England!
Its almost that time again where we can don our bucket hats, drink warm lager from Spain and wear Retro England Jerseys that frankly are still better designs than anything post 00″s.
This is what we’ve lived off in terms of enjoyment and general happiness as an England supporter for many-a-summer.
England Fans
CUE! Gareth Southgate making us all whole-again. His first tournament in charge 2018 WORLD CUP in Russia brought us a new understanding of what we could achieve, the last time an England side got this far into a competition the world was in motion and Stuart Peace was smashing a penalty against Bodo Illgners legs.
Those same legs still providing us with 58 years of hurt.
Stuart Peace steps up to take his penalty in 1990 World Cup Semi-Final.
Fast Forward a remarkable EURO 2020 FINAL with a heart-breaking shootout defeat to Italy and a 2022 WORLD CUP QATAR QUARTER-FINAL defeat to France we start to build a picture that life hasn’t been so bad as an England supporter in recent times.
Need we mention Harry Kane’s 80th minute penalty strike.
Reasons for genuine excitement leading into EURO 2024 in Germany sit firmly with names like Bellingham; Saka; Foden; Watkins and of course Southgate. However, the former mentioned has come in for unlikely criticism in the qualifying for this tournament. A team selection including old guardianship of Henderson plying his trade in Saudi Arabia and Maguire who certainly isn’t playing regular first team football at Old Trafford begs the question…Does Southgate have the balls to go all the way with England.
Jude Bellingham
I mention years of hurt and Retro number 19 jerseys but surely this year England stand in great steed to finally lift an International Trophy. If Baddiel and Skinner no longer sing it from the rafters then your local BOXPARK certainly will…a tradition I’m sure we’ve all seen.
Maybe it does take someone who’s prepared to stick his neck out and play the form players, someone like the late Terry Venables. His sad passing last week reminding us all of his entertaining and attacking style of play that wowed England supporters in that hazy summer of 1996. Shearer’s opening goal against the Swiss, Sherringham’s thumper against the Dutch and of course…Gazza against the Scots.
Lets hope some of that Venables magic, charisma and charm has rubbed off on the new guard as we hear the chants of “He who does not stand is an Englishman” from opposing stanchions this summer.
Terry Venables leads England during that hazy summer of Euro 96.
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