You can take the Englishman out of England but you can't take England out of the Englishman. Today the Three Lions play Columbia in the World Cup and I hope they play like lions rather than the erratic lambs of recent years. Not quite up to the golden generation of 20 years or so ago (Beckham, Scholes, etc.) but they have a good crop of young and up and coming players. The biggest lack that could halt them is a good midfield general (Oh for a Modric type player). Who said this site does not cover the important stuff. What is more important than the "beautiful game"?

My Brit brother in law is glued to his TV down in Florida. He's a die hard Everton supporter and former semi-pro player when he was a young man....as for me I like the highlights but can't sit and watch a whole game...just not my cup o' tea.

Like any sport understanding the strategies, different roles of players, and being familiar with those players goes a long way to appreciation of the game. Perhaps when Canada becomes a co-host of the 2024 WC you will get into them playing. By then 16 more countries will be added. Not sure I am for that since that is why they have a series of qualifiers between cups to weed out the poorer performing teams.

Oh, and sorry about him being an Everton supporter. I prefer Liverpool whose stadium is just down the road. The intensity of the English Premier League is hard to measure. London alone has seven teams in the top flight and several lower division pro teams.

When I grow up, I want to be a soccer hooligan!!!!

Well, I think we should enjoy three beers, one for each of the lions, to support Kentish and the Brits. But, as we don’t want to leave any Colombian EXMOs out, we’ll drink black Colombian coffee afterwards.

Cheers.

Tottenham is probably my favorite London premier team. Not a Chelsea nor Arsenal fan. My very first professional game as Arsenal versus Charlton at the Valley, Charlton's home ground. Arsenal were the glamor team of the time and there was more than 70,000 at the game (around 1950/1). Arsenal won and I could never cheer for them after that. The one exception is when they pay in Europe Sadly with big money now probably the most important factor in the game Charlton have fallen on tough times languishing in the First Division, two tables down from the Premier. Who knows, perhaps some oil rich Arab will come along. buy them, pump millions in and they can become like Manchester City who went from mediocrity to Premier League Champions virtually over night.

When I got to Mexico in 1965 I had little to no understanding, much less appreciation, of "the beautiful game."

Like many elders sent to soccer-mad countries, my introduction to the game was while out tracting. We'd turn a corner and find a slew of kids playing in the street. Sometimes the goals were kind of fancy, but most of the time four garbage bins did the job.

These were genuine street urchins, happy-go-lucky kids itching for fun. And apparently, messing with the elders was considered fun. We'd get involved in a game and they'd laugh and hoot at out poor skills. I played a LOT of soccer the last half of my mission; I had tons of enthusiasm but only grams of talent.

(let us NOT get started on youth soccer here in America, and the horrible things that happen when the parents get involved.)

I am rooting for England, Kentish. My father's ancestors hail from England. Colombia will be a tough game, however.

I watch the Premier League rather casually. I root for Tottenham (Harry Kane!) but there are other teams that I like as well.

Hi kentish:

I hope we're in for a fun time. True enough, playing Columbia is a scary prospect. Of course I'm cheering for England Lions.

I like your description of game strategy. When the players speed downfield dancing with the ball it is truly The Beautiful Game.

The Japan v Belgium match yesterday was blood-stirring. It was lovely to see the excitement from Japan's players, coach and crowd as they went up 2-0. Funny how you take for granted that it's all over at that point. Too awesome a feat for the down team to fight back to victory. When the Belgium coach put in two substitutes the play-by-play announcer mentioned adding "fresh legs". It was prophetic. Both the subs scored. So exciting. And Belgium went on to win with a third incredible goal. I've never seen that before, where one team has a penalty/free kick close to the opposing goal, the whole team (Japan) stands around the (Belgium) goalmouth, fail to score, and the other team (Belgium) grabs the rebound ball, runs downfield and scores the winning goal. I was so happy I too was glued to it so I didn't miss it live. Wow. Exciting as well as beautiful.

Happy watching!

My son and daughter both played soccer from the age of 4 until they finished high school, playing on both league and on travel teams. I knew nothing about the game before that, but I learned a lot over the years, and it's become one of the few sports I'll sit down to watch. I'm really hoping Edmonton will be hosting some games in 2024. I'd love to attend!

