Buffon hits 1,000 mark
MILDLY told off by Greg Clarke, that should do the trick. The idiots singing the stupid songs inside Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday night will think it is funnier than the “Ten German Bombers” number. As if they are going to take a jot of notice of a reprimand from an FA blazer? Clarke (above) described some of the behaviour as “inappropriate, disrespectful and disappointing”. Inappropriate? Inappropriate is forgetting to stand up for a national anthem – not booing it. Disrespectful? Disrespectful is failing to acknowledge Lukas Podolski – and sending him off with hundreds of abusive hand gestures. Disappointing? Disappointing is when you forget to thank your hosts, not when you insult them with “two World Wars” ditties.
Wandering around Dortmund the day before the game and on match day, I saw England fans having a good time.
Drink had been taken by some, they were boisterous, but the locals were not overly concerned. They still won’t be. The Germans I spoke to were not offended by the puerile chanting, they were just embarrassed for us.
If the FA want to stop this embarrassment, then they need more than just a carefully worded statement.
This has been going on for years and not one single England manager has come out and unreservedly condemned it, come out and said his team are not playing for the section of fans who choose to behave in this way.
Gareth Southgate had the chance on Wednesday night and did not take it.
Or, more likely, he was told not to take it.
When it happens again, he should.
You would not bank on it, but if the manager – and the players – disown the minority of idiots, they just might stop embarrassing everyone else. GIANLUIGI BUFFON will play his 1,000th game when Italy face Albania in a World Cup qualifier tonight.
The Italy and Juventus goalkeeper, 39, who has previously joked he will retire when he is 65, was giving little away about his future before the match in Palermo.
“As far as I’m concerned, it will be a great achievement and the only assurance I can give is that there will not be another thousand,” he said with a smile.
Asked if he might retire after the 2018 World Cup, he added: “I don’t know, I just have to think about the upcoming games.”
Buffon’s landmark appearance will come in a World Cup qualifier which Italy need to win as the battle at the top of Group G remains fierce.
Italy are level on 10 points with leaders Spain, who will be facing an Israel side one point worse off in third place.
“We have great respect for Albania and that is not just rhetoric,” said Buffon. “In the last two years they have done very well.”