The Negativity of the English Media

Throughout the World Cup much of the English print and electronic media have been unrelentingly negative about the team. As an American sports fan, this is rather hard to comprehend. The only explanation is that there must be some sort of cultural need to suffer.

When an American team is winning ugly, few would ever complain. Winning is the object of the game! When you make mistakes or don't play your best, yet still win, that is a good thing! Many in England don't seem to accept this and it seems an ugly win might as well be a crushing defeat.

Some examples will illustrate my point.

Last night on BBC Radio Five Live's 606, Alan Green said (as I remember it), "If England win the World Cup playing the way they are now, it will be an embarrassment." (My emphasis.)

Let me clear my throat. Ahem... WWWHHHAAATTT???? Surely Alan needs to increase the dosage of his neuroleptics because that is simply preposterous. I don't care if England plays the most cynical game of long ball in history if they go all the way. Would it be nice to see some creativity and invention along the way? Of course. But a win is all that matters! Period. End of discussion.

Headlines in today's Guardian:

• "Beckham wilts in the heat and throws up on the pitch" (on front page of Sport)
  
• "England have world stage and how the world laughs"

Post-match comments from BBC pundits:

• "It's very difficult to know what to say after that match." - The Turnip (How about "We're in the quarter finals?")
  
• ...although Beckham's goal was absolutely brilliant, he didn't give England a lot else." - Alan Hansen (As I saw it, he did plenty!)

I'm not looking for mindless optimism, but the facts are these:

1. England has conceded only two goals in four games, including three clean sheets.
2. Beckham has played a crucial part in four of England's six goals. No, he doesn't tackle. No, he hasn't got pace. But where would England be without his ditribution and free kicks?

If it makes the English media happy to slag the team at every chance, fine. Maybe that's how they have learned to cope with the possibility of failure. But they are missing out on enjoying a nice run that has a good chance of earning Becks and Co a semi-finals berth. If the media wants to dwell on negativity, it's only their loss.