Friday, 22 November 2013

(International) football is rubbish.

The debate between club and country is never far away around the time of the (usually quite pointless) friendlies.

This was highlighted again when Daniel Sturridge played the full 90 minutes against Germany this week. This despite him struggling with injury, to the extent that he wasn't even available for the other game against Chile.

Given that the papers were full of Roy Hodgson stating he'll pick Sturridge if he likes... well it comes across as a power struggle with the only risk being to Sturridge and his club. Now, as Sturridge's club also happens to be my club, well this causes me concern. And given Hodgson's recent incompetent history concerning Liverpool, well I am concerned... but I already said that.

But this whole thing raises a more general question, for me personally at least. I seem to be losing interest in the national side. I am not sure why this is exactly.There are a number of things that this could be caused by.

I have been away with England a couple of times.. to the Euro's in Portugal and a couple of years later to the World Cup in Germany.

That was maybe the start of my general apathy.. I went to Frankfurt where they played Paraguay in a group game and touts were wanting hundreds of Euros for a ticket. Considering the stakes involved it seemed excessive. I didn't much mind that.. it was more of a general birthday piss-up anyway, but it would have been good to go to an actual World Cup game, but never mind about that.

I did go to the England v Croatia game in Portugal, and this does weaken my argument slightly as I had a far better time of it watching England play there than when I went to same ground to see Liverpool in 2006, although that had more to do with the respective results. Although I did end up having to pay ticket touts on both occasions.. firstly, well with England games it's pretty much the only way you will be able to get them.  for the Benfica v Liverpool, well that was more my fault. 

Did have a ticket for that one but the Police took it off me after they breathalysed me on the way in. Quite why they felt the need to do that wasn't clear as I'd spent the day drinking in Lisbon and the effects were pretty obvious. Also, why they felt it was a good idea to send all the people too pissed to go into the away end off to find their own way into the home end something I never really figured out, but since when have coppers been that switched on.  

But my point was this, you can't really go away with England unless you go everywhere and that seems ridiculous. But more than that, more recently at least.. the point is I just don't really give a shit anymore.

I missed one of the qualifiers against Moldova.. mainly because it was painfully predictable. Think I watched Scotland v Belgium that night actually.
He seems quite pleased with himself.

I also missed Sturridge's goal against Montenegro because I'd got bored of the game by that point. I can safely say I've never switched off a Liverpool game early because I was bored we were winning so easily. It was the same in the game this week against Germany. Ended up watching France v Ukraine as there was actually something on that game.

International friendlies really are the most pointless thing in football that isn't Andy Townsend. One of the dullest games I ever went to was a friendly.. a nil-nil draw with Holland at Villa Park. I haven't been to another one since.

Quite why they feel the need to have a pile of friendlies every time there is the opportunity is beyond me. Spain played Equatorial Guinea (119th in FIFA rankings) the other day.the reasons for which are detailed here (link). I'm sure they learned a great deal.

That is one game that Fernando Torres would have undoubtedly got injured in had he still been playing for us.. it was ridiculous. He got injured every single time he went away with Spain.. fact. Not an actual fact obviously, but it seemed like it to me and that's good enough.

The main reason for my general sense of apathy is the general predictability of it all. Watching England is generally quite dull. If you don't particularly care about the result in a game of football and it isn't a particularly good game then it's really fucking dull. 

It doesn't particularly matter how good a Liverpool game is because it will hold my interest regardless.. it has held my interest since the age of 7, that's nearly 20 years ago (ahem). 

I am now going to show you now how predictable watching England is..

The World Cup is coming up next year. See I told you, how predictable. Actually there is more, but it's about as predictable as that.

England will scape though the group stage.. probably with two draws and a win against whoever the shit ones are in the group. If they get one of the big teams in the group then they will maybe go through with four points.

Come the first knock-out round will progress and everyone will get a bit excited if we manage to draw someone a bit shit. If they get anyone who know's what they are doing then they will lose.

If they do get through the first knock-out game they most likely will get someone who knows what they are doing and England will lose.
I suppose technically Belgium count as a decent side now.

The moment England get a half-decent team then we fail. If you don't believe me look at the record in World Cup knockout games since 1966. England have won 5 of these games. Against Paraguay (1986), Belgium (1990), Cameroon (1990), Denmark (2002) and Ecuador (2006). That's it. In 48 years. 

During the same period Germany have been to as many finals, winning it twice.

It's getting to the stage now where I hold the England football team in the same regard as I hold the England cricket and rugby teams. Take a bit of an interest when they are winning, less so when they aren't. The only difference being that England football games never clash with Liverpool games

Now don't get me wrong, I'll be watching the World Cup.. you kind of have to. It's the World Cup, and it's in Brazil. And if there is one thing that Brazil does well it's football. Well football, police brutality and corruption, but for the purposes of this we'll stick to the football.

It will actually be a relief to watch one with the incessant whine of vuvuzelas in the background, although the ever present whine of Andy Townsend will still have to be suffered presumably.

When it boils down to it what do I want to happen more... Steven Gerrard picking up THE trophy for Liverpool in May or one for England in July?

I'll get back to you on that one.