Euro 2004

[noel]

One thing the old timers didn't master is the art of diving. Surely honed to perfection by the modern boys.
Must make refereeing a nightmare.

[Guest 01]

The last soccer games I watched on a football ground up to 1958 were on PNE's territory and it was always an enjoyable experience -even if North End lost!!
We may have chunnered a bit if they did lose -but there was no running mascara and very little raw aggression showed -except maybe a post -mortem or two made in good heart as we trudged home.
Tom Finney was a great ambassador for the game -a man with his feet firmly on the ground -not like the ridiculously over paid so-called 'stars 'of today.I remember him willingly chatting to us kids at St James School Lostock Hall while he did some repair work there.
I was astounded to watch the recent games and see to what 'depths' the beautiful game 'has sunk.
Seems to me if you can't get the ball by clever footwork ,never mind -just a 'robust' tackle will do-even if it means slowing down the game.Or maybe a theatrical dive will do the trick.
Blame everyone and everything except your own poor performance.
The result is all that matters -as long as you win.What an attitude!
Anyway I shall watch the rest of the games and hope that the best team win ,without recourse to blatant fouls and disputed referee's decisions.
Martin -this can only be my humble opinion and no reflection on the Forum.

[William R]

Page 33 of today`s Daily Express publishes an article by Geoff Maynard giving the news that the Swiss referee, Urs Meier, has received many "death threats" since his e-mail address was revealed in 16000 e-mails. He has been advised by police not to return home for the time being for his own safety. Is this the depths to which we have sunk? He says "they`re after me because I made the only decision possible. Everyone can see I was right. Except in England." Thank you, England supporters for showing your true colours, not the flag of our Patron Saint, but the yellow of the coward who cannot believe the truth when faced with it, and must bring this Country into world-wide disrepute by their actions and anonymity. Of course this can only be my opinion, not Forum policy. There is also a little snippet saying that "Mindless football hooligans defaced a portrait of David Beckham yesterday with the words "You Loosers". This was in an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. `Nuff said, W.R.

[LDunlop76]

Oh dear!

[Martin]

Sports do seem to bring out aggressive tendancies in people or, people with aggressive tendancies have to have an excuse for what they do.

[Guest 01]

Don't get me wrong-I do believe that a certain amount of aggression is necessary if a team or individual wants to win-and we all like to be successful in our undertakings, but I do not like the over -the- top re-actions to perceived failure.It sends out wrong signals to the young and impressionable-in my view.
Take Henman-he achieved great success to reach the level he did-so why not say well done -instead of all the doom and gloom emotional responses.
Mind you I do remember with all honesty the black and blue shins and worse after a 'robust'game of hockey.
LG