English football needs to get its act together both on the field and off it
As much as 2,000 years ago, the Roman historian Tacitus described the English’s continental forefathers as a warlike race who, when not fighting, liked nothing more than feasting, drinking and sleeping. If you look at English footballers, not much seems to have changed since then.
It is said that there are two types of English footballers, those from the working class and those from the underclass. Wayne Rooney’s first home was a one-bedroom council house that later became a drug rehabilitation centre. His father, also named Wayne, was a casual labourer, so casual that his employment was unpredictable. He left school at 16 with no certificates. Early on in his career, he became known for his visits to houses of ill-fame. It hasn’t got any better since, but he remains the best to play soccer for England in 35 years.
In 2001, John Terry along with Frank Lampard drunkenly taunted American tourists in a Heathrow Airport hotel in the immediate aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks. A year later, Terry was caught on camera urinating in a beer glass, which he then dropped on the floor. He has also been accused of the one taboo offence that applies to footballers, an affair with a teammate’s partner.
The enduring memories of David Beckham, other than his head butt against Argentina in the 1998 world cup, involve women and more women. Rio Ferdinand has been said to be fond of strip clubs. Steven Gerrard has faced trial for an alleged affray in a nightclub. Gascoigne has admitted to drunk driving and been arrested for suspected possession of Class A drugs.
Soccer is a macho sport in which physical supremacy brings global glory, adulation and money. A player who can be aggressive, even intimidating, on the field earns respect. Footballers revel in their masculinity, howl at and abuse opponents, and often get into harsh tackles.
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Then there is the attitude of the fans, who love that superstar footballers live the life ordinary people cannot: courting models, drinking endlessly, driving fast cars, and having endless sex, sometimes in groups. The football culture is marked by its regressive attitude to women. It has been claimed that young football players often practise what is called “roasting”, where they will all have sex with the same groupie.
One can presume that George Best’s coaches would have ignored his many misdemeanours because he delivered. Then there is the oft-repeated story of Brian Clough, who in 1979, made his Nottingham Forest team drink until some of them had to be carried to their rooms. That was the night before their League Cup final with Southampton. The next day, they won 3-2.
However, how long can wins compensate for being bad role models? And what if on-field performances decline? If you look at how some of the players performed at this year’s World Cup, and that English soccer has become an prime example of undeserved hype, perhaps the time has come to look at whether civilization should indeed be ushered into English soccer.
