England

Blimey..! Then perhaps Jose needs to stay with his love illusion.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/england-3-1-portugal-under-21s-record-4625799

England u21s beat Portugal 3-1 last night. England are serious contenders for next summer's tournament as Portugal are our rivals and haven't been beaten for 15 games...a hopeful sign for the future.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/535118/Eric-Dier-Spurs-Tottenham-England-Under-21

Eric Dier explains that he wants to play for England, but turned down U21s because he wanted to work more on his game at Spurs. In the past this would have been the death knell on an international career, but in the modern world it ain't necessarily so. I suppose it depends on how good you are...a top player will get a second chance, but a quite good player may have missed the boat. Not sure I would have turned it down with a major tournament next year, but he may feel he has a valid reason. I hope he wasn't put under pressure by his manager to turn the offer down.

 

In a friendly? England are good at friendlies.

 

We've done well in the qualifiers as well and are rated as the number one side for the tournament, so we just have to overcome our usual failure to do well in finals.

 

We have enough players that sleep during games without Eric Dier taking 5 minutes to wake up each half.

 

The problem is hardly any of them players will each actually make the Senior squad...

 

Another problem is dragging the good youngsters straight into the senior squad...they should be passed back for a major tournament (especially one we have a serious chance of winning).

 

Not England but Japan win 6-0 and Yoshida scores

 

Leighton Baines out of England squad due to injury. No plans to call anyone up unfortunately

 

I can't think of any good English left backs that play for a top PL side anyway...

 

It would be cruel to leave Corkie alone...he and Bertrand are a match pair.

 

Scotland -Ireland has been a good game. One player I`ve no time for is James McClean - he wouldn`t wear a poppy on his Sunderland shirt a couple of seasons ago. Shame on Sunderland for letting him play.

 

He didn't wear a poppy for Wigan this year either and he wrote a very detailed open letter why. He has very valid reasons and I suggest you be slightly less judgemental.

 

Sorry, but I won`t be. It`s disrespectful irrespective of one`s political or nationalistic standpoint. What does the wearing of the poppy represent ?

 

This article from the Irish Times explains McClean's viewpoint.:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/poli...e-poppy-and-the-perversion-of-sport-1.1998282

I don't necessarily agree with it but I can respect his view.

 

"There are scores of other players who might resent their jerseys being used to promote British patriotism and sentimentalise war."

I wear a poppy every year, I buy a wreath of poppies to put on the monument in the village where my family lived and are remembered on the war memorial.

I shall be going to France in a couple of weeks to place poppy crosses on the graves of my ancestors not out of a sense of national pride or gloating over a victory but out of a detestation of war and the sacrifice that families of all nationalities have made because of it.

My grandfather's family was decimated by both world wars so I do not glorify war I detest it but I will honour the memory of my ancestors and the sacrifices they made and I will remember the men and women of all nations who have given their lives in such wasteful conflicts.

While I am in France I shall be visiting the memorial described here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-eu-29991019

and I shall pay my respects to all of the fallen irrespective of their nationality.

I get very cross with people who suggest that the poppy is about nationalism and about victory for this twisted thinking is more about their own personal politics and prejudices rather than about the true meaning of the poppy.

For me it most definitely is not and it must never be allowed to be about politics and victory.

For me it will always be an emblem of the irresponsible sacrifice of human life in the misery that is war.

I shall also go and stand by the Peace Fountain in Andrews Park when I return and hope that this century does not waste human life in the same callous way that the last did.

I don't care if someone refuses to wear a poppy. That is their personal choice but they should not try and decide incorrectly for me why I wear it.

It is not for political reasons that I wear a poppy. However it is for far more discredited personal and political reasons that some people don't.

 

So McClean choses to ply his trade in Great Britain. If he feels so strongly, why not in Ireland, or somewhere else ? Because he won`t get paid any better antwhere else. Shallow, Hypocrite, Arsehole.

 

Can't take any article seriously that has this in the first paragraph

'He is Turkish by background and German by birth, and might have felt awkward with an emblem on his chest commemorating the defeat of Germany and destruction of the Ottoman empire.'

Way to completely miss the point

 

That's the problem, St.G. The poppy is almost too universal as an emblem. Each person has their own understanding of its symbolism. But let me say that you have splendidly and very persuasively defended your view. My Hat's off to you, Godders.