Smog On The Tyne - International Duties || Middlesbrough F.C. news, reviews and comment

INTERNATIONAL DUTIES 10-9-07
Chris Bannister

First things first; those Geordies really know how to endear themselves don't they?

The conduct of some of the Newcastle faithful at The Riverside a couple of weeks ago was despicable, but it's important to remember that it wasn't everyone.

The silent majority have been scorned upon by Our Jeff for not acting, but its not always that black and white (forgive the pun). We've all been at a match or in the pub where an old man has shouted something unforgivable about a certain player and we've kept quiet, simply for argument's sake ('its not worth it mate!').

This premise is applicable to those in the Newcastle crowd who didn't sing the chants, but didn't quell the audible minority either. How many of us would have the courage to tell a bunch of boozed up, idiotic young men to stop singing?

I personally, would rain down scorn and feel ashamed of my fellow fans, but to stand up in the middle of a match and face down the most reactionary segment of the support base would be beyond me.

Just as most supporters of England don't feel the urge to wreck foreign towns during major competitions, most fans of Newcastle United are not racist, Islamophobic morons. That's not to say I stand with the defence put forward by one Newcastle fansite that they have Emre, another Muslim player, so obviously none of their fanbase can be racist. This is just daft.

I personally am drawing a line under the subject. I hope the FA will reprimand those responsible and there'll be nothing more said of the subject.

Moving onto something far more important; International Football. I personally find international football dull and tedious, especially this kind of international football, the mind numbing, soul-destroying qualifying stages. Maybe this is because I'm being spoilt by Gareth's pioneering style of 'entertaining football with mediocre players', but I doubt it.

I do support England, especially if Stewie or Woody are playing, and jump and whoop when they score, but it's the bits in between I can't stand. These in-between bits can be the long days in between matches, the headlines and tedious press conferences with blanket media coverage. Or it can be the actual matches where all these apparent 'Superstars' play like orthopaedic patients on day release.

The whole charade just infuriates me as the best homegrown talent of one of the best leagues in the world struggles to qualify in group after group of whipping boys. It's just irritating as the whole footballing nation is thrown together in unison behind a team with a large proportion of players I hate.

People say foreigners are ruining the England team, and they are. Not because they're stopping young English talent getting through, but because their presence is turning the English players in the league into self-regarding, arrogant posers.

These players believe that if they're English in a league with foreigners in it, they must be great because they've fought to get into the side. This is true, however, once they reach the zenith of their career, a regular place in the England team, they seem to think they don't have to try anymore and why should they?

Because they're so great and will never leave the side, or so it seems. The list of players who, no matter how badly they play, will never be dropped, is sickening; Lampard, Terry, Ferdinand, Gerrard, both the Coles, Owen and Rooney (Gary Neville's position is finally under threat due to the form of current Wunderkind Micah).

The outstanding example of this irritable malaise of favouritism is seen in our own backyard, with Andrew Taylor having twice the season the Cashley did last year and starting well now, unlike Mrs Tweedy. If 'Tayls' is a little too inexperienced, try Everton new boy Leighton Baines, another player who's had a better couple of years than Cole.

The whole Steven Gerrard 'will he/won't he' club versus country argument is another example of this demented partiality. Leave him for the club. They pay his wages, he plays for them the majority of the time and he can't be as easily replaced.

No one seems to realise that England is a nation of footballers and that against Israel, at Wembley, you could give my Uncle Jem a run out and he'd perform better than Stevie G (as Steve the bus driver insists on calling him, it's like when your mates parents use your school nickname).

Its not that Gerrard is a bad player like Frank Lampard, or that he's not committed to England, but its just another game to him. To Kevin Nolan or Nigel Reo-Coker on the other hand, it's a chance they may never get again, and they'd give the nation impetuous. And before you say it, no Premiership player should feel out of his depth against Israel.

There are a plethora of reasons why these players are in the team ahead of 'Tayls'. But, while everyone blames the manager for England's woes, I feel that some of the blame should lie at the feet of the players representing the nation who regularly don't deliver and get arsy when they get booed.

After the win against Israel, when England beat Russia it'll no doubt be hailed as us turning a corner, on the way to Euro glory. I don't really care to be honest. If England do fail to qualify, by some conspiracy of inspired ineptitude on behalf of it's 'Boro Old Boys' management staff, look on the bright side. You can do what the Welsh, Scottish and Irish have to do every time; put all the sides competing in the tournament in a hat and pick a new homeland for a month.

With that in mind, don't complain to me when Slaven Bilic won't pick Corluka over that overrated Simunic.

RETURN TO SMOG ON THE TYNE INDEX HERE