Plan on it now, looking in. It will be a thrill. Just before I left England I saw two WC games in 1966. The thrill of being in a 100,000 people crowd to see England beat a great Portugal team to advance to the final was the most exciting sporting even I have ever watched. The whole country came to a standstill when they beat Germany in the final to win the WC.

All together now to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance (graduation March to the uninitiated) "Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free, How shall we extol thee who are born of thee...Wider still and wider shall they bounds be set. God who made thee might make thee mightier yet."

Sweet victory made better by winning on a penalty shootout which has damned England so much in other years and competitions.

Wow. What a finish. Stuff of fairy tales.

I always wish, though, that they would just score in the game. Build up a lead. So I can relax.

Lots of England spectators supping mightily from huge mugs of beer. Part of the thrilling atmosphere.

"How's your heart?" asked the announcer towards the end.

Kicking. Squirming. Spurting. Pounding. A good workout!

I love the tune of Land of Hope and Glory, kentish. Thanks for putting it into my head. I will hear it now as I scramble to make up lost time at work.

I trust you enjoyed the match. Just a little. :)

Just a little, Nightingale, but I haven't come down yet. I must confess I could not watch the shootout and had to go by the reaction from my wife in another room. Won't go into the would haves or the might haves but England should have played against ten men for a lot of the game. The Columbian player who came up and butted Henderson under the chin should have seen red. What is the point of VAR if the refereee doesn't use it? But what matters is the end result. A huge monkey off England's back today.

It was a nailbiter for sure kentish. I was just peeking through my fingers after England missed their penalty shot. When their next kick went in that's when I killed my throat with an expected war whoop that spontaneously erupted.

Yes, re red card. That was unbelievable. I also didn't like all the tripping and shoving.

I'm glad for the player who said he knew he had to get his penalty kick in to make up for something he missed during the match (I forget what). You can see how it means so much to each player how they perform. I would not have the nerves (nor the skill) to take the penalty kicks.

These games are agony and ecstasy for fans and players alike. A potent mix.

Now on to the quarters!

Nightingale, that was Eric Dier who came on as a sub. HGe had a very bad backwards pass that left the goalkeeper exposed. Fortunately the Columbian player kicked it high over the crossbar.

As an aside if you got to You Tube for the 2012 Last Night of the Proms you can hear a full voice Land of Hope and Glory, a song many in England would like as the purely English anthem, together with another contender Jerusalem, and ending in what I think is the very best orchestral and choral version of God Save the Queen. I don't want you to think I am going overboard (one swallow does not make a summer and all that) but they have been played since the game ended.

Oh yes, I remember now, kentish. Thanks. Yes, that would have been disaster.

I will check out the music you mention. (Not overboard at all!) I love QEII but have often thought they could have a more inspiring, longer national anthem with added depth.

I will listen to the music when I get another break from work and will return and report. :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2018 06:28PM by Nightingale.

Here's the 2009 last night of Proms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvgl_2JRIUs

The melody line Americans recognize starts at the two minute mark.



And then here's Rule Britannia from Proms 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB5Nbp_gmgQ

The last night is traditionally a party night always ending in flag waving patriotic songs. This is a traditional number together with the above mentioned Elgar piece and Jerusalem which I remember singing much from my school days. Jerusalem, I Vow to Thee My Country, Elgar's Nimrod, and Land of Hope and Glory would all be contenders if England chose to have a specific anthem, like Scotland and Wales, but used God Save the Queen for UK events. I don't see it happening.

I enjoyed the music. Thanks all for the suggestions.

Re the anthems, kentish. I absolutely love hearing Scotland supporters singing 'Flower of Scotland'. I still remember the grin on Princess Anne's face at the King Edward refrain when she was at a match. She even sang along for which she was cheered by the crowd.

As for the World Cup. Yow. That was brutal today. Is it my imagination or does England often sit on just a one-goal lead and then lose it? It's not good for my nerves. I like to be three goals ahead at all times. Then I can relax and enjoy. I don't like suspense. Especially if we lose in the end.

