Murray saves English face
Tue Jun 30 08:52AM
At least England U21s got their timing right. If you're going to lose 4-0 to Germany in your biggest match for 25 years, you should probably do it while Andy Murray is locked in a five-setter.
Despite Sky Sports News's valiant insistence that the football is their lead story, there is only one sporting water cooler topic today, and that is Murray's antics under the roof at Wimbledon.
Well, that and the South Africa rugby coach's claim that anyone who doesn't like having their eyes gouged out should put on a tutu and take up ballet instead (that's the kind of comment that could convince ED rugby is a good thing).
For a man who once said he would support anyone but England at the World Cup, young Murray has done our Euro-flops a service by sparing them from public ridicule.
Whenever England play Germany, the tabloids love to go on about the war, casting the players as major historical characters.
If England played the part of any wartime figure last night it was not Churchill or Montgomery, but the Czech Sudetenland; reduced to looking on helplessly as they were completely overrun.
England, in fairness, were not that bad. It was just one of those occasions when you are reminded that football is about goals and nothing else.
Whatever the balance of play, however many shots on target or corners you register, if you lose 4-0 it's a drubbing. Even if your goalie just chucks the ball into his own net four times, which poor Scott Loach might as well have done in lieu of his calamitous display. England would have been better off with Ken Loach in goal.
As it turned out, Joe Hart's shenanigans in the semi-final shoot-out - picking up a yellow card that ruled him out of the final - proved costly to the tune of at least two goals. Although you might suggest it serves Hart right for being such a cocky beggar.
The pages of German scandal sheet Bild are surprisingly light on triumphalism this morning, which makes things all the more depressing.
The Germans knew they were going to win, so they see little reason to crow about it now they have done so.
- - -
Chelsea's appeal against the Champions League bans handed out to Didier Drogba
and Jose Bosingwa is another massive own-goal from football's most paranoid PR
machine.
The four-match sanction handed out to Bosingwa for comments made about referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea's defeat against Barcelona might seem a little harsh, but you can hardly expect to call the ref a cheat and get away with it.
Drogba's behaviour, while hilarious and the kind of thing ED would like to see after every match, was clearly unacceptable.
Six matches - in rugby terms more than a sucker punch but less than a gouge - seems like a reasonable punishment for screaming obscenities down a camera lens during prime time. There is no place for that in football; after all, what do you think Kitchen Nightmares is for?
Regardless of the suspensions' merits, what makes Chelsea look petulant and foolish is that their appeal has absolutely no chance of succeeding.
Drogba's crazy-eyed dissent was the kind of thing the authorities cannot abide - particularly as he was using their equipment to vent his expletive-strewn views on Ovrebo.
He could not have made himself any more unpopular with the powers-that-be if he had arranged for a courier to deliver a dog turd direct to the doorstep of UEFA HQ in Switzerland.
Chelsea's statement described the punishments "unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances," a particularly petty remark that showed they have no intention whatsoever of chalking Ovrebo's admittedly pitiful performance down to experience.
The Norwegian obviously had a bad game but it was not one-way traffic as he sent Barcelona's Eric Abidal off for a tangle of legs. And the Jamie Redknapp line that a referee from "a country like Norway" could never be any good was undermined somewhat by the fact that the bloke who reffed the final was Swiss.
Chelsea could have taken the high ground. They could issued a statement expressing disappointment at the severity of the punishments, but saying they would accept them for the good of the game.
Instead, they have launched an appeal that is clearly doomed to failure and they are going to look like idiots.
Unless it succeeds, in which case ED will look like an idiot.
- - -
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If I have the chance to play for Barcelona, I'd be really happy." The
fiercely loyal Andrei Arshavin seeks a way out of his 50 per cent income tax
hell in North London.
FOREIGN VIEW: Santa Fe's Uruguayan coach Ruben Israel resigned after being threatened with death if he did not quit, the Colombian club's president Armando Farfan has said.
Israel had not yet taken charge of a match.
