English Misery

Three Lions. The badge that evokes much elated emotion yet so much hurt, anguish and grief. Why? Do you ask, do we continue to believe we can win the penultimate of competitions, The World Cup? Every four years the beautiful tournament graces our televisions, the same expectations and the same hopes. St.Georges flags waving from every passing vehicle, everyday people temporarily turning into manic have-ago coaches. The old man on the bus, the lady working the tables at Rita’s Café, the balding Geography teacher, all believing that they themselves can do a better job than that of the current manger. All believing, that just this once, this one time England can perform the way each and every England individual does week in week out for the team they get paid millions of pounds a year to play for.

Well.

Not this time. And not the time before, after or quite probably after that. What we England fans don’t seem to grasp at times like these is that it has all happened before. Week in week out these players play wonderful football, passing and shooting without a care in the world, as soon as they don the Three Lions, they seem to forget they’re world class footballers and start acting like an U10’s conference league.

It won’t be the last time this happens, I can promise you.

But.

We as true English men will continue to look on with bleary eyes, fire in our hearts and quite possibly, the misplaced sense of belief that maybe one day, just one… we can once again lift that beautiful trophy. ..