Joe Hart - We're Close To Spain...

...How? Is it that you are now positioned somewhere in the South Of France, perhaps in the Pyrenees, on a skiing break?

Maybe he was thinking of similarities between JT and Luis Aragones.

The only reason i'll be watching on Saturday is to witness a footballing lesson, a massacre of the incompetent by the invincible. Joe will indeed be 'close to Spain', they'll be all over him. The only distance he'll see them at is when they go back behind the half way line for England to kick off again.

I love my country but I fekkin' hate the Ingerlund football team and everyone associated with it.

I only just found out there was a game on. I thought what was happening was a reinactment of Dads Army. The repelling of those nasty johnny foreigners at FIFA by the proud and patriotic flag waiving multi-millionaire shaggers, drinkers and perenially failed international premiership 'heroes' to the tune of 'who do you think you are kidding Mr. Blatter'.

Funny how this year of all years the players and the FA have jumped on a poppy crusade. Poppies have been about for around 100 years now and England have had this international window many many times before. So why therefore have they focused so passionately and determinedly on actually wearing one THIS year?.

Could it be a good way to bury bad news, to sideline the ongoing investigation into accusations that the bar brawling bed hopping Ingerlund captain is also a racist?. Could it be that by suggesting they're all jolly proud patriots and turning attention on the universally unpopular target of those nasty evil chaps at FIFA instead that in some a mask could be pulled over the fact that the individual didn't have the integrity and gentlemanly good grace to step aside until his name was cleared or that the manager or the Association didn't have the balls not to pick him.

Pure coincidence, i'm sure .

Come on Spain

X Isle wrote:

The only reason i'll be watching on Saturday is to witness a footballing lesson, a massacre of the incompetent by the invincible. Joe will indeed be 'close to Spain', they'll be all over him. The only distance he'll see them at is when they go back behind the half way line for England to kick off again.

I love my country but I fekkin' hate the Ingerlund football team and everyone associated with it.

I only just found out there was a game on. I thought what was happening was a reinactment of Dads Army. The repelling of those nasty johnny foreigners at FIFA by the proud and patriotic flag waiving multi-millionaire shaggers, drinkers and perenially failed international premiership 'heroes' to the tune of 'who do you think you are kidding Mr. Blatter'.

Funny how this year of all years the players and the FA have jumped on a poppy crusade. Poppies have been about for around 100 years now and England have had this international window many many times before. So why therefore have they focused so passionately and determinedly on actually wearing one THIS year?.

Could it be a good way to bury bad news, to sideline the ongoing investigation into accusations that the bar brawling bed hopping Ingerlund captain is also a racist?. Could it be that by suggesting they're all jolly proud patriots and turning attention on the universally unpopular target of those nasty evil chaps at FIFA instead that in some a mask could be pulled over the fact that the individual didn't have the integrity and gentlemanly good grace to step aside until his name was cleared or that the manager or the Association didn't have the balls not to pick him.

Pure coincidence, i'm sure .

Come on Spain

I was musing on this very point the other day [poppies on shirts and the reasons for,that is].I do seem to remember that clubs have had poppies on their shirts previously and auctioned them off for charity.I don't know if this is the case with England,could make a bob or two for charities if so.It was a bleddy stupid decision to ban them though,IMHO.What the hell is political about a poppy on the shirt? FIFA thought it would upset the Jerries apparently,which to their credit they have denied.I'm sure that most Germans have the maturity to realise that their country was once ruled by men of unspeakable evil and that the poppy is recognition of the sacrifice that millions made to overturn that regime [and others before it,too].If they didn't recognise this,then they should have been tied up with piano wire and shot.

X Isle wrote:

The only reason i'll be watching on Saturday is to witness a footballing lesson, a massacre of the incompetent by the invincible. Joe will indeed be 'close to Spain', they'll be all over him. The only distance he'll see them at is when they go back behind the half way line for England to kick off again.

I love my country but I fekkin' hate the Ingerlund football team and everyone associated with it.

I only just found out there was a game on. I thought what was happening was a reinactment of Dads Army. The repelling of those nasty johnny foreigners at FIFA by the proud and patriotic flag waiving multi-millionaire shaggers, drinkers and perenially failed international premiership 'heroes' to the tune of 'who do you think you are kidding Mr. Blatter'.

