Early Doors - Your morning briefing blog

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.

Comments61 - 90 of 307
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Andy Murray is Scottish FFS!!! When he's winning you all call him British just so you can try to take some of the credit for his success, BUT when he's not winning he is very definately Scottish so you take no responsibility...And yet you wonder why nobody likes you!!!
From dougallmain on Tue Jun 30 10:30AM
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PARSONALLY SPEEKANG WHAN WE ANDAY AS WANNANG A AS A SCOATTASH BYE OND WHAN HE LOSSES HE AS A BRATASH BYE.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:31AM
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jasonmiller659 Andy Murray said that comment when he was 18, (about how the media brand him when he wins or loses). It was an immature comment to make and it wasn't meant as an insult to english people just the english media. He also recently said it doesn't matter if people are waving English flags at him as long as they are supporting him.
From jay8my on Tue Jun 30 10:34AM
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Morning Donney bet you are thrilled with the wee lad winning last night
From annieh97 on Tue Jun 30 10:35AM
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dougallmain - You immature @#$%. It was the MEDIA that branded him that and it was once, and 4 years ago. Murray got over it why cant you. Those 15,000 people supporting Murray on Centre Court are British, some Scottish and some English. Why did u guys never call Tim Henman English all those years ago when he was the last Brit left in Wimbledon. Brit-Scottish thing didn't seem to matter then.
From jay8my on Tue Jun 30 10:38AM
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57 - nope mate, nothing wrong at all! Thats why the headline on ED is just there to provoke a discussion. There is no way a Scot in Wimbledon can really be associated with easing the pain of an English football fan. He would be more inclined to want MORE pain I'm sure! LOL
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 10:41AM
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Saves English face????? He's not even English!!!! He's a racist Scottish @#$%!!
From mobile_clay on Tue Jun 30 10:42AM
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why cant you dummies read the headline properly? The great number of viewers watched the tennis all evening, i.e. Murray, therefore were not watching the failed footie match? Get it? from Granny
From jowigwam on Tue Jun 30 10:47AM
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The quality of reporting on here goes from bad to worse. Murray is Scottish AND British, but certainly should not be charged for saving the face of English sport. I'm Scottish, have tons of English friends, and enjoy travelling all over the UK, but Scottish people tend to dislike the English football team, not because they are English but because of the media reaction. If we didn't have to watch our sport through patriotic English commentators, in time, I think the Scots would be behind the English...
From davidross_206 on Tue Jun 30 10:47AM
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why cant you dummies read the headline properly? The great number of viewers watched the tennis all evening, i.e. Murray, therefore were not watching the failed footie match? Get it? from Granny
From jowigwam on Tue Jun 30 10:47AM
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When George Best was asked what he would be if he wasn’t a footballer, he said he would be out in the streets shooting Catholics. I think he was British and not Irish
From who_are_ya_85 on Tue Jun 30 10:48AM
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Shall we start with Journalism 101?
Headline "A large bold print statement to draw the readers attention to an article"
From andy_lycett on Tue Jun 30 10:49AM
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I A WASH FRILED WE ANNE OND SO WAS WEE BARRIE. HE HOD ALAT TAY SAY ABOOT THA NEW ROOF SA HE DAD. HES STIL GOAN ON ABOOT AT THAS MARNAN ROOF ROOF ROOF ROOF ROOF NAN STAP.
From donneybye on Tue Jun 30 10:49AM
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It's sad to see the English duped so easily by their media....Murray is not an English hater, his girlfriend is English. He also never said he hated the English, he was replying to a stupid & provocative comment from an English journo (no surprise there...) who tried to take the p*** out of him being Scottish. He was lucky he didn't get whacked, never mind get a caustic comment back in return! As to his personality...what personality did Tim have???? Borg, Connors???? Give us a break and grow up, he's a professional sportsman who wants to win & will fight to win, more than can be said about some others....
From iain_grogan on Tue Jun 30 10:51AM
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AFTER THE FOOTBALL' LESSONS THAT ITALY GAVE TO GERMANY THEY WON,
GERMANY DON'T DESERVE.
IN MY NEUTRAL OPINION ITALY SHOWED BETTER FOOTBALL IN THIS COMPETITION
THEY WERE VERY UNLUCKY
I SAW A WONDERFUL ENGLAND IN THIS TOURNAMENT VERY STRANGE THAT THEY LOST AGAINST GERMANY!! ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT THEY PLAYED WITHOUT 4 PLAYER OUT FOR RED CARD
SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH
From hadbook61 on Tue Jun 30 10:51AM
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67 - How is Murray a racist? The English aren't a race.
From dons8321 on Tue Jun 30 10:52AM
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72 - Very true Andy. Thing is, ED have been really @#$% at headlines recently. Bet we could do better. How about 'England sucks, Murrays mint'?
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 10:53AM
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England trounced by Gernany 4- when the likes of Theo and Agbonlaho was playing? what a joke these premierships boys
From attaha on Tue Jun 30 10:54AM
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THIS HEADLINE IS STUPID!! I AGREE WITH the-rop
JUST BECAUSE ENGLAND LOST A STUPID FOOTBALL MATCH???
From hadbook61 on Tue Jun 30 10:56AM
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Jay this has nothing to do with Murray this is all to do with the Scots hatred of the English but dont worry too much about it at least they paid for the Wimbledon roof for us - GO SCOTS wuhoooo
From annieh97 on Tue Jun 30 10:58AM
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79 - what have I said about interrupting me when I'm on the football blog? I'll see you when I get home!
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 10:58AM
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78-Gabby wasn't playing (he is in tracksuit), but why let the truth get in the way of a stupid post??
From andy_lycett on Tue Jun 30 11:01AM
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#79 - Is his name steve?
From who_are_ya_85 on Tue Jun 30 11:01AM
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Andy Murray is a, porridge eating,caber-tossing,kilt-wearing,whiskey drinking,sheep worrying,Tenniser,who hides his rough Scottish heritage behind a thin veneer of English gentility...he is in short an Oatmeal Savage.
From jamikhunt on Tue Jun 30 11:01AM
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77-VG Gold star. Journalism 102 for you young Danny!!
From andy_lycett on Tue Jun 30 11:02AM
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85-Is that like a Hob Nob??
From andy_lycett on Tue Jun 30 11:06AM
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Jami - have you seen Murray??? the only caber he could @#$% is.....
From doobie.doobiedoo on Tue Jun 30 11:06AM
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84 - LOL. 86 - Thanks Andy. With that kinda recommendation a job at the Daily Star beckons...
From danny_saks on Tue Jun 30 11:06AM
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It's Crazy the amount of Rubbish you read on this. This whole article is a waste of time. Andy Murray is Scottish and its as simple as that. He doesnt like England and has stated that he would support any team that plays againts England.
People who refer to Andy as an Englishman should be shot. That is the biggest insult you could give a Scotsman.
Personaly I feel this Article should be removed !!!!
From kyle.jb86 on Tue Jun 30 11:07AM
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oh c.mon ED you t.oss a piece of paper i the bin!
From doobie.doobiedoo on Tue Jun 30 11:07AM
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