been based on that I take issue with.
Schards#2 I spend a bit of time in Scotland and am amused by the desperate need for scots to paint the english as an arrogant bunch who assume they are going to win the world cup when, in fact, this has no basis in reality. I think it partly relates to their embarrasement over Ally's Tarten Army who actually did believe they would win and, secondly, justifying their dislike of England on the grounds that they are arrogant sounds better than just a plain, rather ugly jealousy.
Can't account for the odd english gimp who likes to perpetuate the same myth though.
That i'm afraid is bang out of order. For the record (because you don't know me from Adam) I have and will continue to support England for the duration of this WC. I have a lot of English family and have lived in Henley for 25 years. I have NEVER in any of my posts EVER set out to put England down and that suggestion is laughable, i'm pulling in the same direction of you! I'm immensely proud to be a Scot and am very proud of the history and the country, so to put down a grounded criticism of another poster as based on 'ugly jealousy' is not only insulting, but shows you to be y, blinkered, spiteful and, dare I say it, arrogant as you assume i'd be happier being English. I assume you'd rather support Man Utd because they win trophies but that you've been stuck with Reading somehow? The irony is that what you've written only serves to reinforce the point that a lot of foreigners have about English arrogance.
Nothing winds me up more than pre World Cups and Euro's when Sky go to the East End of Glasgow to find a knuckle dragger who's anti-English, the media positively seek them out to continue this idea. Every country has them, I remember pre France 98 some delightful chaps in London weren't to keen on Scotland. I however haven't based my view of an entire nation on those idiots.
I only ever post my mind on here, never lowering to petty name calling or xenophobic predjudices.
I would suggest that I know you exactly as much as you know RL yet you seem to have no problem in labelling her 'arrogant' and suggesting that it's 'comments like hers' that are the reason 'England's rep is not great'. I'm struggling to see how that is not lowering to petty name calling.
This on the basis of RL suggesting that a route to the semis that would have avoided any of the top 13 teams in the world (which was there for the taking before Friday ) might be one of the easiest routes available in recent years. Something that is entirely grounded in fact.
Moving on in the petty name calling stakes, apparently you think i'm "blinkered, spiteful and arrogant" (despite not knowing me from Adam) in what way do you not see that as petty name calling? A massive overreaction in which you indulge in the very behaviour you criticise in others and one which, I wonder if on calm reflection, you might feel somewhat embarassed by. You certainly should as it makes your last line laughable and totally contridictory.
As for the scots, i've met hundreds of them privately and professionally over that last 6-7 years and found them to be, in the vast majority of cases, friendly, sociable and with no issues with the english whatsoever......until it comes to the issue of the England football team. I've asked many why there is such an antipathy and the answer comes back 100% of the time - english fans are arrogant, they all think they've only got to turn up to win. An argument that is pretty much baseless IMHO.
During tournaments, the Daily Record is, frankly, racist in its coverage of England, perpetuating this myth at every opportunity which can and has made life difficult for my children living in Scotland when tournaments are on. Certainly, my eldest son doesn't feel he can comfortably demonstrate his support so stays at home to watch the games. Hence the reason I find baseless accusations of arrogance on the part of RL as an England fan particularly irritating. More so than the standard mysogonistic comments that are par for the course on this board.