Lampard is with Christine Bleakley, haven't heard about him cheating on her

There has been another point highlighted in this thread. The 'Hello Magazine generation' whereby people dislike players for their personal lives which appear in women's magazines and newspapers, rather than their football ability.

For me, I couldn't give a stuff if Terry did some bird or if Giggs was on his brother's wife. That's their business, I respect them as great players. England are now going into games without their best defender and people think he's crap due to his personal life.

he was cheating with her, not on her

Oh shitee, don't know then Dunc

England are now going into games without their best defender and people think he's crap due to his personal life.

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its slightly different with Terry as it had an obvious affect on the some of the squad.

The media have actually realised we won win the competition and this seems to rub off on the fans.

Consequently, the 'buzz' you speak of dissapears as people aren't expecting much.

Either people complain about England because people buy into the hype and expect so much - this creates a buzz - or we're realistic and we don't have a buzz and then we blame them for it. They can't win.

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Nobody respects the national team anymore. Managers hand out caps like confetti, the captains armband gets passed around like a bag of sweets. I remember the Wilkins, Robson etc era. You had to earn your caps. Look at the current manager, Hodgson. I have to set my alarm clock when he starts speaking, how the hell is he going to whip up any passion in the players or fans? Things have to change on the pitch/within the FA before fans will take it seriously again.

What's the on the pitch reasons for not liking Lampard? The 200 odd goals he's scored? What a horrible guy.

comment by terminator1 (U1863)




posted 22 seconds ago



Nobody respects the national team anymore. Managers hand out caps like confetti,

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good point.

jake livermore has a cap for fack sake.

One other thing for me (not saying everyone) is that you grow up a bit and life becomes a bit more serious!

When you're 13 / 14 and England are in the semis of the European Cup, there literally isn't anything more important in the world. I used to cry if we lost, go mental if we won, it was all me and my mates cared about.

As cynical as it is, these days work / relationships / boring adult stuff is more important so footy becomes an interest not a passion.

That's just me tho

We seem to have become victims of "the meeja" who for some reason have their own agenda which consists of "slag 'em off" before and after any game.It's difficult to pinpoint when or why it began but the "turnips" headline seems like a s good a place as any to begin.

comment by terminator1 (U1863) posted 51 seconds ago
Nobody respects the national team anymore. Managers hand out caps like confetti, the captains armband gets passed around like a bag of sweets. I remember the Wilkins, Robson etc era. You had to earn your caps. Look at the current manager, Hodgson. I have to set my alarm clock when he starts speaking, how the hell is he going to whip up any passion in the players or fans? Things have to change on the pitch/within the FA before fans will take it seriously again.
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Exactly, there's absolutely no respect and that includes the individual players, people dislike them due to the club they play for and the newspapers writing things about their personal lives.

When they put on that white shirt, every English fan in the country should be right behind them.

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despite hodgson being incredibly boring at times, i have more excitement (albeit not a great amount) than i have in years.

at least he is prepared to swap things around a bit and bring in some of the younger players.

if sven was still manager beckham would still be a regular

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Whilst I have some sympathy for your point of view ( ITV's awful coverage, players not seeming up for it, pointless friendlies during the season etc..) I disagree.

I suppose you wont watch the WC then?

Qualifiers have never been massively followed - but I love the big comps. Gutted when England didnt qualify for in 84 and 94 (I think they havent qualified on four occasions in my lifetime).

Beers and some great footie (although I think Basil are a shoe in) in the summer. Better than Eastenders or Coronation street.

Not so Magic

Good point

so why doesnt wembley always sell out when england play?
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1. Its a 5hite stadium.

2. It an absolute rip-off

When they put on that white shirt, every English fan in the country should be right behind them.
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its not just about the teams they play for.

you look at players like ashley cole and john terry.

people are never going to like those two regardless of who they play for.

even the most avid chelsea fans would admit if they were honest that they are both unlikeable characters.

wasnt lampard in the paper a couple of years ago for cheating on his wife?

No he was in the paper for leaving his wife

There's too much tribalism in the top PL clubs for every fan to get behind them on the national stage, it's a shame really.

When I was younger 18 - 25 I really wanted England to do well, going to the pub, which was full every game 20 strong gang of my mates, even the girls loved it due to the atmosphere.

Then we got older and the matches got that bit more boring. Now I have pretty much the same ethos as the OP, although not to his level. I'll still watch England as there are United players on show.

Which brings me to the question I should've asked myself all them games ago, if there were no Man United players in the England team would I watch them?

If the FA made me the England Manager, within a couple of games, I would have the entire country behind us again.

I suppose you wont watch the WC then?

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i will. its in brazil. i actually want to go.

thats because i want to go to brazil though, the world cup being there seems like a good excuse to take a trip there.

i watched none of euro 2008 apart from some select matches - the boring world cup in south africa put me off tournament football totally.