I know they put their hearts into it and bodies. So many got whacked and tripped and thumped today. The universe isn't fair when the good guys don't win. {{jk}}

ETA: I also enjoy Ireland fans singing 'Fields of Athenry'. Especially when they are vastly outnumbered and yet their voices are mighty enough that even opposing fans cheer their efforts (in the choir, not on the field, ha). I love that tune on or off the field.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2018 09:05PM by Nightingale.

I think England were the better team in the first half but were set back on their heels in the second. They resorted too much to the long ball which gave much more possession to Croatia which was exactly what they didn't need given the control of the mid field by Modric. A gross error on the part of the two England defenders who did not put a body on the Croatian forward who slipped between them for the winning goal. As I mentioned, England's young players won two youth world cups last year and repeated as Toulon champions so perhaps the future is bright. Time will tell.

Interesting, kentish. Thanks for the perspective. I'm still feeling down about the loss. But I will still watch the final. It's more relaxing when you don't have a horse in the race anyway, at least for me. Maybe I will cheer for France in honour of Tom in Paris. Or maybe for Croatia, if I can summon the good will by then. :)

Gareth Southgate vindicated! Good to see, great result!

Briggy

Too much to ask?

Apparently so.

Now we have to say maybe next time. Again.

Hope you're doing well, brigantia. Always lovely to see you about.

Congratulations, England supporters. That was a wonderful game!

I'm crushed. Had my party plans ready for Sunday. Now we're not in it. :(

Yeah. I love that team. :(

Allez les bleus! :)

Indeed, Allez les Bleus !

Incidentally, Kentish (OP), I am proof that "You can take the Englishman out of England and you CAN take England out of the Englishman."

Ever since I moved to France in 1983, I have consistently supported France in all sports...

Tom in Paris

Tom, I was looking forward to a France v England final. It has an historic ring to it. Alas, it was not to be.

Despite my mixed French-English ancestry, and the fact that my French side moved to England before going nuts, becoming mormons, and heading to Zion... I would have been rooting for France anyway :)

Wish I was there with you. Sunday is going to be nuts in Paris, especially if they win!

No longer a real Englishman then?

I am not too disappointed in the result. It was a good run for England and who before the tournament would not have been happy with a prediction of the semis? The England players play in arguably the toughest league in the world but somewhere in the translation to international play they become something else...except this time there was something different, perhaps something to build on. Two youth World Cups were won by England last year so hopefully there are young players on the way. I am optimistic. Go Croatia!

To quote the British announcer, there was "an own goal, a great goal, a comic goal and a ________ goal" (sorry, I forget the last adjective, rats. It was a good line. Maybe he said desperate?). Poor Croatian players - they're crushed. But wow, they were so good.

It's more relaxing when you don't have a team in the hunt and can just enjoy it no matter who wins.

Thinking of Tom in Paris, and all the deliriously excited and happy France fans here in Canada. Enjoy the party!

(This is not really OT, as it's a great example of an alternative way to spend Sundays instead of herding ourselves off to yet another same-old, same-old SM. I prefer this. In every single possible way).

Funny how life moments can make you think of someone on RfM you've seen around but have never met and likely will not. But it's fun to talk to each other.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2018 01:21PM by Nightingale.

I hope France wins, obviously, but I was expecting an England-France final too, with (yikes) the British press rolling out its inevitable "Waterloo" and "Agincourt" stories. I was sad for the English, but not sad to miss those martial headlines (and no, they don't do the same in France against England...).

But the Croats are very cunning and determined, so it could go either way in the final...

Haven't read any stories in the British press about either historical event. Why would they since England versus France is not on the cards. Personally, given France is the odds on favorite, I can hope for an Agincourt moment for Croatia. IMV Modric is the MVP of the tournament. Consistent and steady play without theatrics.

It was a good final game. I was rooting for France, but watching Croatia with great interest. The announcer said that Mbappe (France) was only the second teenager to score a goal in the World Cup, the first being the great Pele.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/fifa-world-cup/france-wins-2nd-world-cup-title-beats-croatia-4-2/ar-AAA6Tmu?ocid=spartanntp