There's been a lot written and said about the boo-ing of Ashley Cole after his schoolboy error on Saturday against Kazakhstan. I was there - it was a disgrace. I mean let's face it - does anyone believe that boo-ing will IMPROVE someone's performance, in any sport /way of life?
The debate has widened out into talking about the England fan culture. Two principal reasons have been espoused for why such boo-ing occurs. The first is the old club versus country issue - which English fans support their club before their country, and which do the opposite.
I have always been country before club. It's noticeable in fact, that those who do the opposite, are generally fans of the top 4 clubs ( as they stand today). Maybe, given the years of disappointment from watching England creates such a position amongst some fans, who want some success once in a while - hence they feel closer to their clubs. I am an old enough goon to have seen England win a World Cup - and maybe that's the difference - once you have seen that, it's always going to be country before club.
The second reason mooted for the boo-ing of AC is the fact that premiership footballers' millionaire lifestyles mean they are so divorced from the everyday realities the rest of us poor wage slaves have to face, that when they play badly (or make one mistake, as in this case) they are a legitimate target for boo-ing.
Well I find both viewpoints unjustifiable really. I contrast England's lukewarm support with the utter, and fierce passion with which the Argentines support their national team. The supporters of River Plate, and Boca Juniors are arguably more passionate than ANY English supporters - but once the light blue and white stripes are donned, everyone supports the national team, regardless of which club the players originate from.
And then this second argument. Surely if ANYONE has a right to bitch about the millionaire lifestyles of their international players, it's the supporters of Brazil and Argentina. Just about every one of these players have left their home country clubs to go and ply their trade on the other side of the Atlantic, never to be seen gracing the pitches of Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo again. Surely that would be a very good reason to boo the players, if you were so inclined - they with their multi-million pound villas in Italy, whilst you scrape a living in a Buenos Aires shanty suburb?
Not a bit of it - the Argentine supports every player - and loudly too. Contrast this with supporters I saw on Saturday who didn't chant for England ONCE. I'm not exaggerrating - there were a lot of them. Give me the Argentine or Brasilian football supporter any day. They deserve success. Not like England's pathetic excuse for supporters.
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