Carry On England

In a recent blog http://letnothingyoudismay.blogspot.com/2010/06/anyone-care-to-risk-prophecy.html Fr Michael Gollop wrote “It always seems to help if you know absolutely nothing about the subject you are talking about.” To that I plead guilty. I know nothing whatsoever about the football game that uses a round ball.

Unlike rugby football where the shape of the ball ensures the bounce is unpredictable, in soccer a round ball makes for easy placement. Perhaps that is why it is called the beautiful game but not so beautiful for England in their World Cup game against Algeria who they just managed to hold to a 0 – 0 draw. One of the team members, a Mr Rooney, was heard to complain after the match, “Nice to hear your own fans booing you – that’s loyal supporters”. Could it be that his loyal supporters were disappointed that a player receiving a reported £90,000 a week (I can’t say earning), failed to justify his enormous pay packet after fans had spent thousands of pounds, probably saving for years, to watch their heroes do their bit for England, if only in the opening rounds? After all, he didn’t have to do it all himself for the money; there were ten other players to assist him.

Fanned into frenzy for weeks in the build up, England supporters expected their team to walk on water but to tread water was not what they had paid to see. Like failed bankers, these over-paid soccer players have become divorced from reality. They show their contempt for ordinary mortals by using the pitch as a spittoon, hardly the role models we might expect for the money, but carry on England, no doubt your ‘expectorant’ will continue to serve you in the manner you think you deserve.