More Whine, Garcon

‘HERE’S a question for you. Which country’s sporting teams can be described as “professional”, “reliable” and ”arrogant”?

‘And now you’ve got my shirt dirty’

Yes, it’s us. No, it’s not the Germans. Well, it is, but it’s now the English as well. As Martin Samuels writes in the Times, Clive Woodward’s England are the Germany of rugby union.

Of course, being the new Germans you might expect the French to love us, to open their arms out wide, to build huge boulevards through which we can parade our might.

But they are not. The Telegraph hears that they think we are lower than George Gregan’s knees.

“We have always felt a lot of arrogance coming through from England players and their supporters,” says France wing Aurelien Rougerie.

Oh dear, oh dear! It’s clear that England have got right under the skin of their opponents.

And the French reaction gives an added option to the question ‘what is a Frenchman’s favourite whine?’ Is it a) White; b) Red; or c) That Englishman’s looking at me funny?

And so it goes on, as France lock Jerome Thion says how the English are just so, well, arrogant.

He invites us to go and ask the Australians what they think – “I don’t think they have much love for the Poms as they call them.”

You might have thought the Australians had little love for the French, but given their common ability to moan and whinge, it looks like the beginnings of a great holiday romance.

Looking past the sniping and the Guardian’s shot of brave French skipper Fabien Galthie jumping clear of a small wave on Bondi Beach, the paper reminds us all about Rio Ferdinand.

You’ll remember that Ferdinand was not so long ago the scourge of English football. He’d missed a drugs test and that was very bad. And weeks on, he’s still playing football.

And this has got to change. So from next season, as the paper says, players in Rio’s situation will be suspended immediately. They will not be allowed to play on while they protest their innocence and lawyers and clubs cloud the issue.

In addition, the Football Association says that from next season any player given a red card will be banned for the following game.

If this sounds like sensible stuff to you, as it does to us, send a letter to the FA and ask them what they are up to. Sense has never been the FA’s stock in trade.’

Posted: 12th, November 2003 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink