The World Cup 2006

You do have to laugh at some English supporters who seem very precious about why people in the other home nations won't support them. I thought they had more self-respect - if I was English, I wouldn't give a monkeys what fans of other countries thought.

Me - I approached it as I always do: hope they do well for as long as they stay in, as it makes it more interesting, then laugh at the inevitable sorry exit.

As to Ian Wright, what a joke as a pundit. Though his sulking reaction yesterday was as amusing as it was in Belfast, when his peurility just added to the local enjoyment. (Though Beckham and his reaction in Belfast was a credit to him and England.)

I wonder if any England fans will ever lose that "chip on the shoulder" they have about Argentina, Germany, France, Turkey........

The English probably get a bit huffy about this (I include myself in that) because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland taxpayers get far more benefit from government pay-outs than the English.

It's not that the English want gratitude for this (not this Englishman anyway), but this is the United Kingdom. We are all stronger and better because we are together.

It would just be nice, as the nation's sole representatives in this tournament, to have our friends in the other nations of the UK to support us. After all, we support the other nations in many more ways.



Agreed - I don't know why he's on either. He is a bit of a turkey.



England fans don't have a "chip on our shoulder" about the countries you mentioned. They are just other nations we've had difficulties against in football - they are competitors.

The United Kingdom, comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are not in competition with each other. We are a political union where what affects one country can affect the rest of us.

The United Kingdom doesn't play football. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do. It's nothing to do with the UK.

Incidentally, the EU is also a political union, but that apparently doesn't stop England from "having difficulties" with Germany.

Also, the reason Scotland and Wales get more funding is because it is actually more expensive to run public services there due to the fact that it is far less densely populated. For instance, many more people who fall ill will have to travel by helicopter to a hospital many many miles away.

I would have been happy to see a home team - ANY home team - do well in an international event. There are other Scots who would wish England a speedy exit - but does it really matter?

It's amusing to see how p rickly people get about their football game. Does this ground swell of national pride extend beyond the tournament?

Scotland's First Minister got many backs up because of his ill-considered anti-English team comments.

I'm sure he was trying to humourously connect with that deep-seeded Scottish chip-on-the-shoulder which runs through our society, but instead it only served to outrage Englishmen and Daily Mail writers.

It is a matter for the individual which, if any, team they support, and shouldn't be called to account for it any more than the flag bearing English fans should.

The English at least have the satisfaction of knowing they are consitently the only home team to get to the games.

You might as well turn a blind eye to the sour grapes.

Good going News 24 covering the England team landing back at Stanstead live. Nothing from Sky from what I could see.

So the BBC have the 3rd place rights - I'd of thought ITV would get that considering they lost on the extra England game!

(By the way, don't England normally get knocked out on ITV!)

And the only team to be consistently knocked out too! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

What the he ll has your comment about Portuguese nationals got to do with the quote of my Rooney/scouse joke ? Which country is that ? If it's of any interest ,the Portuguese in Wales are generally well received and had our full backing in last nights game. It was blo ody boring though.

Of course, the United Kingdom doesn't have a football team. However, the United Kingdom exists and comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The fact that the English support the likes of Andy Murray and the women's curling team is because England and Scotland are part of a united entity and have been so since the early 1700s.

Your blindness to this fact is a little surprising.



True, but the links between England and Scotland and the other nations of the UK are stronger and deeper than those of the EU.

Your blindness to this fact is a little surprising again.



Plus the fact that the elderly get free stays in nursing homes, the £2,145 endowment for Scottish students at Scottish universities, free eye tests, free dental checks, free bus passes for the elderly (introduced much earlier in Scotland) - the list goes on.

Your argument, although to some extent true, tells far from the whole story.

Added to the fact that Scottish Labour MPs taking the party whip can enforce legislation on England by voting on issues that only affect us and have no effect on Scotland.

Again, you missed all this.

You seem to have missed the fact that hordes of English retirees throng the costa geriatrica in N. Wales and elsewhere adding immensely to the health service burden in Wales. Perhaps we should tell them to go back to England for their healthcare , is that the type of argument you're seeking to develop ?

Perhaps if they got their free health care in England (for which they have paid all their lives), you may have a point.

Why should someone born in Wales or Scotland have free health care when someone in England does not, despite the fact we all pay the same level of taxes?

Perhaps you should try developing a cogent point before entering into an argument.