Just interested in what regular HS people have to say.
Do we retain our age old prejudice against the Sassanach???
This team have been cast as a more humble, likeable bunch. Southgate seems like a decent enough person.
Personally I hope the Italians beat them out the gate,
Sterling dived, fans shining lasers at Schmeichel etc. etc.
Forza Iralia...

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1990 - 08/07/2021 12:37:54    2357644

Hope the Italians annihilate them. Forza Italia

Meath10 (Meath) - Posts: 198 - 08/07/2021 12:44:59    2357647

There's a certain set of people in Irish society who feel very sophisticated and enlightened. They like to tell us how to think and feel about England. We're immature and hate filled not to wish them well. It's time to rid ourselves of our 'inferiority complex's etc.

BS. The gut says no. As a nation, not as individuals, because of their current and past establishment, and colonial exploitation, I don't want to see them winning something that would mean so much to them. Something that would be used as another jingoistic string to their bow.

CC2020 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 173 - 08/07/2021 12:57:40    2357652

It would be like wanting Meath to win.

Morty (Westmeath) - Posts: 209 - 08/07/2021 13:06:13    2357656

I hope England win.
So many of those who will be claiming anyone but england will go back in few weeks time to crying their endless support for the same players in the premier league.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3746 - 08/07/2021 13:06:25    2357657

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2288 - 08/07/2021 13:18:24    2357661

Come on Italy, although before the tournament I thought England had no chance of winning they've been absolutely haunted with the teams they've avoided and of course playing the majority of their games at home as well makes it easier because home advantage is massive as we all know so they'll have a great chance in the final.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 08/07/2021 13:22:40    2357663

The vast majority of their fans booed the Danish national anthem again last night. The English media are obnoxious and arrogant when it comes to the national team.

On Talksport one of the presenters said he didn't care that it was a dive....that same presenter tore into Mo Salah two years ago for diving....so they can never slate a player for diving again.

Italy to win the final.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11540 - 08/07/2021 13:23:02    2357664

I'm so so on it really, i was hoping the Danes would go all the way, the story of them players lifting the trophy 4 weeks after seeing their team teammate essentially brought back to life on the pitch would have been amazing.

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 08/07/2021 13:23:55    2357665

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 08/07/2021 13:37:39    2357669

Any team in any sport who need to resort to cheating in order to win a major game should be called out and discredited, I mean diving is nearly up there with pulling opposition players to the ground.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 08/07/2021 13:39:34    2357670

I have no ill will towards the team or southgate....all of the squad are grand lads I suppose and very good footballers.

A lot english support and a fair bit of their media are unbearable.

Out of the 4 teams left, I was really hoping for Denmark to go all the way.

Forza Italia. Sta' tornando a casa.

Gator (Monaghan) - Posts: 238 - 08/07/2021 13:42:15    2357672

Army band, Royal Family, Boris Johnson, Three Lions, celeb patriots, reformed radicals.

This is not a football game but choreographed ersatz imperialism.

Let our hearts go out to the gallant little Danes fighting for the Rest of the World tonight in Wembley's cauldron of hate.

Eamonn McCann doesn't mince his words.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 08/07/2021 13:45:47    2357673

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 08/07/2021 13:58:13    2357675

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2288 - 08/07/2021 13:59:23    2357676

Expecting an Italian win followed by the Springboks tanking the Brits in the rugby

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 08/07/2021 14:02:16    2357677

The team are a likable set of lads and so the manager. From a purely footballing point of view, if they win it good luck to them. They've ridden their luck a bit what with the draw, home advantage and the questionable penalty decision last night. But that's the way the cards fell and they've just gone with it.

But it's that section of their fanbase, that everyone knows about. Right-wing, jingoistic, triumphalist, disrespecting other national anthems, trashing city centers etc. They simply make it impossible for neutrals to like the England team & want them to do well. Plus, all their Brexit bull**** is simply intolerable to listen to. They've created a huge threat to peace in the North and all over some fantasy that they're returning to the days of Empire.

I think they'll struggle on Sunday to be honest. They have no control in midfield at all. I can see Italy controlling things in the engine room with Veratti and Jorginho pulling the strings. I think Italy will need to win it in 90 minutes though. England have serious options from the bench and Italy could struggle in extra time if that scenario plays out.
But I'll go with Italy 2-1 England

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9730 - 08/07/2021 14:17:15    2357683

I have lived in England for the past twenty years and a lot of my best friends are English, go the games proud English people. Although I would not bemoan England winning it for them I still can never bring myself to cheer on an England team. The current batch of players seem a likeable bunch bar the odd exception (Maguire for example), Rashford has been great in what he has done regarding free school meals, Henderson and Sterling have also spoken out on social issues. Southgate himself wrote a great piece on the team taking the knee. The current team also a thumb into the face to those people who want to keep England English, they are a great advertisement for the benefits of immigration, and it is great to see that the team are being supported by a much more diverse following than in the past.

But the reason I cannot support then is that the English football team appear to bring out the worst in certain English people. It is a minority but a vocal minority as demonstrating in the friendlies prior to the tournament when they booed their own players when they took the knee, versus Scotland when because they weren't beating little Scotland they booed the team off at half time and then last night they started to boo the Danish national anthem. Sadly the England national team seems to attract a large number of these bigoted morons. You also see people who may in polite company keep their views on certain matters to themselves when they get caught up in a crowd like this will quite happily start expressing their real feelings ( I have seen these first hand). Don't think I even need to mention what the English - Londoncentric media are like. One last point how can you want a team to win so that it allows Priti Patel to post victorious messages all over social media.

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 08/07/2021 14:25:56    2357684

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3746 - 08/07/2021 14:28:17    2357687

An injury free squad
Most matches played at home including final
Easy group
Easier side of the ko stage
An OG and a dodgy penalty got them to the final

They'll never get a better chance of winning an international tournament. Hopefully Italy can finish them off though. They've played the best football. I've admired several of their players for years now and have been impressed with some of the younger lads like Chiesa, Barella, Locatelli and Donnarumma. Italy are overdue a Euros too and hopefully this is their moment.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2557 - 08/07/2021 14:29:30    2357688