No surprise tonight that Giggs and Bellemy did not sing the National Anthem. With Bale also pulling out of the squad,but playing and scoring for Spurs a couple of days ago,the Welsh are really pulling together for GB.
More generally, anyone looking to see if footballers are actually capable of conducting themselves in anything approaching the "spirit of the Olympics" will already have concluded they aren't. Same old bad habits, tantrums, rule-stretching, the lot. Men's pro football has no place in the Games IMO.
Ibrahimi Balde looked good for Senegal though. He's one that is supposed to be on Lambert's shopping list.
genuine question. does it really matter if people don't sing the anthem? i don't sing it. i don't even like it! i notice people were mocking the north koreans for walking out because of a flag of a waring nation being used by mistake, yet its ok to get annoyed with people who don't sing the anthem? what's the difference? regimented hailing of a flag or regimented singing of an anthem...
Yes, it does matter! For one thing, they are quick enough to spout off about being proud to represent their country at international level, or what an honour it is to be selected, blah, blah, blah. If there was genuine pride in country, they wouldn't have any qualms about singing the country's National Anthem. As regards the Welsh players in the GB team, do Welsh athletes like Dai Green have any problem with our (and their) National Anthem when they are on the podium? If David Beckham says he's proud to wear the England or GB shirt, I believe him. How many others? Too many of them are just self-serving hypocrites. I certainly didn't mock the North Koreans; they had every right to be upset at such a crass mistake. Maybe the reason why we seem prone to these blunders is precisely because we have so little pride in our own country and it's history and traditions. Our attitude seems more and more to be "We made a mistake? Oh, so what. Who cares". Little wonder we are headed downwards on virtually every scale of measurement you care to mention -- economic, educational, whatever. But never mind, we're still competitive when it comes to mindlessness and crass behaviour, indeed we are probably world leaders in that at least. Rant over!
Look at the rugby team when you want to see real passion. D'Allaligio at the 2003 world cup along with the rest of the England team showed how it should be done. No wonder they actually won something, unlike the footballerwho haven't won anything in over 60 years. The Welsh can sing by the way. It just has to be on their terms - Mae haen vlan an hadae (My hen laid an egg for the non Welsh speakers) along with Deliah etc. When the lions came to South Africa, the lions crowd (with a lot of Welsh supporters) even outsung the locals at Loftus Versveld.
i'm passionate about my country and if i represented my nation i'd be as proud as anyone, but i wouldn't sing the anthem. singing that dirge doesn't make you patriotic - giving every ounce of sweat and blood for your nation on the field does. that's why our footballers have been ****e for years, cos they don't give their all (and they're not very good) - not cos they don't sing the ****ing anthem!
Having been born in 40's i perhaps have a different take on the singing of National Anthem. IMO if you are proud enough to wear the colours of your team/country you should at least have the same pride and acknowledge the National Anthem. Whether on not "God Save The Queen" is the best choice for our Anthem,is not a consideration.The point is, it is our Anthem,so respect it. If the Anthem ever gets changed to "Rule Britannia","Land of Hope and Glory" or any other more "suitable" song,I would respect it and sing it with pride. The English,Welsh,Scots and Northern Irish are members of Great Britain and should be proud of it.
That really was a head in the hands moment with the North Korea flag mix up. As long as they have fixed it for the next North Korea match it should be fine. The difference between the Senegal and British players during the national anthems was interesting. Although I don't think the singing of the national anthem makes a difference to how the players perform. There is no national anthem in club football so why should it make a difference?
No, singing the National Anthem doesn't MAKE you patriotic, but an appreciation of and respect for the symbols of nationality is an important aspect OF patriotism. Can I ask you exactly WHY you wouldn't sing it? Would you feel a twat, or can't sing in tune, or what? If you were asked to sing it in a War Cemetary in Flanders as a mark of respect would you still not sing it?
i don't like it. it embarrasses me to be honest. its got nothing to do with being able to sing (which i can) or not feeling pride in being english/british, its all to do with not liking it. its a dirge, there is no tune, it has never ever inspired me - if anything it drives me up the wall! if i were italian or even french i bet i'd sing my anthem because its inspiring. ours is definitely not. and no, i wouldn't sing it anywhere - i've never sung it in my life. i would just stand peacefully and think about people who gave their lives for us.
Having served in the Army for a few years, and having played the National Anthem many times over the years, it really gets to me when people say our National Anthem is a dirge. Everytime I have played I have never felt prouder. Everytime I hear it, it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Everytime some bloody so called singer bastardises it at the end, especially at England matches, it gets me really annoyed. It is our Anthm. Respect it. As for singing it. There are times when it should be sung and times when it shouldn't imho. When the Queen is present at a concert, then the audience sing. How many times do you hear the audience sing at Trooping of the Colour when the bands play it then? Singing it, imho, is a personal choice. You can show respect by standing still and listening to the Anthem, just as much as you can by singing your heart out. It's when they look around scratching their arses when the Anthems are being played that gets to me.
i'm deadly serious when i tell you that NOBODY can make me sing that anthem. i'll listen to it, fine, but i won't sing it. and it doesn't make me any less english to say that
I wouldn't sing it because my singing is s*** and it would be unfair to make a nation hear me sing it
I'm much the same tipsy! I'm slightly religious but I don't sing the hymns when I'm in church, which tends to be once a year. But it doesn't make any less religious when I don't sing - mainly cos I can't. Also, I'm no less religious than some of the people who go to church every sunday. I guess the same could be said about the national anthem for me.
Superman is right, it is a dirge, BUT it is our dirge, and should be respected as such. The Welsh contingent were happy enough to be given the chance to play in the Olympics under the GBR flag, so should respect the anthem. It is the Great Britian anthem after all, it covers England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland! If they didn't want to be part of the GBR team, then why didn't they enter their own team? Giggs annoys the hell out me anyway, he's always cherry picked which games he played for his Country, therefore giving them the finger unless it suits him, now he's doing it in the Olympics. If he doesn't want to be part of the TEAM, then he should **** off. ILD OTBC
As a Welshman I don't even know the British/english national anthem nor do I have any intention of learning it. Why you all feel the need to keep banging on about how they should respect it really does baffle me. Not respecting the anthem would be refusing to stand in line with the team while it is being played! Standing there with the team and listening is every bit as respectful as the men singing it. Stop whining and grow up ffs.
100% agree i actually find it pathetic that people whinge about it as if it matters somehow. it doesn't. english fans used to boo opponents national anthems... now THAT is disrespectful
The National Anthem is not English,it's British. If you want to be a part of the club,abide by the rules As for "whining and growing up ffs" ,pot and kettle comes to mind. For a country where the vast majority cannot even speak its native language your arguement is pretty weak.
