A few weeks ago, Lord Treismann, the then head of England's bid to become host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup claimed that Spain and Russia were hatching a plot to bribe referees at the upcoming football jamboree in South Africa. Despite his rapid removal from the post, his claims may have done the bid lasting damage, and certainly annoyed rival bidders, Russia. So much so that the head of their bid Alexei Sorokin, last week trotted out the old chestnut that England fans, rather than being the fun-loving bunch that we all know they are, are a bunch of hooligans. After Seb Coe had somewhat hyperbolically described England fans as "the best in the world" Mr Sorokin said:
Given that I actually only read all this in the Daily Mirror's coverage I was about to totally dismiss it, until Saturday night when I was watching "Britain's Got Talent" and they wheeled out the new England World Cup anthem, by Dizzy Rascal and the ubiquitous James Corden, backed by a suitably bedecked crowd of Engerland fans. Its a reworking of Tears for Fears "Shout" with added rapping from Dizzy and the edifying added line, beloved of crowds of yobs everywhere "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough."
That will do wonders when it comes to dispelling the hooligan label...
If you really want to watch it here it is... But you'lll probably be sick to death of hearing it over the next couple of weeks, until England get dumped out of the competition... Then, as another correspondent said, we'll be sick to death of the moaning about their exit...
Much better is my mate Mitch Benn's unofficial offering...
That's my favourite... or at least it was until I heard that Duran Duran were releasing one...
"His name is Rio and he's watching from the stands..."
"I know Lord Coe well. He is a most decent person. But I do not understand what 'the best supporters' mean. Maybe he meant that English football fans are the utmost hooligans. If that’s so, I am ready to agree and hand over supremacy to them."
Given that I actually only read all this in the Daily Mirror's coverage I was about to totally dismiss it, until Saturday night when I was watching "Britain's Got Talent" and they wheeled out the new England World Cup anthem, by Dizzy Rascal and the ubiquitous James Corden, backed by a suitably bedecked crowd of Engerland fans. Its a reworking of Tears for Fears "Shout" with added rapping from Dizzy and the edifying added line, beloved of crowds of yobs everywhere "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough."
That will do wonders when it comes to dispelling the hooligan label...
If you really want to watch it here it is... But you'lll probably be sick to death of hearing it over the next couple of weeks, until England get dumped out of the competition... Then, as another correspondent said, we'll be sick to death of the moaning about their exit...
Much better is my mate Mitch Benn's unofficial offering...
That's my favourite... or at least it was until I heard that Duran Duran were releasing one...
"His name is Rio and he's watching from the stands..."
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