ONE of the great things about international football is it gets people who aren’t usually interested in the sport excited about it.
The bad thing about international football is obnoxious people start believing they’re experts on the subject.
Step forward Rod Liddle, who celebrated England’s first appearance in a final for 55 years by insulting Scotland, North Macedonia, and England’s much-loved manager.
In a report for The Spectator on the nail-bitingly close Euro 2020 final, he begins by complaining England “threw it away”.
Seeking to console fans, however, he adds: “England are a good side.”
So good in fact, Liddle claims they are “4596 times better than Scotland”. You know, that team they failed to beat at home just four weeks ago.
“But then North Macedonia are at least five times better than Scotland,” the Spectator’s associate editor continues. I think we’re going to need to see his working on that one.
But he’s not done yet. “There are performing geese who are better than Scotland,” he writes.
WATCH: Italy's victory over England sparks wild celebrations in Scotland
You would suspect there are performing geese capable of providing more accurate insight than Rod Liddle.
Having dragged Scotland through the mud, the editor turns his attention to the most popular English manager in decades – the man who recovered from a devastating penalty shoot-out miss in 1996 to manage a team of highly-skilled, socially aware young players who aren’t afraid to tell the Tories what they think of them.
Yet Liddle’s under no illusion as to who was at fault for last night’s defeat.
“England have team spirit and a facility on the ball and Southgate deserves credit for that,” he writes. “But they have been hamstrung by a manager who, when push comes to shove, is utterly clueless about the drift of a game, about what is happening and how to change it.
“He may still be remember, when all is done, for missed egregiously penalties. All those kids lined up. You idiot, Southgate. Don’t you remember?”
Charming.
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