Do you care about the success of the national team?

[Levi lapper]

We just need a run like 1990, that was amazing, and was on a par with the play off final in 93 in terms of the emotions it generated. It's got nothing to do with money.

Greg dykes proposals are a joke and I hope we have a national campaign of demonstrating against what he's proposing to protect our football culture for the next generation.

[Honkytonk]

My childhood memories of international football makes me a little protective of it.

And I do hate the whole champions league is now seen as football nirvana. When it is only due to the millions of quid on offer. And like I say the masses have bought it, the cocks.

Totally agree Jan. International football should be THE pinnacle of football. Whether you're playing Andorra or not. Fuck everything else. In fact the fuckers should be fined if they don't perform well enough or 'decide against playing' after being selected in the squad. It should be the one area of football where money means nothing and desire for the game and the team means everything.

It should be celebrated that small nations compete on the same stage with the large, that the powerful can be defeated by the weak, and that multi-million pound players can be beaten by people who had barely seen  a spherical object until the start of the tournament.

I may have got carried away somewhat, but that's the dream anyway.

Currently, all the current generation of people at FIFA/UEFA/The FA have done is destroy the credibility, pride, and belief in international competitions that should be the thing that pushes football on as a sport, communicative tool, and force for good.

I want to see teams of players crying if they fuck up in the World Cup. That's how much it should mean to them.

I still believe.

[sonicyouth]

My childhood memories of international football makes me a little protective of it.

And I do hate the whole champions league is now seen as football nirvana. When it is only due to the millions of quid on offer. And like I say the masses have bought it, the cocks.

I enjoy watching the CL. I watch football for entertainment.

[suttonred]

Been to 2 world cups, wont ever go again. Will I watch this years? maybe, If there aren't any repeats of wheeler dealers on.

[Bogus Dave]

I'd like England to do well but I'd rather Swindon do well.

International football in general is brilliant though

[DMR]

I pretend I'm not arsed, but once a major tournament gets going, England's performances dictate my quality of life for whatever period they remain in the tournament.

In other words, I'm the same as every other cunt in this thread who says they don't care, but actually they do.

[DMR]

Funnily enough we had this discussion in the pub last night.

Anyone who proclaims to not care, watch Owen's worldie against the Argies in 98, and try and tell me it doesn't matter.

Greatest footballing moment ever.

[herthab]

I pretend I'm not arsed, but once a major tournament gets going, England's performances dictate my quality of life for whatever period they remain in the tournament.

In other words, I'm the same as every other cunt in this thread who says they don't care, but actually they do.

Pretty much my view as well.

[Abrahammer]

I'd like England to do well but I'd rather Swindon do well.

Pretty much this.

Club>Country.  I felt more nervous/excited about the Millwall p/o final than any big England game I can remember (Euro 96 semi for example). That's not to say I wouldnt get a bit stiff if we did something decent in Brazil but it wouldn't get the juices flowing as much as a serious Town promotion push

[Anteater]

For me as a Town fan there is no detriment to supporting and hoping (mostly in vain) that England do well.

If ever in my lifetime they win the World cup again, the scenes in this country would be mental and I would love to be part of that !!

[Peter Venkman]

When I was younger I cared a lot, I followed the national side home and away from my first England game in 78 until my last in 96.

Now the attitude of the players in the main and their own "couldn't really care less attitude" makes me care less and less but yes I do still care just not to the extent that I used to.

[kerry red]

It's like watching a PL game on TV.

I'm interested insofar as I'm hoping to be entertained - but I don't really give a shite who wins

[RWB Robin]

Swindon or England? Swindon every time.... but I remember when Don Rogers might have been called up, and the pride I felt, and even Rod Thomas and a few others playing for Wales, I always felt that deep-down desire to see them do well....  But England v Spain or Chelsea v Barcelona?  England every time, and football authorities need to find a way of ensuring that our best players get to play regularly at the top level....no other country has allowed foreign players so to dominate the top level.

[herthab]

...no other country has allowed foreign players so to dominate the top level.

It's not down to the Country, it's down to the finances of Teams in the PL and teams trying to get into the PL. Rich clubs will try to get the best players they can and that means buying, not developing. Spain is being lauded as the model we should follow, but over 50% of Real Madrid's squad aren't Spanish, probably because they can afford to buy talent.
It would be interesting to compare how successful National Teams have been over the last 30 years against how rich their domestic league was at the same period.

[Tails]

I pretend I'm not arsed, but once a major tournament gets going, England's performances dictate my quality of life for whatever period they remain in the tournament.

In other words, I'm the same as every other cunt in this thread who says they don't care, but actually they do.

Yeah I'm pretty much here as well