Funny how this year of all years the players and the FA have jumped on a poppy crusade. Poppies have been about for around 100 years now and England have had this international window many many times before. So why therefore have they focused so passionately and determinedly on actually wearing one THIS year?.
Could it be a good way to bury bad news, to sideline the ongoing investigation into accusations that the bar brawling bed hopping Ingerlund captain is also a racist?. Could it be that by suggesting they're all jolly proud patriots and turning attention on the universally unpopular target of those nasty evil chaps at FIFA instead that in some a mask could be pulled over the fact that the individual didn't have the integrity and gentlemanly good grace to step aside until his name was cleared or that the manager or the Association didn't have the balls not to pick him.

Pure coincidence, i'm sure .

Come on Spain

Something to do perhaps with the numbers of British troops currently coming home in body bags from Afghanistan?

The publicity given to the Royal British Legions Poppy Appeal has grown year on year in recent times. We're in a different world now in terms of media, marketing and the like. So if the FA have decided to publicise the Poppy Appeal this year, good on them, and long may it continue...

Oh, and Come On England !!

We've been at war there since when?, and Iraq before HOW long before that?. That's a bogus arguement, repatriation levels of the real heroes have not gone through the roof to such an extent that 'suddenly' our 250,000 per week earning fake 'heroes' need to make a stand. It's a mechanism to deflect attention from John Terry, if it were a genuine pressing concern it would've come up years ago.

Notwithstanding you're right Greenskin, it was ridiculous request to refuse. Political, religious or commercial are the rules, a poppy is none of those.

Viva Espana

I always groan at the mention of a round International fixtures, no decent League football on the telly just overpaid and overrated ponces strutting around producing mainly boring football matches, supported by hordes of David Beckham worshiping types or fat bald men with earrings/studs accompanied by their odious offspring chanting "engerlund",everything i find repulsive about my home country can be found at England international games.
Seems to be nearly every 2 weeks we get mass disruption of our domestic game these days because of this nonsense............viva Espana indeed!!

Apparently, FIFA, UEFA, or whoever they are, don't allow political or religious statements and emblems under their watch.
Not harf they don't. If they think a 'sport' paying some over the hill knakered footballer 350K a week to go the ends of frozen Russia, isn't political, then they need a good kicking. Football IS politics, living and breathing, it IS tribal, it can't be anything else but political.

The poppy thing has always been controversial, and the way many nations and causes remember their 'warriors' is bound to cause disagreement. The latest spat just advertises the underlying divisions between cultures.The truth is factions in all causes remember those lost in war, whether it be be by a poppy or 20 virgins in heaven.
Each to their own . Myself, I prefer to remember all of my dead family, all of them, not just those sunk at Jutland.

penzancepirate wrote:

Apparently, FIFA, UEFA, or whoever they are, don't allow political or religious statements and emblems under their watch.
Not harf they don't. If they think a 'sport' paying some over the hill knakered footballer 350K a week to go the ends of frozen Russia, isn't political, then they need a good kicking. Football IS politics, living and breathing, it IS tribal, it can't be anything else but political.

The poppy thing has always been controversial, and the way many nations and causes remember their 'warriors' is bound to cause disagreement. The latest spat just advertises the underlying divisions between cultures.The truth is factions in all causes remember those lost in war, whether it be be by a poppy or 20 virgins in heaven.
Each to their own . Myself, I prefer to remember all of my dead family, all of them, not just those sunk at Jutland.

Yep i suppose i missed the point a little reference internationals, although i am in agreement with the moral principles of remembrance,sacrifice and the poppy thing in general which originates from World War 1, i do think the Nation can at times get carried away a bit under the wave of unquestioned admiration for the armed forces, i mean where do we stop...Crimean campaign? Battle of Waterloo? even far back as Dettingen or Namur in 1695!
Hundreds of men in rank and file marching muzzle to muzzle with the enemy and blasting away till one or the other broke, then getting slashed to pieces by the enemy's cavalry once they started to run. Thats gotta be bad!!

punchdrunk wrote:

I always groan at the mention of a round International fixtures, no decent League football on the telly just overpaid and overrated ponces strutting around producing mainly boring football matches, supported by hordes of David Beckham worshiping types or fat bald men with earrings/studs accompanied by their odious offspring chanting "engerlund",everything i find repulsive about my home country can be found at England international games.
Seems to be nearly every 2 weeks we get mass disruption of our domestic game these days because of this nonsense............viva Espana indeed!!

