I know, I'm weird.

When it comes to the cricket team (and I mean the proper test playing cricket team, not the one that plays the easily forgettable one day stuff), I am very much an England supporter. The same with the rugby union team. I'll never forget Wilkinson's drop goal to win the World Cup a few years ago or Flintoff's Ashes series back in 2005 (or, come to think of it, Botham's Ashes when I was a mere eight years old and present at Old Trafford for one of his spectacular hundreds that summer!) - sporting moments that will live forever in the memory.

When it comes to football though, you know, I really don't care that much about England. Sure, I want them to win. But I have never bought into them. The fervour for the national team that many demonstrate, I just have no desire to join in with. Weird, eh?

I was lightly taken to task for this in the 'Comments' section last night. The view of the commentor being that with my having backed Spain pre-tournament and thus expressing a preference for them to win should they play England in the final, that some things were more important than money. Well, that's certainly true. But the trouble is, for me anyway, the England football team isn't one of them.

That got me thinking, and the distinction between club and international football suddenly became crystal clear to me. There have been the odd occasion when I have backed against my team, Arsenal. I did so on the advice of the tipster, whose expertise I have paid for. I have no trouble at all in drawing a very clear line between business (making money) and pleasure angst involved in supporting your football team. On each occasion Arsenal actually won. I was delighted, but poorer. In other words, my feelings for Arsenal are stronger than those associated with winning an individual bet.

Compare that to England. If I've backed Spain to win the tournament and they happen to play England in the final, my bet is more important to me. And there is the difference between my support for my team, and my support for England.

Why I can get so emotionally attached to the England cricket and rugby teams and not to the football team, I have no real idea. It's probably linked to so much of international football being an inconvenience. You know how it is. In non-tournament years you're starved of football throughout the summer, the league then starts and after getting into it again and having played two or three matches, suddenly there's a big break for internationals that usually amount to a friendly against Norway followed by a qualifier in Azbekhistan or somewhere. Both games tend to be incredibly tedious affairs that England win 1-0 and which are stupendously underwhelming.

Perhaps the lack of passion is brought about by other things. I don't know. But there we have it and whether or not England are successful in the Euros or the World Cup, I have to say, I don't really give a fuc fig. Given the choice of England winning the Euros final or Arsenal taking three points in their opening league match in a few weeks time, then there's only one choice I could make, I'm afraid.

Sad. I know.


Today's Betting

Today's racing action was blighted rather by no fewer than four non-runners. The ones that did go needn't have bothered!

No luck for On The Nose (0/2), Northern Monkey (0/2), or The Market Examiner (0/1).

On the sports side of the portfolio, Sportyy had a winner (Seppi to beat Kohlschreiber) although the small portion of the bet I placed with William Hill was regarded as void as Kohlschreiber retired a set down and a break down in the second set. Fortunately the majority of the stake was placed with Pinncale which pays out on the player leading at the time of retirement.

Finally Form Lab Lite continued the pattern of having a winner (Germany to win at half time and full time) and a loser on the goalline on a match in Ireland.


On The Nose: Staked 1pt, -1pt.
Northern Monkey: Staked 1.75pts, -1.75pts.
The Market Examiner: Staked 1pt, -1pt.

Sportyy: Staked 1.5pts, +1.44pts.
Form Lab Lite: Staked 2pts, -0.09pts.


See you Monday.