Just watched a bit of SSN, they're laying on the sentimentality of this possibly being Gareth's last tournament as England manager. Including interview clips where the Sainted One tells the faithful he's ready for all the twists and turns because of his experience, and generally bathes in the glow of the universal adoration he believes is his due. The man truly believes he is the star of his own romantic movie. For me it would better suit the England gaffer at this point to tell the journos that this isn't about him. It's about England winning a tournament for the first time since before he was born. But sadly of course that isn't the case. It's about the Knighthood that he'll probably be getting anyway as long as England get as far as the quarter-Finals. The Netflix series about what a wonderful man he is and how he cares for all the poor disadvantaged folk in the World (except for the thousands of dead building site workers in paupers' graves in Qatar who won't be mentioned - but then hey, who else gives a f**k about them). And his future as Man Utd manager. And of course, the FA's search for their next PC glove puppet amid the waves of inconsolable grief and gratitude among fans at the end of an era. So get ready to take the knee for Gareth folks, to show how much we all love him.
There’s been a welcome lack of useless female TV pundits at the Euros so far …up until the gormless Karen Carney appeared on our screens yesterday. ITV Editor’s should, at the very minimum, instruct Carney to stop referring to “the men’s team” and the Euros as “the men’s Euros”. It’s a form of insidious brain washing. To 99.5% of football fans tuning in , in their millions, this is an absurd & offensive distinction, as the vast majority will like me have zero interest in girls trying to play football. Please shut up Karen
Had my first Bet Builder up on the Italy v Albania game last night @TC (Lovely Geezer) £156 smackers. Corners, bookings, shots on targets, and goals. I am going for England to win but BTTS tonight. You have to factor in the handicap of the Southgate factor. Please God, tell me the England players are not taking the knee pre kick off
If you want to build on your winnings, bet that they will. But they won't take the knee during the playing of the National Anthems. Unlike the man who started it all, on his own, years ago in the USA. He had courage. A word Gareth Southgate doesn't know the meaning of. They'll do it just seconds before kick-off, during the crowd 'count down' I assume. And if you blink you'll almost miss it.
That's a fair shout. I agree with the draw prediction, though perhaps 2-2. Five games into this tournament one thing we haven't had yet is an upset (based on rankings). If England fail to win it might be the first one.
The defence worries me. Nowhere near strong enough for a top team. We have plenty of flair players. So hope we outscore the opposition.
We may get out of the group, but the first really good team we come up against thereafter will expose those defensive weaknesses.
