I pity the youth of today

it really is a shame that our national side is full of people that most of us can't stand. Going back to when I was young and impressionable (euro 96 time) we had shearer, sheringham, pearce, gazza (not the best role model but loved by all of us and BOY could the man play football!!) adams, platt, seaman could go on for hours with this. Players who gave thier all for the country they loved. That tournament had a massive effect on me and definately gave me a huge sense of patriotism and national pride that this bunch of diving, cash counting badge screwing bastards have slowly tried to hammer out of me ever since svanky sven took over.


I pity young lads having to try to find a role model out of this bunch of scumbags. Only beckham really can be looked at in a kind way as he did give his all for his country. And I honestly can't bring myself to get even the remotest bit up for an england game anymore, everytime the camera pans down the england team and you have to watch shrek standing there, mouth closed like a schoolboy sent to the naughty corner I just want someone to run on from the stands and kick him in the bollocks: it's YOUR NATIONAL ANTHEM have some bloody pride man!!!!!

 

Rep'd! Dont even bother watching England most of the time anymore.

 

Rep
totally agree

 

Given the choice on Saturday I know I'll watch the cricket over the footballers, because the cricketers care.

 

I tottaly agree with you.

But I was born in guildford, my family is from newcastle. I lived there for 16 years in surrey and every day in school from day 1 until i came back to the holy land i have defended newcastle, In light of this i feel so obliged and honoured to follow my club before country rule yet i cannot stop to think that my country is my club. No matter what you dont turn your back on family.

We dont have to highlight the female foo foo's But because of the media we never highlight the good ones, Or if we do its to much it changes them. btw 20-30 years ago was every single top english players life portraid in the media. Nobody is perfect

Michael richardson for england, been ranting on about him for weeks. He is an inspiration to any young player, i said this before beardsly

rep 4 you

 

Agree entirely with what you say, the honour and pride of playing for your country means nothing to these mercenaries and the games all about money now.

 

Rep'd by the way!

 

Agreed, i will still watch England but that's only because it gives me some football to watch, even though i know it will be a **** game, then again watching England over the past 10 years or so has been ****!

 

well said, the press has a lot to answer for building these ego's. For most of us, putting on a toon shirt would be the greatest day of our lives (unless my missus is lurking around in which case it's our wedding day obviously) but I think if we went back 10-15 years it would be wearing the three lions in front of a packed wembley: that would be every young footballers dream. Meaningless friendlies, tabloid scandal, poor performances all play a part in making this no longer the case, but the biggest reason has to be the attitude of the players: when psycho put that penalty away aganst the spaniards in 96 you knew how much that meant to him, can't see peter crouch or cashley 'wild west' cole ever getting me that fired up. If I was given the choice: toon no9 or england no9, HTL cause i'd be at st james's

 

"svanky sven", "cashley wild west cole", Excellent!

 

Yes it was my dream for a long time, Majority of my life. But i still think some players have national pride, Perhaps james milner i have never doubted the bloke. But the problem with my generation is that when we have it good we think the world owes us for what we acheive thanks to it.

To play for england aswell, I would fight as hard as i could, But it would be different.

Tiotes face was nice, notice how andy carrol jumped to the fans and put his hands behind his back. Simple body launguage difference in these 2 sums everything wrong in youth today,

 

I know at school all everyone dreamt of was playing for England, yet everyone's attitude is different about the England team now 10 years after I left school. Euro 96 was great to watch.

 

Couldnt have put it better myself, when it comes to NUFC theres literally not much in the world that will get in the way of me keeping up with them and watching the games, but with England (these days) I couldnt care if I seen any of their games, the combination of the dickhead bunch of players and the clueless Capello has ruined it, but I think thats the way football in general is headed these days.

 

Agree with everything mate, I have not really enjoyed watching England in my lifetime so far to be honest.
Only one thing though, we need a new national anthem if any footballers are ever guna attempt to sing it. The Rugby lads on the other hand....

 

You admired Seamen !!!!!

 

Ok rundown football role models
SBR just a great guy and showed great decorum unlike Joe Kinnear
Alan Shearer pro on the pitch and off it
Ian Wright worked his way to the top the hard way

 

Rep. Couldn't agree more with this. I used to really enjoy watching England but Capello and the self serving mercenaries (who don't give a **** about England unless it suits them, yet continue to be selected no matter how many times they fail) have really put me off. I can't even look forward to the Euros because if we do get there, it will just be more of the same then too.

 

Excellent article.

In a way I was pleased when Germany beat us in the World Cup (although saddened that I should feel that way). Their team is the very antithesis of ours, young, vibrant, adventurous and patriotic. I haven't had any real pride in the National team since the 2002 World Cup, and like you, Euro 96 had a massive influence on me as a kid, in particular Gazza's goal against the Scots, which is one of my earliest and fondest memories of football.

 

1996 was one of the best Summers I've ever had. Went to Scotland and Holland games. And you're right about the players then compared to now, one memory that will always stay with me was Stuart Pearce's reaction to scoring his penalty in the shoot out against Spain, it was clear the man cared about England (quite similar to Beckham against Greece), just his reaction and the look on his face, roaring at the crowd.