Jeremy

ok, bad theory. Got it.

Watched the recorded game after work last night (it was so important it was even played live on a TV station over here in NZ). Then I heard about the racist stuff on social media about the last 3 penalty-takers. My theory is that Southgate may have subconsciously decided to give the last 3 kicks to those three because they're coloured/black/whatever you want to call them. Imagine the reaction if they had won the game for England in times when, rightly or wrongly, black lives matter (versus everybody matters, even Aussies - I'm joking about the Aussies).

As a complete digression, watched a docmentary last night about Le Tissier ("PL 100 Club"). It must have been a privilege sitting in the stand and watching him dealing to anybody and everybody..

Out of curiosity, while we are waiting for some actual football, can anybody guess what would happen if, say, a boozed New Zealander booed the American national anthem at a rugby test between the All Blacks and them over there? My prediction is a decking within 30 seconds. So, why would you not boo some national anthems (unless you wanted a hiding) but boo others?

What exactlly is the point of booing a country's anthem? Are you booing the team in front of you representing the country, the country itself, both these or something completely different? Please can those in favour explain this. I've never seen booing during Olympic medal presentations, for example, which is arguably the most nationalistic sporting forum there is. Has anybody else seen booing at an Olympic medal ceremony?

This thread is a tidal wave of optimism and it's fantastic. I don't have any skin in this game at all (I'm a NZer) but I really want England to win because, as has been noted elsewhere on here, the national team has disappointed historically. This is time to make history and give everybody a legit excuse to get absolutely tanked.

Nice one.

Big day for English football. Good luck.

NZ TAB paying $1.82 for England win, $5 Denmark. Looking forward to an $8.20 colllect.

It's good to read positive posts about football on this site for a change.

Any team that gets to the semi-final of a huge knock-out tournament has a real chance of winning it because 25% at worst is still good odds. I accept it's the same for the other three teams but, remarkably, you haven't conceded any. The lack of conceding goals seems significant to me. I really don't know anything about football but I think a $10 bet on England to win the final is worth it.

Listened to the WTC Final (no Sky). Still a lot of interest in test cricekt over here. We won only because we won an important toss and weren't playing Aussie, who should have been there instead of us. Win's a win though. Here's hoping for England in Euro 21.

Sorry, but is that list of contracts definite and Danny and Vest etc staying?

It's about time this thread was shut down.

Matt's stuff about a baby and other posts about trees and dogs having beliefs and whether or not aliens exist are false equivalents. Religious belief (God of whatever description exists) is a human construct that depends on the believer being capable of understanding the concept. Babies and inanimate objects don't qualify. A belief is not a fact so the point about whether or not aliens exist is also non-equivalent. Also, whether God exists is not a simplistic binary yes or no question. Doubt ie being undecided on an issue or question is also an intrinsic part of human nature. That's clear from many of these posts.