 It’s probably not very PC and forgive me if I’m beginning to sound like Norman Tebbit in my old age, but it bores me to tears listening to people who live in this country and celebrate when we lose at sport.
They’ve all crawled out of the woodwork again in recent days to gloat at England’s return from Germany. It’s not only the ‘I told you so’s’ among our ranks but the hordes of Scots, Welsh and Irish who were quiet when we qualified, silent when we reached the knock-out stages and then loud as you like when we went out on penalties. Why do they do that?
Now I’ll lay my cards on the table here. I was born in Glasgow to Scottish parents and spent my first two years living there. But having spent my next 28 living in England I feel as loyal to the Three Lions as the next man or woman.
I might be old fashioned but I’ve always looked out for their results after England’s and cheer them on over anyone from outside these isles. But I’m now having serious doubts about prevailing with this approach, unchristian as it may sound.
Not for the first time, the Pope has the right idea. He may be the spiritual leader to millions around the world, but Benedict the XVI Is also a proud German. Il Papa is said to have burnt the midnight oil in the Vatican the other night watching his boys go through on spot-kicks against the Argies and meal-times have been brought forward or put back to accommodate kick-off times.
But with a big pad in the heart of Azzuri-mad Rome he faces a bit of a dilemma about who to support in tonight’s semi-final.
Diplomatic as ever, his private secretary Monsignor Georg Ganswein (another one of Jurgen’s mob you’ll be surprised to hear) said: “his heart will beat for both Italy and Germany.” And good for him. The same can’t be said for Andreas Wenzel, the Master of Ceremonies at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. Old Andy has been given the boot by FIFA for yelling “our team needs our support before the quarter final the other night.
Apparently it was contrary to the governing body’s rules on neutrality. Well shame on them and shame on the muppets who cheer on the demise of a particular team, be it England or otherwise.
Rant over…
|