"Yesterday he received several calls with threats on his life and those of his family, calls we can't understand because he hasn't even stepped onto the grass in the stadium," Farfan said.
He said the club would meet with Israel to try to make him change his mind by offering him security guarantees.
He added the person that made the threatening calls claimed to be a member of hard core fans of Santa Fe, six-times champions but seeking their first title in 34 years.
Israel, 51, was appointed to replace former Colombia and Ecuador coach Hernan Dario Gomez, who quit after Santa Fe's failure to reach the semi-finals. He led Libertad to Paraguayan league titles in 2007 and 2008.
COMING UP: Look, Elena Dementieva v Francesca Schiavone might not have quite the same appeal as Murray or Federer, but it's Wimbledon. You can at least pretend to be interested.
- - -
In light of some epic stupidity on the message board below, Early Doors would like to confirm it does not think Andy Murray is English. He's Scottish. ED knows this. The headline does not suggest otherwise.
24 - Oh I see Andy. You waiting for the Villa shirt with 'Owen' on the back huh? No worries mate. Just don't get sunburnt!
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 09:50AMWho paid for him to train in America the Scots were a bit tight lipped about that yesterday???????
From annieh97 on Tue Jun 30 09:51AMWatched the match last night, and to quote the Great Turnip, "did we not like that"!!!!
Artti - Die deutsche Mannschaft spielte sehr gut gestern Abend. Glückwünsche, sie verdienten es wirklich. Endverlust-Kummer-Erfahrung wird für die englischen Kinder gut sein, so dass sie überrascht dadurch später im Leben nicht werden.
From edgar_friendly on Tue Jun 30 09:52AM22 - at least we have some colonies Art. From what I remember, Germanys attempts to colonise were, err, rather less succesful...
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 09:54AMSteve D, die Sie gut spielen nicht ermutigen, Artti oder wir werden nie die letzte es hören werden wir Ralph - haben einen guten Tag in der Sonne
From annieh97 on Tue Jun 30 09:55AM31-More worrying is our interest in Tuncay!! Him and Petrov isn't exactly the most industrious of midfields is it!!
From andy_lycett on Tue Jun 30 09:57AMI'm with Andy. Last one in's a cissy.
From james_ssmith on Tue Jun 30 09:58AMWhat does it matter whether he has a personality or not? He's winning, which isn't what the England U-21's did. It's a sad thing though when the Scots can't play the game they invented in the twelfth century and the English can't play a game they got from the French. Henry VIII could do better at Wimbledon.
I'm going for a swim later. (No, not in a sack, Nikyates)From james_ssmith on Tue Jun 30 10:01AMDanke die junge Dame. Die Sonne scheint, der Sand bläst überall, und ich bin in einem Abfall-Hotel gebracht worden. Es macht nichts, sich zu einem verschiedenen Hotel Morgen mit seinem eigenen Golfplatz bewegend. Das wird für mich tun!
And I bet you had to use an online translator!!!!!! The wonder of google, eh? I'm sticking to English from here on, as it is making my head sore!!!!
From edgar_friendly on Tue Jun 30 10:06AMWhy does murrays name have to be mentioned in the same breath as a mince england team, i dont follow tennis, rather watch paint dry but at the same time really pleased england got humped, be interesting to c who murray wins wimbledon for if he makes it to the final and wins, britain or scotland, never thought i'd say this, but, well done germany, england -get it up ye!!!
From alexaitken26 on Tue Jun 30 10:06AMMorning fellow ED-ers,
I think its about time Scotland started pulling there weight in terms of representing British sport. Chris Hoy and Andy Murray are exceptional sportsman and im glad they're BRITISH. Henman always called himself British when he was the sole surviving Brit at Wimbledon, why should it be different for Murray.
From jay8my on Tue Jun 30 10:07AMRory McIlroy is Irish ;)
From who_are_ya_85 on Tue Jun 30 10:10AMWhat are the odds that Alonso goes to Madrid and/or mascherano to Barca? I think the EPL would be poorer for the loss of either of them. Anyway, Crystal palace have signed Freddie Sears on a season-long loan, and Shefki Quki is gobbing off about Neil Warnock. I think Mr Warnock shares some MJ traits, cos the average age of our team next year is going to be about 12. 9 if you take Shaun Derry out of the equation. Another season of disappointment, no doubt!!! I wish I supported a big 4 team!!
