So here we are! England are facing Germany
After an improved although still unconvincing performance against Slovenia , England have avoided the ignominious fate of Italy and France
And these are the games headline writers dream of. It’s a chance for a paper to indulge in jingoistic triumphalism completely unchallenged. The nation smirks knowingly at headlines such as:
It’s War! (accompanied by a picture of Wayne Rooney wearing a pith helmet – Daily Star);
All Out Roar! Our Boys Are Ready for Battle
Your Country Needs Roo (more pictures of Rooney in Dad’s Army kit – more than one tabloid)
He’s Coming to Get Roo (more pictures of … I’m sure you get the idea – The Sun)
Oh, and today’s Daily Star goes for the simple eloquence of:
We’ll Stuff the Germans!
Someone, somewhere (genius!) engineered a trip for the German squad on safari, which gave editors up and down the country the opportunity to run pictures of timid looking Germans hiding in their coach, whilst lions strutted around in the foreground. Three lions, terrified Germans etc – you can do the rest yourself..
The fact that the England/Germany rivalry is distinctly one-sided doesn’t seem to bother anyone here. To a man, any German personality asked about the game is polite, respectful and ever-so-slightly bemused by the whirlwind of religious enthusiasm they find themselves faced with. And this is not even because they are cold and dispassionate about matters of the heart and spleen (as the English also like to think) - they have their own perfectly good nastiness with the Dutch – they’re just not that excited about England
It mattes not. A nation is waking up, pulling on their three lions shirts, painting crosses of St George on their faces and starting off for the pub, hearts a flutter, just hoping it doesn’t all go to penalties…
Newsodrome
El Octagono
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