Why did England get booed so much and so often during those early Euro games? Players had missiles thrown at them, even St Gareth. Family and relations of the players, even the lesser-known figures confined to the bench, also had abuse, beer and coffee hurled at them by fans nearby sitting watching games in the posh seats. Fans are meant to be supporters, loyal to the team, who love the players and their country. Why else have they travelled all that way and at such expense? Because England played shite. That’s the simple answer.
I was more surprised when Belgium got booed off the pitch after a goal-less draw with Ukraine. There were jeers and whistles aimed at Kevin de Bruyne, a brilliant player and national hero. And I think it is because modern fans of the top football countries, very like modern players, feel entitled, though in a different way, expecting different rewards. England and Belgium were among the hot favourites when it all began, and their fans got carried away, expecting excellence or at least entertainment. They feel personally let down when their lauded, pampered heroes don’t provide what they, the fans, have expected, or have led themselves to believe would happen. The deluded fools.
I don’t think fans resent the massive salaries the top players earn, millions a year at every Premier League club. Not if they are doing the business. But if not, the fans turn angry. Perhaps the abuse is more prevalent today because of the effects of social media. It is so easy today to rubbish and attack our heroes and celebs rather than worship them. Perhaps England and Belgium and the other leading countries, their players and fans, have grown to assume they are always going to stuff the lesser counties, way down the pecking order, with small populations and players we have mostly not heard of.
I did not recognise any of the names or faces in the Georgian team, now defeated by Spain. They are rated just 74th in the world, with a population of only four million. But they still beat Portugal, a football superpower, which had the superstar Ronaldo on the pitch. And of course that victory was greeted by ecstasy back home in Georgia, one of the greatest moments in the country’s history. I rather envied them their joy.
These small countries – Slovakia, Serbia – watch all the Premier League games and of course know all our superstars and superteams, and probably feel quite inferior at their own status and achievements. So how lovely and satisfying to give us all and themselves a surprise. Switzerland beating Germany 3-1 was probably the best such example so far.
Austria, Turkey, Romania, middle-ranking in the world order, all did pretty well and I enjoyed watching them. Being organised and sensible, working hard, pulling together, and not being expected to get to the final does help. One of the explanations for England’s poor play has been that the players are tired (poor petals!) after a long, hard season. But all players appearing at the Euros have had long seasons.
Watching the might of Ingerland take on little, humble Slovakia in the first of the knock-out games, I half wanted them to be beaten, to get sent packing, so it would be all over. They had given me such a headache in each game so far. We wouldn’t have to worry about them for another year. Phew. Gareth could take holy orders and become vicar of a tiny parish on Teesside. Peace at last.
But amazingly, after another 90 boring minutes followed by a Jude Bellingham spectacle, England somehow managed to beat Slovakia. We foolish, self-deluded fans now now tell ourselves the best is yet to come. We can’t keep playing rubbish for ever, I suppose.