We'll Support You Evermore

Well at 5pm my time Friday the "Greatest Show On Earth" finally kicked off. I was desperate to beat the kick off with this post but as Blogger has been fucked for the last couple of days I have been unable to get it up as it were!

Now as my nation failed to make the finals I assumed that I would be free to throw my not inconsiderable weight behind any nation I chose. However, according to the British press should I elect to follow/support any nation but England I am nothing more than a petty minded racist. Boo fucking hoo! I have to say that I have been accused of worse things by better than the scandal mongering redtops.

Let's consider the World Cup itself. The World Cup should be a celebration of everything that is good about world football/soccer. This years event in the unified Germany is perhaps the most open in years, if not decades, with a wide selection of teams genuinely having a chance to claim the trophy. Defending champions Brazil again look like the team to beat although South American neighbours Argentina may have something to say about that.

From a European point of view perennial under achievers Spain have something to prove, Portugal seem to improve with each competition, Germany as host cannot be discounted and France won the bloody thing only eight years ago. Engerlund, as the thick necked, narrow minded fan likes to call them arguably boast the best midfield of the tournament in Lampard, Gerrard, Cole and Beckham. Each one a potential match winner in their own right. My gut feeling however is that Italy led by Luca Toni could be the team to beat.

In spite of all this evidence I believe that this tournament could throw up a couple of surprise packages. Ghana look like a strong team following their exploits in the Olympic tournament a couple of years ago whilst Ukraine and Australia could make an impact if they are capable of making it out of their respective groups.

Anyhoo back to the racist allegations being randomly tossed around by the gutter press. Scotland as I am sure you know borders England and forms a part of the United Kingdom. Our neighbours seem to feel that this is sufficent to ensure that each and every Scotsman and Woman will support England and anyone who dares not to is obviously a xenophobic racist.

Sorry guys! once again you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier my team (Scotland) did not qualify. I am therefore free to support anyone I like in this tournament and personally I will be keeping an eye on Poland, Japan, Australia and Sweden as each country features a player/s who have represented my club side of choice.

Rearding this racist shit that has been bandied about, I'd like to ask the question how many Canadians will support the USA?, how many Danes will cheer for Germany?, will there be many Iraqis following Iran? Will the Belgians be expected to support the Dutch?

Of course they won't. Does this make each of these nations racist? Of course it doesn't. I for one cannot see what is racist about wanting to see your fiercest rival fail.

I think the more pertinent question is why do England want our support that badly?

Is it because the "Tartan Army" is welcomed everywhere they go? unlike the scum that follows England or is it simply a public display of self conciousness and lack of belief on the part of our southern cousins? Do they really have such a skewed view of nationalistic pride that they hate Scotland more than they love England? If Scotland had managed to qualify for the tournament I personally would not have given a flying fuck whether our southern neigbours were behind us or not.

I personally don't care. I will continue to support only two international teams...Scotland and whoever is playing England. If this makes me a bigoted racist then so be it. Believe me when I say that I will not lose any sleep over this.

I will continue my rant tomorrow when I'll clarify my reasons for not supporting a team as gifted as England undoubtedly are.

Nighty night.