SF2: Croatia v England

[Uppercut]

But it is not as if certain English players of the past have not set themselves up for a media deconstruction job, bed hopping, crashing Lamborghinis and racism being just some of the shenanigans indulged.

Fine, but those aren't really the events that come to mind are they? Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor crashed very few Lamborghinis and copped more abuse than anyone.

 

[wpdavid]

The Sterling bull**** is exclusively because he's black. Nothing else to it. If nothing was different except he was white he'd be beloved in the press for all the charity stuff he does for underprivileged kids.

Not entirely convinced about your first point. I don't have to flog my memory too hard to think of lots of black England players who never copped any abuse at all.

I think it's more down to a perception that he massively under-achieves for his country, if you choose to judge a player in his position by little things like goals and assists. And yes, I know his stats for City were fine, but once you're in the national side, that's where you should be judged. Otherwise Graeme Hick and Mark Ramprakash would be viewed as two of the finest batsmen ever to draw breath.

 

[Spark]

Wasn't he copping garbage while he was still playing for Liverpool and not even in the national side yet?

And, I mean, "he doesn't score enough for England" is a pretty poor justification for writing articles on whether he eats breakfast or not.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah the abuse predates the underperformance by a year or two. Quite likely that the underperformance partly results from the abuse.

It can be traced back to the wave of attacks from ex-Liverpool players in the media after he decided to leave and gave those interviews about it. Then the rags took the opportunity to turn him into a hate figure to play on the prejudices of their readership.

 

[Burgey]

He got a gun tattoo on his leg and flew on a budget airline. Which means he's a terrible person.

That’s probably true tbf.

 

[Burgey]

Oh yeah he's been targeted for years. https://twitter.com/adamkeyworth/status/1001218545588502530?lang=en

I think England should win this one quite easily fwiw. Croatia probably have better players but are less than the sum of their parts. Really unusual dynamic given that England are the big name.

That’s ****ing terrible. Hope he scores a hat trick tomorrow (in a 4-3 loss of course).

 

[GIMH]

I do think him being black plays a huge part tbh. Up here it’s definitely the Liverpool thing too but otherwise I’m with Smooteh.

 

[Niall]

Guys, 27 posts in and we are missing the obvious?

 

[Niall]

But amazing pop songs aside, England probably win, Croatia must be knackered. Not enough quality in there side once you get past the immense midfield. Mandzukic especially is bang average.

 

[Furball]

Oh yeah he's been targeted for years. https://twitter.com/adamkeyworth/status/1001218545588502530?lang=en

I think England should win this one quite easily fwiw. Croatia probably have better players but are less than the sum of their parts. Really unusual dynamic given that England are the big name.

So he gets it in the neck for flying on a private jet yet also gets criticised for flying on Easyjet.

OK.

 

[Furball]

Wasn't he copping garbage while he was still playing for Liverpool and not even in the national side yet?

And, I mean, "he doesn't score enough for England" is a pretty poor justification for writing articles on whether he eats breakfast or not.

He copped garbage because he had the temerity to demand what he was worth when Liverpool tried to cheap out on the new contract they were offering him.

 

[cpr]

A thing that's biting at me is its all very well and good the pundits sticking up for him, but lets not forget that the stick the press are beating him with (arrogant, entitled, selfish, etc etc) are all the ones the Liverpool old boys started flinging in the first place when he wanted to leave. Rather than sell the obvious positives of staying at Liverpool (the history of nurturing young British talent than no one expected Pep to do, game time no one believed he'd get.... maybe they actually knew there were no positives....), they went for the negative cheap digs at the boys personality. The **** stuck, and the papers now cash in on it because its what Baz, 39 from Luton believes. I'd bloody love one of the pundits to admit this on TV, even better if its one of the Liverpool boys (basically only Lawro at the WC isn't it?)

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I think it's more down to a perception that he massively under-achieves for his country, if you choose to judge a player in his position by little things like goals and assists. And yes, I know his stats for City were fine, but once you're in the national side, that's where you should be judged. Otherwise Graeme Hick and Mark Ramprakash would be viewed as two of the finest batsmen ever to draw breath.

I think you should check in on last seasons' stats and then check in on the definition of 'fine'.

 

[wpdavid]

I think you should check in on last seasons' stats and then check in on the definition of 'fine'.

Well done mate.

 

[Shri]

The Sterling bull**** is exclusively because he's black. Nothing else to it. If nothing was different except he was white he'd be beloved in the press for all the charity stuff he does for underprivileged kids.

Also looks like a gay guy trying way too hard to look straight.

 

[sledger]

Also looks like a gay guy trying way too hard to look straight.

dire

 

[Shri]

Not looks, acts.

 

[sledger]

Not looks, acts.

wtf does this even mean?

 

[Shri]

A gf that doesn't care if he hires hookers. Flying a teen over etc.

 

[sledger]

Hmmm. Ok.