Three Lions

England are going home! These words have become a familiar part of my even-year summers, the agonising reality that once again we weren’t quite good enough to make the cut into the next round. Sunday night was no different (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18355305) except, it was different. For the first time in as long as I can remember this is the first time England have crashed out of a major competition in a sportsmanlike manner. The referee was largely unbiased - dubious decision not to award Rooney a free kick when he was taken down from behind but apart from that, a couple of yellow cards and more importantly for England – no red cards, speaks volumes about the way this ref handled the game. Even the line officials got it right when what certainly would have been the Italian winner was flagged offside. Most of all though I was impressed by Italy’s sportsmanship. I cannot remember a single incident of play-acting or feigning injury (normally how England players get sent off).
I woke up on Monday morning, not with the sour taste of defeat or the bitterness of what-might-have-been.

I’m proud of this England team; proud of what we achieved at Euro 2012. In normal time we played 4, lost none. In true Hodgson fashion we played like a mid-table Premier League team; made it as difficult as possible for the opposition, nick a goal when you can and play with heart and passion. I believe we achieved all of these things. Pretty on the eye it weren’t but the passion and heart was there and anyone who says it wasn’t can’t have been watching the same game(s).

I cannot say the best team didn’t win on Sunday, of course I can’t but it would have been a wonderful thing to have won that shoot out and meet the Germans in the semis. No hard feelings towards Young & Cole for missing their penalties, it’s just one of those things and it’s something that I’ve become very used to.

Roll on Brasil 2014 and roll on crashing out of the competition prematurely!!

Thanks for the memories England x