My feelings exactly.

I have always been a supporter of wearing of the poppy. I always used to associate it mainly with sacrifices made in the two horrendous and costly conflicts of WW1 and WW2. Britain was literally fighting for survival, not actually so much in WW1 but absolutely in WW2. WW1 was probably THE most pointless war in the history of pointless wars - it really did not need to happen. Nothing was really gained at the end by any side and it led directly to the most unspeakably evil regime the world has ever witnessed and subsequetly another world war. But that's not the WW1 British soldiers fault. He just did his duty. I still support wearing the poppy even though I am absolutely against the debacle in Afghanistan like I was against the Iraq invasion and that latest disgraceful and shameful venture in to Libya. But that's not the soldiers fault. I myself would have left the armed forces rather that be sent by our disgraceful tenth rate 'politicians' into these recent conflicts which are questionably legal and which I am 100% against but I still support wearing the poppy and the England team wearing the poppy on their shirts.

In amongst all the "Its political correctness, gone mad" and "Bleeding heart liberal" bluster from the Sun and the Mail is this little gem:

"There are other ways to honour the poppy than by wearing it on a shirt. The FA has helped us explore every alternative available and we are satisfied that England will enter the competition knowing they have shown proper respect for our Armed Forces."

Have a guess who said that

a) Spokesman from the British Communist Party
B) Peter Tatchell
C) Chris Simpkins, Director General of The Royal British Legion.

Beggars belief doesn't it.

Freathy wrote:

I have always been a supporter of wearing of the poppy. I always used to associate it mainly with sacrifices made in the two horrendous and costly conflicts of WW1 and WW2. Britain was literally fighting for survival, not actually so much in WW1 but absolutely in WW2. WW1 was probably THE most pointless war in the history of pointless wars - it really did not need to happen. Nothing was really gained at the end by any side and it led directly to the most unspeakably evil regime the world has ever witnessed and subsequetly another world war. But that's not the WW1 British soldiers fault. He just did his duty. I still support wearing the poppy even though I am absolutely against the debacle in Afghanistan like I was against the Iraq invasion and that latest disgraceful and shameful venture in to Libya. But that's not the soldiers fault. I myself would have left the armed forces rather that be sent by our disgraceful tenth rate 'politicians' into these recent conflicts which are questionably legal and which I am 100% against but I still support wearing the poppy and the England team wearing the poppy on their shirts.

I agree unquestionably with everything you say there Freathy. The underlined bit just, erm, underlines why you didn't join the armed forces I guess. There's is not to reason why, there's is but to do or die. I had occasion to deal with a deserter in the last year and despite holding simlar views to you about the validity of both conflicts I couldn't help feel anything but contempt for him. If you choose to do your duty, you do your duty, no if's no but's.

As we approach 1100 on Armistance day, i'm off for a couple of minutes of quiet with my grandparents and great grandparents photos and medals. Real heroes of mine, one and all, not these clowns in 'Engerlund' shirts.

X Isle wrote:

The only reason i'll be watching on Saturday is to witness a footballing lesson, a massacre of the incompetent by the invincible. Joe will indeed be 'close to Spain', they'll be all over him. The only distance he'll see them at is when they go back behind the half way line for England to kick off again.

Oh dear.

England having to play like am outclassed away team at home.

Tringreen wrote:

England having to play like am outclassed away team at home.

Oh come on, a proper England 2nd string has just beaten the best team in the world.

Surely that's summat to smile about!

Czarcasm wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

England having to play like am outclassed away team at home.

Oh come on, a proper England 2nd string has just beaten the best team in the world.

Surely that's summat to smile about!

Smile yes....................... but read anything into it regarding the bigger picture.............. no.

