Prior to the World Cup kicking off I did the usual pre-tournament paraphernalia in preparation for another feast of international football. I dug out and played my picture cover 7 inch single of the ’82 anthem This Time(We’ll Get it Right) along with spinning the classic Cinnamon Stick, the B side of Back Home which got the number one in the ‘Hit Parade’ in July 1970.
The flag of St George fluttered proudly from the flagpole (well when I say flagpole I mean an old clothes prop) outside our home and for this World Cup I took part in the “Back the Beard” campaign, having a hairy face during the campaign until England’s elimination. So after giving the nation my full backing and support from home, this old punk rocker felt the same emotion which was once famously quoted by a legend of that rock music genre, that being - “Ever had the feeling you’ve been cheated”
That was last time I watched England on TV. I was that pissed off with the whole South Africa 2010 episode that at the time (as is now) I didn’t want to give any on my time to watching and supporting England ever again. It wasn’t just the performances on the field, what sickened me more was the behaviour off the pitch, the final straw being the players photographed drinking and smoking cigars like kings, as if they had something the celebrate when they really should have kept a low profile. I would have loved to have been in that room with them, but I wouldn’t have had a drink in my hand, it would have been a rusty bicycle chain which I would have swung in the hope of catching someone’s eye!
What I disliked about myself in regards to each bi-annual tournament is being caught up in the hype and because of this reason I can now fully understand the thinking of the average Scotsman. The English get the impression that the good folk north of the border hate us, but far from it. They don’t actually hate the English per say, it’s the southern Britain media and their obsessive view that England have the define right to win everything. The hype and over the top optimism being the main reason why the Scots take great delight in England regularly exiting from tournaments in humiliating circumstances.
Put it this way; which is the most commonly used word heard in the sporting media on TV and radio? Come on, it’s easy! It’s that three syllable word of course - nineteen-sixty-six. Think about it, how often do you hear it get mentioned? You could be watching a Europa League game on Channel 5 featuring Athletic Bilbao and Schalke 04 and just because the linesman happens to be Russian; it’s a good excuse to mention the most famous date of the 20th century and Geoff Hurst’s second ‘goal’.
My two year England viewing exile is about to come to an end as another international football feast is about to begin. However you won’t see any St George mementos or yours truly wearing the three lions on my shirt as this old fool has finally come to his senses, I’ll only see England as I’ll be watching every game, no matter who, be it Poland, Greece or Denmark.
I decided after the last World Cup that in the future instead of getting tangled up in England’s web of over hype, false promises and eventual discontentment, I would adopt a nation to support in each tournament. I’m no stranger to this of course, being an old fashioned Brit who likes to see all home nations do well, I supported Scotland in ’74 and ’78 and by the time England took part again in Spain ’82, I was still supporting the Scots as a force of habit, having not known any different, being too young in 1970 when England last played on the world stage.
Once the last 16 was finalised I weighted up the remaining fifteen nations to see who I have an affinity with. The decision was an easy one in the end, the Ukraine being my obvious choice for a number of reasons, must of which are totally off the wall. Stuff like Ukraine having a musical connection with one of my favourite bands the Wedding Present and also being mentioned on my favourite Beatles album. On twitter I listed about a dozen good reasons from Oleg Blokhin to Chicken Kievs with one of the best being that I’m well known in Ukraine amongst the Groundhopping community, having been featured in one of the country’s football magazines.
Sods Law has seen the joint hosts drawn with England in Group D which will guarantee some head turning and strange looks as I walk around Tyneside with a bright yellow Ukraine jersey. Overall I’m really looking forward to Euro 2012, I have no emotion attachment to my nation of choice, so I can enjoy it for what it is, just a bit fun and an alternative interest in between the domestic football seasons. 
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