Though England defeated Slovakia recently to advance to the quarterfinals, fans of the team seem angry and disappointed no matter what they do. The English team has been a pretty good one over the years, but anything short of winning the Euro Cup every time is looked upon as a failure. I don't follow the sport closely, but why do English football fans expect so much?
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@A-Unique-Nickname saidYou folks and the NY Yankee fans should get together and go bowling. You have a lot in common.
Because they are the best team in the world. Engerland 🎶 engerland 🎶 engerland 🎶
@mchill saidActually, I was going to compare England to the Yankees, they both have the mentality of being the best, even if they're not. Maybe a few star players, but it doesn't make a team. That's why England expects, they usually have a few top class individuals but it's the same in Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil etc... they all expect to win.
You folks and the NY Yankee fans should get together and go bowling. You have a lot in common.
@mchill saidYou’re assessment of English football fans is incorrect, furthermore fans of all the higher ranked teams exhibit similar hopes and frustrations. The Latin American fans are religious in their followership. England were finalists in this competition 3 years ago and whilst fans were disappointed not to win it certainly wasn’t considered “failure”.
Though England defeated Slovakia recently to advance to the quarterfinals, fans of the team seem angry and disappointed no matter what they do. The English team has been a pretty good one over the years, but anything short of winning the Euro Cup every time is looked upon as a failure. I don't follow the sport closely, but why do English football fans expect so much?
@A-Unique-Nickname saidNonsense.
Actually, I was going to compare England to the Yankees, they both have the mentality of being the best, even if they're not. Maybe a few star players, but it doesn't make a team. That's why England expects, they usually have a few top class individuals but it's the same in Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil etc... they all expect to win.
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@A-Unique-Nickname saidWell I’m an England supporter and I don’t think they are the best as you claim; in fact I don’t know any England fans who think the team are the best.
What would you know with your sugar coated lens? 😉
@divegeester saidBut you think you have the players to be the best, that was my point.
Well I’m an England supporter and I don’t think they are the best as you claim; in fact I don’t know any England fans who think the team are the best.
Edit: and they do.
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@A-Unique-Nickname saidEngland’s squad is strong enough to play much better than they have been, and to compete effectively with the best in this tournament.
But you think you have the players to be the best, that was my point.
Edit: and they do.
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@Earl-of-Trumps saidDespite the England manager’s repeated claims that the negative media rhetoric means nothing to him and that the players are happy in their tightly knitted group, he shows signs of nervousness in post match interviews and some of the players are a little spiky also.
sometimes the extra fan pressure on a team is debilitating, but fans who are happy with "we participated" status,
can be equally unsettling to the players, too.
good fans want VICTORY
This notion that if you present a calm face and keep saying that the pressure “means nothing” is I feel indicative of contemporary media management by business leaders, politicians and sports managers/coaches alike. It’s impossible to not feel pressure, but I suppose the doubling down is a defensive measure. Part of the life of a senior player or manager is to expect pressure, acknowledge it, discuss it even. Pressure goes with the territory and one way to alleviate it is to be honest about it.
I wonder if Southgate’s insistence that the criticism which he is receiving “means nothing to him” is indicative of exactly the opposite and translates into his tactical paralysis mid game.