This state of affairs has been coming ever since the PL was flooded with foreigners.

We ain't good enough. Play the youngsters and decent pros like Parker.

Ashley Barnes scored a winner at Molyneux a couple of seasons back. That didn't make us better than Wolves and what I saw today does not make me believe Ingerlund are better than Spain, on another day the same players would have been whooped.

Credit where it's due they got stuck in though, great commitment. But the only way a competition will be won playing like that is the Greece way, and that leaves one as cold and limp as the way they 'belted out' the national anthem (NOT!). The sickening thing is though, that result, irrespective of performance, will be used by the media to hype them up once again as world beaters only to knock 'em down again when the inevitable flop comes to pass. Capello will have the head of a root vegetable and the inquest will commence as to how "when a tournament comes around the [insert choice of Germans, Spanish or Italians] always come to their peak".

Another summer of hype then, followed by elimination and random foreign looking fellas getting beaten up and Mercedes/BMW's being scratched. Someone put it perfectly earlier - Ingerlund represents all the very worst of this country. Players, media, supporters, commercialism. No amount of smoke screen about poppies will cover it up.

I'm presently watching the festival of rememberence and none of them are so much as fit to wipe the floor afterwards.

X Isle wrote:

Ashley Barnes scored a winner at Molyneux a couple of seasons back. That didn't make us better than Wolves and what I saw today does not make me believe Ingerlund are better than Spain, on another day the same players would have been whooped.

Credit where it's due they got stuck in though, great commitment. But the only way a competition will be won playing like that is the Greece way, and that leaves one as cold and limp as the way they 'belted out' the national anthem (NOT!). The sickening thing is though, that result, irrespective of performance, will be used by the media to hype them up once again as world beaters only to knock 'em down again when the inevitable flop comes to pass. Capello will have the head of a root vegetable and the inquest will commence as to how "when a tournament comes around the [insert choice of Germans, Spanish or Italians] always come to their peak".

Another summer of hype then, followed by elimination and random foreign looking fellas getting beaten up and Mercedes/BMW's being scratched. Someone put it perfectly earlier - Ingerlund represents all the very worst of this country. Players, media, supporters, commercialism. No amount of smoke screen about poppies will cover it up.

I'm presently watching the festival of rememberence and none of them are so much as fit to wipe the floor afterwards.

No one is saying England are better than Spain, just that it's rather nice for us to beat them.

Another thing I don't get is the 'Viva Espana' thing. Wanting Spain to win because our players are overpaid primadonas. Unlike those good working class lads Xavi, David Villa, etc, eh?

X Isle wrote:

Ashley Barnes scored a winner at Molyneux a couple of seasons back.    

That was Gallagher.

Mark Pedlar wrote:

X Isle wrote:

Ashley Barnes scored a winner at Molyneux a couple of seasons back.

That was Gallagher.

Welcome Mark,correct about Gallagher,i do recall that Barnes played in that game and made a very good impression on McCarthy.

Tringreen wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

England having to play like am outclassed away team at home.

Oh come on, a proper England 2nd string has just beaten the best team in the world.

Surely that's summat to smile about!

Smile yes....................... but read anything into it regarding the bigger picture.............. no.

This state of affairs has been coming ever since the PL was flooded with foreigners.

We ain't good enough. Play the youngsters and decent pros like Parker.

Jesus you really do moan about everything. Have you tried another sport, perhaps bowls

125+1 wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

England having to play like am outclassed away team at home.

Oh come on, a proper England 2nd string has just beaten the best team in the world.

Surely that's summat to smile about!

Smile yes....................... but read anything into it regarding the bigger picture.............. no.

This state of affairs has been coming ever since the PL was flooded with foreigners.

We ain't good enough. Play the youngsters and decent pros like Parker.

Jesus you really do moan about everything. Have you tried another sport, perhaps bowls

And you really are a classic

Now, if you would kindly stick to offering your opinion and not start the farm style attempted character assassinations, I would be most grateful.

Mark Pedlar wrote:

X Isle wrote:

Ashley Barnes scored a winner at Molyneux a couple of seasons back.

That was Gallagher.

Noel, Liam or Rory?

frank