Who will you support in the World Cup?

[Sidney]

I just think it ridiculous that a common love of fish and chips (for example) would have any bearing on one supporting another national football team.

Why would it?

If any international team is associated with fish and chips, it's Ireland.

[Sidney]

Iceland haven't qualified yet.

And they won't IMO, as they can only be drawn against France,Portugal,Greece or Ukraine in the playoffs. Slim chance vs Ukraine i suppose as they can be hit and miss.

They can't draw France as France are second seeds. Croatia are first seeds instead of France.

[Sidney]

What has "cheering for Rooney" etc got to do with anything?
When you are cheering for Rooney with Man United, you are also cheering for Robin Van Persie and loads of other nationalities. At the same time, you are cheering against Lampard, Gerrard etc.

I cheer for England because we are far more culturally similar to them than to any other country and because of the huge enjoyment the Barclays Premier League™ gives me.

The English, like Protestants in the North, don't have a culture.

I dont understand why anyone from Ireland would support England.

Bitterness aside how can anyone seriously say the English don't have a culture ? Are GAA people in Ireland the only people in the world that have a "culture" ?

Ah, Shakespeare, Dickens, Orwell and The Beatles would hardly count as culture as far as true gaels are concerned, now.

[Milltown Row2]

What has "cheering for Rooney" etc got to do with anything?
When you are cheering for Rooney with Man United, you are also cheering for Robin Van Persie and loads of other nationalities. At the same time, you are cheering against Lampard, Gerrard etc.

I cheer for England because we are far more culturally similar to them than to any other country and because of the huge enjoyment the Barclays Premier League™ gives me.

The English, like Protestants in the North, don't have a culture.

I dont understand why anyone from Ireland would support England.

Goggled English culture, dung!! I'd say the best they have is the literature and cheese featured heavily  , though I've always preferred Irish writing i do like a good cheddar 

[ballinaman]

How could you not support England with fans like this!

Camera missed the gob the bald lad did by a second you can see him getting it ready...kn**ker

[Sidney]

Goggled English culture, dung!! I'd say the best they have is the literature and cheese featured heavily  , though I've always preferred Irish writing i do like a good cheddar 

You don't need to have goggles on to appreciate England's magnificent culture.

[Main Street]

I don't care enough about any team to get worked up about them. Anyway, it's Brazil's to lose, Neymar to hit a pb of 25 dives a game and win the Fifa golden swan award, hands down
Possibly Netherlands will do well. I voted for them at Euro 2012 and look what happened there, but they have unfinished World Cup business in South America.
England should do better than recent tournaments.  And naturally I hope they do well, only in solidarity with the many GAAboard members here  who see themselves as diehard fans of english clubs,  it will be good to see players from their clubs, Man U/Liverpool/Arsenal do really well on the world stage.

[Main Street]

Most team are generally tough to beat at home, if Iceland had the chance of a return leg against Greece at home for a place in the WC, they would take it.

Would love to see them go through, be a great story. From highlights and match reports they've done well to get as far as they have..ala Estonia a couple of years ago.
Hope we draw them for the Euros...place I'd love to visit.

Greece amassed 25 points from 10 games, scoring 12 goals and conceding 4 - we saw it ourselves in the Aviva; they are seriously defensive.  They won't care whether they're home or away first or second - they'll play exactly the same way in both venues - they'll try to score on a counter-attack or from a corner and will make no attempt to build attacks through possession.  I can see them being confident of beating anyone they draw in a play-off.

Greece may be all that but they would be the only team out of the 4 seeds that Iceland would have a slim chance of beating over the 2 legs. It's a question of football styles and Greece's would suit iceland better than the other 3.
Greece have fallen a bit since Karagounis has nearly hit the 40 mark, those 1 nils they have been clocking in the qualifiers, are going to be harder to hold onto.

[ONeill]

Bruce Forsyth

[Sidney]

I just think it ridiculous that a common love of fish and chips (for example) would have any bearing on one supporting another national football team.

Why would it?

If any international team is associated with fish and chips, it's Ireland.

So, is it Shakespeare, Dickens or Orwell who makes you like the English national football team?

You like the because they are culturally similar to you, what a load of bollix.

That's just one of the reasons. And they're culturally similar to you, too. Unless you don't speak English, watch their television, read their media, or listen to their music.

I also like to see the English cricket team do well, by the way.

Bruce Forsyth

You bet. Brucie's just a bonus on top of all that great culture I've already mentioned. If Roy Hodgson plays the generation game, and his young lions play their cards right, England have a great chance of bringing home the cup. It'd be nice to see it, nice.

[Sidney]

"Christ, that Hey Jude is a blooming good song. Come on England, get stuck into those bleedin' Poles."

We are culturally similar to them, of course, that has never been disputed. That being the reason you support their national football team is total bollix though.

Now for some crumpets.

So, in summary, you think there are no good reasons at all for an Irish person to support England but that there are always good reasons why we should support their opponents?

[ONeill]

Reasons one might like the English football team;

Tik the marbles outta yer mouth FFS. Remember where you're from.

[Hardy]

We may be culturally similar to them, but are they culturally similar to us? After all we're an ethnic group. Are they?

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/1569104

[rodney trotter]

Iceland got Croatia in WC play off draw, France v Ukraine, Greece v Romania, Portugal v Sweden
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12098/8983955/france-draw-ukraine-in-world-cup-qualifying-play-offs

Iceland are home for first leg, Croatia's from hasn't been good in the qualifiers but the second leg in Croatia is a big help and probably will have enough quality. Although Iceland could pull a surprise in the first leg

[ballinaman]

Iceland got Croatia in WC play off draw, France v Ukraine, Greece v Romania, Portugal v Sweden
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12098/8983955/france-draw-ukraine-in-world-cup-qualifying-play-offs

Iceland are home for first leg, Croatia's from hasn't been good in the qualifiers but the second leg in Croatia is a big help and probably will have enough quality. Although Iceland could pull a surprise in the first leg

Croatia(just),France and Portugal for me. Greece Romania is a toss up.