An Irishman supporting England in 2010

You might as well say that de Valera was a Protestant or that Brian ‘O Driscoll eats quiche. As an Irishman, admitting that you are going to support England in the World Cup is about as heretical as it gets. It’s about as unthinkable as the Pope suggesting that paedophile priests actually be prosecuted.

But that’s what I’m doing. I’m supporting England.

Ok, there’s a caveat. I’m assuming that my no.1 choice, South Africa, won’t do a South Korea and reach the semi-finals. Plus, I’ve got the luxury of being an objective observer, freed of the gut-wrenching tension of following Ireland, thanks to the favourite plaything of Thierry Henry (his left hand).

In Ireland the idea of supporting England in a World Cup is about as palatable as a grapefruit the morning after a skinful of Guinness. We’re a nation that rates victory over England as possibly more important than ever actually winning a tournament. It’s 1916 all over again every time we take the field.

Listen, there’s a lot to be said for it. As a nation we really did take it in the eye from the English for centuries. When we did finally break free of their oppression it was not with an epic injury-time winner that transformed everything. It was rather with an ongoing mid-table struggle that eventually led to stability and a place in Europe. We lacked that decisive moment of victory, that result that said we had won and they had lost. Which is why it feels so good when we turn them over at Croker, Lansdowne Road or, even better, Twickenham.

Ireland vs England at Croke Park in 2007

Beating England feels good. It’s part of the Irish DNA. But then comes the really odd part. You’ve just watched Ireland beat England at Lansdowne Road and you’re celebrating with a pint. You’ve discussed the game and you feel euphoric, but within half an hour you’re arguing about the Man U/ Liverpool game the following Sunday.

Most Irishmen supported an English club team before they supported the Republic of Ireland. Most Irishmen will put their lives on hold to watch their English teams play in a cup final. Most Irishmen have sons who wear English club shirts.

It’s a peculiar scenario but not peculiar to Ireland. In Cape Town the city comes to a virtual standstill when Man Utd play Liverpool. The difference is that these people will support England when Bafana Bafana get knocked out of World Cup 2010.

Man Utd fans in Cape Town

Not so in Ireland. There it’ll be ABE (Anyone But England) and all the better if another ‘Hand of God’ goal knocks them out. Did any of you Irish notice how much support we got from English fans over the Thierry Henry incident ? Do any of you remember the glee we felt when Maradona did the same to England in 1986 ?

Supporting English clubs but hating the English presents a bit of a dilemma. Faced with the choice of going to watch Shamrock Rovers on a cold and dark Sunday afternoon or tuning in to Arsenal vs Chelsea in the comfort of your living room, I know what I’d do. But there are Irish people who have made the difficult choice and I salute them. My nephews, Eoin & Nick Brennan, used to be Blackburn supporters but they have now publicly denounced their support of English club football and currently travel the length and breadth of the country supporting Shelbourne in the Irish second division. Out of the frying pan I would say !

Eoin, Nick & some of their mates practice for the Berlin Gay Pride March.

But at least these two have the integrity to back up their sentiments with action. When they go to Croke Park to support Ireland you sense that they deserve to be there. They’ve earned the right to hope that England get beaten by USA on 12 June in Rustenburg.

I admire them. I don’t admire the Irishmen who would have donned their Man Utd shirts on 22 May and prayed that Wayne Rooney  deliver them a 4^th European Cup, yet 3 weeks later  prayed that the same Rooney gets sent off as England are humiliated by Algeria.

Like most Irishmen I’ve grown up on English club football. My weekends can still be made or broken by the Leeds result. English football has inspired and transfixed me for 33 years. That’s a debt I need to repay.

The reason I fell in love with English football !

Which is why I fervently hope that if Aaron Mokoena can’t pick up the World Cup at Soccer City on 11 July, the man who does so will be Rio Ferdinand.

Note

We seem to be destined to follow England on our World Cup road trip. We have England vs Algeria in Cape Town on 18 June. Should England top their group we have their Round of 16 match in Rustenburg on 26 June. If they win their Quarter Final we then have them in Cape Town for the semi-final on 6 July. Then on to Soccer City in Soweto for the Final on 11 July.