ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Club v Country

There's an interesting trend in English culture that being English doesn't mean to people what it used to. I'd like to make it clear I'm certainly not one of those people and love both club and country as most people do, however, in pure football terms, Everton come first.

There are two points I'd like to make. The first is that this could perhaps go someway to explain why playing for your country doesn't mean as much as it used to. Don't get me wrong, if I was on that pitch, I'd be wearing my heart on my sleeve but everyone's not like that anymore.

The second point I'd like to make is an analogy to the lack of support given to the British army abroad which the tabloids seem to pay a lot of attention to recently. Again, I'm proud of what our troops do abroad so I'm definitely in that boat.

Perhaps there really isn't anything wrong with English football, it's just our culture is changing so much that it seems less important.

Ninety years ago people were jumping at the chance to fight for their country and 'see the world'. There weren't really any other options to reach beyond your village/town and it looked like an appealing venture. If they had the media coverage and chances we have today, that clearly wouldn't have been the case. There are so many opportunities out there now that perhaps football just isn't a priority for kids.

I'm sure there are many more reasons but this could be just one factor? As long as Everton continue to mean to future generations what it means to us today, that's all that matters. And the boys yesterday went someway to building towards that!
Dan Parker, New York, USA Posted 25/11/2007 at 19:36:32

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Martin Cutler
1 Posted 25/11/2007 at 21:22:24

Dan, I agree with your notion that "playing for one’s country" isn’t what it used to be but it in no way explains why "as a team" we sucked against Croatia, why "as a team/country" we got ourselves into the shit in the first place by 1. relying on Israel to beat Russia and 2. us having to simply tie against Croatia to get through and miserably failing at that simple task.
It also doesn’t explain why the players in question (all of them, injured players, new players, veterans alike) are paid HUGE sums of money and basically don’t earn a fraction of it.
No doubt somebody will say Lescott was brilliant (no question he is for Everton...he’s one of my favourites) but as soon as any player dons that white shirt they all of a sudden and all too frequently play like crap.
Why as a country we have to have (had!) McClaren as our manager is also beyond me.....I’ve yet to hear one person say he was the right man for the job (Erikssons assistant and vast experience at Middlesborough), yeah, that made sense!

Bring Mourinho in I say........at least as we continue to lose he’d give us a laugh!
I’m bitterly, bitterly disappointed we’re not in the Championships next year.......do we deserve to be? No effin’ way.
I just hope the FA, the press (they’re partly to blame as well), the players themselves all wake up and realise just how much they have let the supporters down.
Also.....I’d like to say to all those "fans" who were booing any English international players at any of the games yesterday.....you should be ashamed of yourselves....as bad as I think the lads played on Wednesday I would never do that!
Anyway, enough of England....FANTASTIC result yesterday.........even though it was "only" Sunderland it was still a brilliant result and lets hope we beat Portsmouth in a "must win" game next Saturday!
Oh, and to the guy who’s wife had the baby yesterday...what you going to name the baby? Just curious!
COYB!!!

Steve Ryan
2 Posted 25/11/2007 at 21:38:54

’Jump at the chance of fighting for your country and see the world’ oh and by the way, you might get your head blown off in the process while innocent people are slaughtered. I dont think so.....the British Empire has long gone mate!!!. Regarding our style of play; well done to Moyes at last for producing a brand of football that many of us were brought up on. Long may it continue.

Ian Martin
3 Posted 25/11/2007 at 21:48:15

Dan, an interesting thought on a boring sunday night.
I think the English have always lacked the passion of our island neighbours. ..in most things. This lack of nationalism can be a weakness but also a strength.... let's be honest there is a thin line between that and xenophobia. There appears to be a massive swing (in the last 15 years) towards the nationalism displayed by the Scots, Welsh etc amongst England's fan base.... but not the players. The answer is all to obvious.... overpaid superstars that couldnt care less. They hardly belt out the national anthem before the game do they?

As a nine-year-old I was in tears when Poland knocked us out of the world cup qualifiers.... last week I just laughed.

Brian Wolf
4 Posted 26/11/2007 at 04:03:28

Bomb the majority of the players off and start playing lads from the championship or league one, you know players who would play their hearts, who to play for their country means something.

Scrap the pay for England Internationals and bring in a decent experienced manager, who has experience in the English game and in the European game.

Ron Wilmington
5 Posted 26/11/2007 at 04:12:33

I agree with Roy Keane in that there are too many big heads on the England team. A strong manager is needed to bang some heads together. Another problem is the FA and the ridiculous hiring of McClaren; for whom the position was totally over his head. Barwick said he’s having Brooking advise him; which doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling. They should offer the job to someone who has won league championships and had success in the Champions League but we all know the incompetents at the FA are going to choose the guy who know which fork is the salad fork.

Anthony Jaras
6 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:23:44

Jurgen Klinsmann for England. He will bring a steelt resiliance to the team, yet with that will come a sharp, brutal and uncompromising attack.
Germany were very discilplined in defence but also lethal up the other end with Klinsmann in charge.
Also, stop picking the prima donna players all the time as first choice, cos a lot of them are there just because of their names.
Rio, Terry, Gerrard, Owen and Ashley Cole should not be first choice players in my opinion.
Let’s give some of the younger players a crack too.
Even though I can’t stand Bentley, I feel he deserves a shot.
I think Beckham still has a lot to offer too.
It’s a shame Carragher has quit, cos I feel that the best pairing would be him and Terry in defence.
Leighton Baines surely deserves a crack too.
In goal, I would still go for James despite his age, he is the best keeper in the Prem.
Gary Neville is still the top right back, but for the next World cup, I ain’t so sure.
Hargreaves or Barry, difficult as I feel they both do a great job.
Joe Cole for sure should be one of the first picks.
Crouch & Rooney??? Probably.
Bent is awful, as is Smith and Defoe........Defoe has never had a real shot.
AJ?????? Maybe if he is in a decent team with the right partner then he could flourish.
Don’t forget Vaughan and Ashley Young for the next World Cup.
I also wish Anichebe would choose England. He has not played for Nigeria yet so there is still time.

Anthony Jaras
7 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:34:13

Sorry, I never meant to say Terry should not be first pick, Terry is a must.

Anthony Jaras
8 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:35:24

The Guy whose Mrs had the baby should call it;

Timothy Philip Joseph Joleon Nuno Mikel Leon Steven Lee Cahill Yakubu SURNAME!

When my son was born, the Mrs and I actually considered calling him Cahill Jaras, but I said no cos if he ever left to join either of the 2 red shites (God Forbid) I would throw up non-stop for the rest of my life!

Patty Beesley
9 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:26:03

Ahony -You should have called your son Cahill - what a brill name!!

I was christened Patty Blue by my "wouldn?t have red in the house" Dad and I never went over to the dark side!!

Dan Parker
10 Posted 26/11/2007 at 15:55:57

Agree with all points, good comments guys!