Oi, careful about the ginger comments

My sister is football mad, I think it started as a suck up to my Dad thing, but I think that she's really into it now. She knows better than to discuss it with me though!

Someone was driving along with a big flag attached to their car the other day. Couldn't help thinking of the accidents that might cause, particularly to cyclists or pedestrians who could get smacked in the face with a flag going past at 30 mph!

I've just seen a white van with 12 flags on it

Two happy Italians at work today. One not so happy cleaner!!! She is ok though she will now support England!

I hate it theres nothing on tv I'd rather play football in the park however watching tennis I love I wish I had that much skill so i guess thats why people like watching football too.

Well, I'm glad you have something to be happy about, Kykaree! After the Czhech (sp) Republic scored against USA in the first 5 minutes of the match last night, I started losing interest! My husband was in another room and I kept yelling in to him "what does a yellow card mean?" or "what does an orange and yellow flag mean?" I don't think I'll ever become addicted but it's kinda fun to watch the big matches. I'd also like to see USA win at least one!

My husband mentioned there were certain groups who wanted to disallow the flying of the English flag for fear of upsetting other cultures. I think that is political correctness gone too far. I'll admit, there's one house down the road that has a flag in every pane of the front windows as well as flying from the roof and 2 flags on the car. It looks hideous, in my opinion, like a Uni apartment, but why shouldn't they be able to fly the flag of their country if they want?

I don't think it's just about being PC, the flag thing so much as the fact it's always been part of our tradition that we don't plaster places with our flag, like younger, less secure in their national identity countries do! British understatement/good taste, call it what you will. So for me I hate seeing it everywhere because that's a comparatively new phenomenon, and not what 'being English' is about. I suppose it's 'English' in a Sun reader/Carry on Camping sort of way but that ain't a world I want to live in!

I keep seeing 'dead' flags on the roads round here. It's all such a waste of time and energy! At least they didn't change the time of Coro St last night.

I just pointed out the ginger Italy players last time to my ex because he was always boring on about how goodlooking Italian men are - see I always thought there's summat homoerotic about football! Not to say that gingers aren't goodlooking, just that it broke his racial stereotype of what was meant to be his own culture! (He's third generation English, so get a grip, man - about as Italian as the dog!)

I agree phat. When you get down to it you don't need to plaster flags around everywhere . We just ARE British. I think it is more an American thing.

Mostly when people try to understand Brits they cannot fathom us (class system etc) that is what I like!

One minute we are so polite, tea drinking queuers, the next we are beating your brains out with one hand on an iron bar and the other a can of beer!! No that is an exaggeration but we are not in your face unless on drugs or fuelled by alcohol. We tend to just sniff disapprovingly if you light a cigarette somewhere you shouldn't, then write a letter to the Times!

I like the fact that we cannot be summed up in one word.

I always think of the Billy Bragg song (and he's quoting someone else)

*What do they know of England, who only England know?*

And when I see a flag on someone's house, I think that's the sort of person they are - just nationalistic, because they haven't lived outside their own culture. As Kyk knows, I bet, that when you live abroad you realise what it is to be whatever your nationality is...

I heard on the radio some 'fans' are being shipped back - to Leeds. Oh dear there we go again - exporting the most embarrassing prats, who dress themselves up in our flag and then do stupid things.

Ooh Billy Bragg England quotes - 'How can you lie back and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team'?

I love that!

LOL Veggie I forgot that! He's quite ginger (or was) and I always fancied him.

He's still quite fanciable I think!!!

You are so right about the whole nationality thing. When I hear the Australian anthem now, tears well up in my eyes and I feel so proud.

But I get those feelings about England too!!!! It's kinda weird!!!

Sorry, but on my way down to the General Chatter board..I keep seeing this thread here about football and it reminded me of my old boyfriend from Scotland...who, every time he wrote me from Scotland, all he talked about was football and when he came to visit, all he talked about was football and walked around with a ball all the time bouncing it all his head and off his knees and heels...it was so ANNOYING. And, that was 1985, the year the World Cup was in Mexico and I just happened to be visiting my parents there while my dad was tranferred for a year and he's all, "Make sure and see a game or get me something that has World Cup on it." And I said...."...i don't think so..." I actually did get a beach towel that said World Cup Mexico on it, but it was for ME .

So, the whole world cup thing isn't that much a big deal here, so if the US loses, don't feel too bad for us. We'll survive. Its when our American Football(not soccer) teams lose that we tend to get testy.

As for my perception of British people...I LOVE British people. I can't think of one British person (well, except for Drew, the Scottish boyfriend, who was okay...just annoying...and ended up breaking up with me because I didn't tan well ... guess it wasn't meant to be ) I've ever met that I didn't like. Although, my husband's boss is English and his friend that he works with, his wife is English and I keep suggesting to my husband that he invite them to our house so I can make them tea...but they never seem to take me up on it... I can't imagine why...

So, my vote on Football/Soccer...I'd rather eat glass...thanks for asking...

People can show their nationality in any way they choose. Last time I checked, we are still a free country and if people want to display the flag over their whole being then bloody let them. It isn't only restricted to sun readers and the like-what a narrowminded view point. Waving an England flag does not automatically make you a thug. Causing violence does. Don't label everyone the same (i.e thugs, racists, etc.) just for showing patriotism, we already have enough do-gooders doing that thank you very much.

You need to meet my neighbours up the street! They are British and bad Oh they give me some funny looks!

I had to ask my English partner about why it would be considered racist to fly the English flag. It's sort of the same thing here in the US about folks in the south wanting to fly the Confederate flag. The big difference is that the English flag IS the official flag of the country.

About footy: I admit that, before I knew my partner, all I knew about "soccer" was the term "soccer mom" (a very pretty suburban mom who takes her kids to soccer). Now, I know all the lingo--striker, goalie, pitch, etc. And I know lots of football songs ("Who's eaten all the pies?, whose eaten all the pies?" and "E-I-E-I-E-I-O, up the football league we go...")

For my partner, football is as close to a religion as he will ever get. And I can see why--I saw my first ever match in Preston last year when we were visiting. The atmosphere was electric!

So while I can't say at this moment that I am a die-hard fan, I will say that it is growing on me....