OK (to the sound of cracking knuckles)

Where are you watching it? What will the score be? What will the team be? Are we good enough to win? Do Geordies really care anymore/at all? Which of the 3 NE teams players should be in the squad? Will Xenophobia get the better of the fans?

LET'S GO!

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Answers

Maybe, 1-1, England, maybe, never did, Dyer + Philips, no

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

I care passionately, especially as I'm living in Germany. I'm watching at home on Sky. I've no doubt that England are capable of beating Germany, but everything really needs to click on the day. The Germans will give their usual 100% perfomance and we need to match that. Player for player I believe we're beter than them, but too often the England players haven't come together as a team. I suppose now we'll see how good SGE is. If he can organise them and get them up for this match we'll win!

Come on England!

p.s. Since Dyer isn't fit I don't think any NE players should be in the squad.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

2-2, not enough to win the group, England to qualify through the play- offs. Only Dyer is remotely good enough out of the 3 big NE teams. The Irish-Dutch game the same day interests me more.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

I'm not unless I can't help it. 3-1 to the Germans. Mancherpooleedsenal United (as usual). No. Not qualified to answer. Phillips, Craddock, Dyer (if fit), McCann. Probably...

:oS

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

I'm more interested in the Ireland V Holland game as well Stevo :) England bore me witless....every time they play we get all this nationalistic crap, and it's just that....crap! England to lose 2-0....

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Don't really follow international football much. I watch the England games if I'm doing nowt else and I have a good shout at the telly. I'd like England to win but I'm terrified of the consequences of them qualifying for the world cup. Maybe it's too far away for the nutters to travel so it might be ok..... I doubt it.

yes, 2-1 England, crap, yes, no, Dyer/Shearer/Lee/Harper/Barton....etc (though I wouldn't want any to play in case they get injured), yes ...sadly

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Love the England games, like Gav, hate all the jingoism. Yes we are capable of winning, and I hope we do, but I`m not sure that we will. No-one in the NE good/on form/fit enough for the squad at the moment. (:o)

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

English football thugs make me puke! I think England should have been banned from this World Cup after the violence of France 98, Euro 2000 and other times too many to remember.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Aye, along with the Germans and the Dutch.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

WHo can knock the German effort? In Euro 2000 they looked second class, as they did in France 98, but they have rebuilt so well, and so quickly, that it is alarming. They have never (and I mean never) lost a WC qualification match at home, and I can't see this changing now. Their record in top competitions is almost incomparable; I know Italy and Brazil have won many competitions, but both cannot point to a sustained 40 year period of finishing there or thereabouts almost every time.

Having lived in Germany for two periods totalling around 5 years, and going to league matches regularly, I can say that their fans are just as loyal, as funny, as critical and as downright daft as we are. I used to get embarrassed in their company admitting I was English, as they would all, without fail, sooner or later bring the conversation round to hooliganism. They were well aware that they have their own section of twats, but not on the same scale and not causing trouble at every single away match. They really were at a loss to understand the mentality of the louts, and I could only shake my head and agree.

My fervent wish is NOT that England win, not that we play well and are plucky losers. No, I don't care if we lose 15-0, as long as I don't get embarrassed by the tossers who will get pissed and sing songs about the war.

But I ain't holding my breath.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

This Geordie cares, and wants England to win things almost as much as the Toon. I'll be cheering the lads on against Germany and anticipate a hard-fought 1-1 draw.

Somehow I doubt you can have international football support without a measure of jingoism - but cringe at the large element of boot boys who follow our national team. Their behaviour is a national embarrassment. However, imo they are an unfortunate and regrettable characiture of the country England has become.

Sadly, there are presently no players in the NE good enough to play for England - not even Dyer imo.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Cant see any 1-5 predictions here...=)

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

The only player good enough for England was Des Hamilton, but he has sadly moved on.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Yeah Sudden, I reckon the bookies made a fortune out of the game, no- one in the right mind would have put 5-1 down with a right Janker to score first.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001