It's Not You; It's Me

[happytorq]

This is a blatant - and yet, heartfelt - plug for something I've written. You may (or may not) know that I moved to the states about 5 years ago and recently I've been trying to find time to write a lot more, about football in general, MLS and whatever grabs me. This is a letter to the England national team.

Please don't shout too loudly at me when (if!) you read it.

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[Southampton Gull]

Interesting point of view Chris. I couldn't ever cheer for another country over my own though, not EVER.

Edit: You YANK git

[happytorq]

Fair enough...it was weird though, sitting in the press box watching the Spain game realising that I cared more about what happened there that what had already happened (by that time) to England. I just get annoyed and fatigued by all of the endless excuses from the players, management, media, etc and it's got to the stage where it isn't fun any more.

Believe me, I didn't expect this to happen either. I still want England to do well...it just doesn't consume me in the same that it had done for the previous 30 years or so.

Of course, if England ever win anything, expect me to come back wield my St. George's flag like nothing happenen! (not really)

[Southampton Gull]

I can see why you'd be attracted to giving your support to a progressive sporting nation over our pampered waste of space national team but for me it's always the same, I hate the footballers that represent us but have no choice in who I support. I couldn't ever see myself supporting another club, even less so another country.

[happytorq]

I can see why you'd be attracted to giving your support to a progressive sporting nation over our pampered waste of space national team but for me it's always the same, I hate the footballers that represent us but have no choice in who I support. I couldn't ever see myself supporting another club, even less so another country.

I'm actually going *be* an American fairly soon - I'll be applying for citizenship - but that isn't the reason I've been following them so much recently. I've been doing a lot of writing anyway, so that gives me more access to players etc than I could ever get in England, but it's actually kind of refreshing to be in the minority; talking about football at work here is tricky because most people don't know the game or don't care...so there's a real sense of 'community' that I've never had about the England team. I don't really expect people to understand it - honestly, I'd expect people to call me all kinds of names - but I've felt for years that the idea of nationality is becoming outdated anyway. I've always thought that the appeal of being a football is not necessarily the quality or results of the actual football, but more the sense of belonging and fun that can be had doing it.

I can never see myself supporting another club *instead* of Torquay; I follow Portland in MLS because that's fun, but definitely not in preference to the yellows (anybody who follows me on twitter will know this..). But I feel a connection with Torquay that I haven't felt with England for years - there's here, (and twitter) obviously, that helps, but I'm prouder my Devon roots than I ever have been of being 'English'. I guess it's difficult to explain, really

[Regiment]

an interesting read. like Dave, i'd never support another, couldn't do it, but i understand what you're saying.

just a quick point, did you mean Munich 2001 ?? assuming you're talking about the 5-1 win ? if not, please tell me to go quietly !! ha ha.

[happytorq]

yeah, I meant Munich. Oops.

[cambgull]

Traitor!