England did well, but were beaten by a better team in the second half, next time.....!!.

I agree now check out the Croation president in a bikini and forgive them.

See what you mean JG - certainly in a different league to our Theresa May! :shock:

They revived the "Football's Coming Home " Three Lions thing by The Lightning Seeds and two comic blokes for this World Cup.


I think they would have done better with this song, and some of these goals. :jump:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCm3bS6wXvk

Thank gawd it's all over! well it is now!


Why on earth would you get a welcome home for coming fourth and all this tosh about heroics and being heroes, yer avin a laff ain't yer! away from home for a month, best food, good hotels, certainly well paid, have WAGS in attendance, sometimes parents, best physio and docs in attendance, and even given rubber ducks to play with.


The word 'hero' has been defaced too much by all and sundry. Real heroes are people like my deceased friend Lou who was still only nineteen and a half after spending three and a half years in a Japanese P O W Camp having lied about his age to join the MN at the outbreak of war, spent months on a German ship after being captured and transferred to a Japanese ship, but still had a sense of humour and didn't hate anyone, even though he had to wait for over three months after the war finished before being shipped home DBS, because they couldn't find any paperwork, he was only 16 when captured, doubt he had a lot of paperwork.

We live in the modern times where hero no longer means that exceptional brave man , and like " star " and "celebrity " is a shadow of the original , I am not a football fan on a good day , and think the England team did OK but heroes no !

I never used the word hero, and I would not complain at all if the English ignored their national football team, wins or losses. But the English, unlike any other nation I can think of, seem to feel that they are entitled to a historical greatness, which, when it fails to manifest itself, indicates someones betrayal somewhere. True enough - we others blame the referees, illness in the team, rotten luck and whatever we can thing of in that line for our losses. But the English blame their own players. Or have until now done so; an article I read a couple of days ago, illustrated by some ugly defamations on the front page of English tabloids, claims that a change in attitude can be noticed in the treatment this World Cup team has received. And to my mind, they did well, fought bravely, played a fair game entertainingly, had a star that actually shone, and could with a bit more luck have gone even further than they did.

the media , press and TV , including BBC , love to build someone up , then revel in knocking them down

S J B, never mentioned that you mentioned 'Heroes' I was referring to all forms of Media that bombarded us daily with the word heroes, they wouldn't even be heroes if they won. They are expected to win, they are well paid sportsmen and that's all, and when you represent your country you expect to give the best for the privilege of representing said country, whichever country it is, just my simplistic view

I doubt that what is important can be decided upon. It may be something that can be influenced by ones declarations of a high level of importance for this and that activity, but mostly it can only be found. There is actually no basic premise for arguing the importance of anything; you have to start with the agreed upon importance of something else. Something that will gain by that what you want to prove is of importance. Therefore, you may claim that the British sailor was of great importance, but this only successfully within a group of people who agrees upon world trade, or something equally needful of sailors, being important.

Now, let us admit it, football is the most important thing in the world for quite a lot of people. They say that a World Cup win for a nation will assure the incumbent political leader a re-election, and no sane democratic leader will publicly admit a lack of interest in the game. Thus, the man who has no comment on the latest development in football is a quiet and lonely man in most late evening social gatherings as well. And this whatever rock-splitting philosophical discoveries he may present to himself on the top of the Matterhorn, or locked in the loo. Therefore, within that wide-gaping agreement on the preeminent importance of football, many more morally deserving “heroes” just naturally fades away.

When we move around so half seriously, what about the “footballer tattoos”? What sociological readings can we find in that? It looks as if a complete fill-up is the trend, a change of skin colour rather than depictions and verbal declarations :)

France won but in my humble opinion they were not the best team. Croatia played a great game with all their hearts but did not get the breaks. This lacksidasical way the ball is passed back to the goalkeeper drives me to distraction and it backfired on France.
Russia did a magnificant job hosting and shudder to think how we in North America will compare when we host it in eight years time.
I will be 90 then if still arround!!!!

We love losers!

Apparently TFL have temporarily renamed Londons Southgate tube Station 'Gareth Southgate' in honour of the waistcoat wearing bloke!

Well I can assure you SJ that I have never been lonely because I don't like football, dancing got me more companionship than football and certainly more side benefits!! and this octagenarian is still dancing and rock n rolling.


Yes I do support the English team in their endeavours and cheer them on, but 'heroes' naw!

You're right, it is where the males cannot dance that they congregate in male dominated groups and discuss the possible need for a new trainer for the local team. But all in all, to be completely ignorant of what is being meant when your neighbor leans over the fence and asks you - "was that hands?", "did he take a dive over his own crossed feet?" or, "what would you give me for murdering that ref?" is certainly not the way to win friends and influence people.

When we move around so half seriously, what about the “footballer tattoos”? What sociological readings can we find in that? It looks as if a complete fill-up is the trend, a change of skin colour rather than depictions and verbal declarations :)
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It's not only the tattoos, it's the hairstyles. (Styles? No, impossible...) You would think with all the money they earn they could afford a decent hairdresser, surely?

I don't need to know the ins and outs of the 'beautiful game' England team has my support and as my friends tell me its the one with the round ball! I dinna expect my neighbour to know about beam knees, double bottoms, tabernacles, bulkheads and tweendecks when I discuss my past with him, its sufficient I know that he knows ships float (well most of the time anyway) and of course he may know about double bottoms because there are plenty walking around Torquay, and I daint aff te naw abuut futbaall to win friends and influence people, I already have friends who despair at my lack of knowledge, and as you know ignorance is bliss!!:(

Fortunately my neighbours are oval ball 15 a side men

When France got their first goal by a free kick (autogoal). You can see very clearly the french player start falling before the croatian player is even there with his foot. Why not a VAR now! Now!

Womens under twenty World cup has been and gone not that NZ news covered any of it. Well worth a look is a Brazilian girl called Marta. Sh's fast, two footed and intelligent. They didn't make the final but she is a great player.