It's not been a good two weeks for the English. We've twice been reminded that we are not the big boys we once were.
First we had the embarrassment over the poppy scandal where we were outraged that the rest of the world don't see us as a completely peaceful nation. Heaven knows where such a notion could of come from.
Secondly we had bumbling Sepp Blatter spouting half baked nonsense about racism being a thing of the past. Now I'm the last person to deny that Sepp Blatter is an out of touch baffoon who runs a corrupt organisation. He is however a politician par excellence and last week he proved we were no match for him.
Unlike us he realises that the game is not run by the First World anymore and he has spent many years cultivating the support of wider footballing community. So we can stamp our feet and get as bitter as we like he's going nowhere.
The problem is there is still a significant portion of people in this country. Particularly those people in the press and the higher echelons of English sport have never really got over the fact that they don't run football any more. Nowhere was this more hilariously proved than where we went into the world cup bidding process expecting that the other nations would be impressed we brought the heir to the throne to sway the vote. We were made to look like the naive fools we were. So when FIFA say no to them, or Sepp Blatter doesn't bow to our every whim we react with the impotent fury of an ineffective parent being told by their daughter she'll wear her skirt as short as she wants.
This is not to say by the way that there is not some things to be proud of. Even if it is driven by spite we can be proud of the fact we are the one body whose FA is resolutely saying that FIFA needs to stop all the bribery. I also rejoice at the fact that it is our press who have shown time and again how bent ther officials are. I just wish we'd do it all with a bit more dignity and a litle less screeching.
First we had the embarrassment over the poppy scandal where we were outraged that the rest of the world don't see us as a completely peaceful nation. Heaven knows where such a notion could of come from.
Secondly we had bumbling Sepp Blatter spouting half baked nonsense about racism being a thing of the past. Now I'm the last person to deny that Sepp Blatter is an out of touch baffoon who runs a corrupt organisation. He is however a politician par excellence and last week he proved we were no match for him.
Unlike us he realises that the game is not run by the First World anymore and he has spent many years cultivating the support of wider footballing community. So we can stamp our feet and get as bitter as we like he's going nowhere.
The problem is there is still a significant portion of people in this country. Particularly those people in the press and the higher echelons of English sport have never really got over the fact that they don't run football any more. Nowhere was this more hilariously proved than where we went into the world cup bidding process expecting that the other nations would be impressed we brought the heir to the throne to sway the vote. We were made to look like the naive fools we were. So when FIFA say no to them, or Sepp Blatter doesn't bow to our every whim we react with the impotent fury of an ineffective parent being told by their daughter she'll wear her skirt as short as she wants.
This is not to say by the way that there is not some things to be proud of. Even if it is driven by spite we can be proud of the fact we are the one body whose FA is resolutely saying that FIFA needs to stop all the bribery. I also rejoice at the fact that it is our press who have shown time and again how bent ther officials are. I just wish we'd do it all with a bit more dignity and a litle less screeching.
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