I’d chose Sun than England
There are plenty of reasons for Sunderland supporters, as well as fans from a host of other clubs, to be completely indifferent to the fortunes of the England national side.
For what it’s worth, England are my team when it comes to international football and I want them to win when they play. But only about as much as I want to win when I play darts in Chaplin’s.
Whereas I have never quite got over certain Sunderland defeats from years ago (the 2004 FA Cup semi-final comes crashing back to mind), I can’t help but find England’s worst days rather amusing (last year’s debacle against Iceland being one such instance).
I was pleased for Jermain Defoe when he scored in Sunday’s unremarkable encounter. But the bigger considerations were that he didn’t sustain an injury and, depressingly, that his success increases his chances of making another World Cup.
“Depressingly” because the bait of a major international tournament makes his departure from Sunderland in the event of their relegation a nearcertainty; if it wasn’t already.
But what turns indifference to the national team into an active disassociation is some of the people who follow it.
I attended England’s intensely boring friendly with Australia at the Stadium of Light 10 months ago. The sight of people watching footy dressed as medieval knights should rotate anyone’s stomach.
Additional embarrassment was caused by the “band”. I have yet to encounter anyone outside their membership who doesn’t hate them.
There are several ground regulations at the SOL that could and should have prohibited their entry. None of them were implemented, which was quite