From edgar_friendly on Tue Jun 30 10:10AMALREET BYES. GUD MARNANG WE ANNE, JEEMS SMATH BYE, ANDAY LYCATT BYE,DANNAY SEKS BYE OND MISTAR ADGER FRANDLAY BYE. WASH OPP?
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:10AMA HOV JAST SWALLAYED A LOAD DA EQUAYFRASH MOOTHWESH FAE ME BRACKFOST.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:12AMOND ATS MADE ME TAMMAY SAR. GAV AT A RUB FA MAY WEE ANNE.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:14AMthe headline makes no sense, We´re not talking about Great Britain here are we???? England - scotland??? might as well be USA-North Korea?¿?¿? the both hate each other
From carlosbrigante2000 on Tue Jun 30 10:14AMOND GUD MARNANG JAY BYE OND KAVINKAN. A DADANT SE YEES BYES THAR.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:15AMOND GUD MARNANG JAY BYE OND KAVINKAN. A DADANT SE YEES BYES THAR.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:15AMIn answer to an earlier question, Murray was funded in part, as a junior, by the LTA. So he could be a little more magnanamous about things. The only good thing about tennis is the ladies game!!!! As a spectator pastime, it certainly helps me pass the time!!!
From edgar_friendly on Tue Jun 30 10:16AMDAD YEES SEA WE ANDAY PLAYSAN ANDAR THA NEW ROOF LAS NEET BYES? ME WEE DOOGIE NAVAR S HAT HES FACE THA HOWL METCH. ALS HE KAPED SAYAN WAS ROOF ROOF ROOF ROOF.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:17AM41 - Good point Jase but you often fiund this is the case. On all surveys I put myself down as British. But my Scottish friends classify themselves as Scottish, and my Welsh friends Welsh. Despite Wales not even being a country. But you aren't allowed to tell them that.
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 10:17AMdie deutsche Mannschaft betrogan!! sie spielt manner gegen jungen...sie tun immer das!!!
From chrisw7892000 on Tue Jun 30 10:22AMandy murray, i hope you lose !!!!!! just returning the compliment
From nigelphysick on Tue Jun 30 10:22AMDACTAR DACTAR A FINK A HOV TYRATTS SINDRAME FACKAN WENKAR, CANTFACE BOSTURD, WENKAR, CANT! DACTAR: GAT OOT AV ME SARGARAY OND CAME BECK WHA YE HAY LARNED SAM MONNARS.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:23AMJust to remind you guys that Andy Murray is from SCOTLAND!!! If he was beaten last night he would have been "BRANDED SCOTTISH", but since he is winning he is BRITISH not English. Why is the headline "Saving English Face" I cannot seem to get my head round this??? Come on Andy and win your first Grand Slam!!!
From jasonmiller659 on Tue Jun 30 10:23AM52 - Danny, am with you on that. Wales is a Principality, not a country. I'm a Welshman, but most often describe myself as British. (If only to avoid the now-boring sheep references.) I have a British passport, not a Welsh one. I can understand patriotism. If Wales are playing England (or anyone else for that matter) I will support Wales. As Wales don't manage to ever qualify for major footballing tournaments, I will always support England. There's nowt wrong with that, is there?
From edgar_friendly on Tue Jun 30 10:25AMDanny 52 LOL
Donney - Alreet wee mon, i dad see wee undy onder thar nuu ruuf, at wash gleat.From jay8my on Tue Jun 30 10:25AMThanks Steve at least I know now why they brushed that fact under the table
From annieh97 on Tue Jun 30 10:26AMexcuse me arttidesco,,WE ARE NOT A COLONIE OF ENGLAND,,AND NEVER WILL BE,,no offence meant England
From alastair.macmillan2 on Tue Jun 30 10:28AM
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