For the past few months the subject of who will be the new manager for Englands soccer squad has been a huge topic. He has to be English say some. It doesn’t matter where he is from as long as he’s good, say the others.

For the past 18 months I have lived in England, one of the most soccer crazy nations in the world. I also happen to be one of the most soccer crazy people on the planet and England have just appointed an Italian as the manager for their national team. But, as befits a man who has spent his life between 4 countries, I have never really cared about a special identity. I will support the nation of my birth in sports but as the chances of them qualifying for any major sporting events are as big as Michael Vick getting a cuddle from Lassie. I’ll support the country that helped my family as refugees. My love for my country may take shape in many ways but as for pride, I’ll go with Bill Hick’s assessment: “I didn’t have a whole lot to do with it. My parents f***** there, that’s about it.”

Now here is the point: The English soccer team have recently been involved in a qualifying campaign for the European Championship and they failed to qualify.
The coach was English and was appointed after the dismissal of the foreign coach who had his place since 2000. This guy had taken the country to the quarter finals of 2 World Cups and 1 Euro Championship before being fired because of the notoriously sickening British tabloids. Just to let you know the level journalism; the man was fired after two tabloid hacks dressed up as Arab sheiks and had him on tape being a bit too honest about his players and his own ambitions (Thanks for using your power for important issues, you Fourth-Estate fucks). He got the boot and they had interviews with certain foreign coaches before they were scared off by the tabloid papers and the Association went after the douche bag assistant instead coach and claimed he was always their first choice. The papers weren’t too slow on taking a disliking to him either. After some dismal result they quickly dubbed him Second- Choice Steve and were pretty much campaigning for his dismissal. Rightly so, his post-game interviews and excuses were so dry they summoned their own sandstorms.

The last time England won a soccer tournament was in 1966.Ever since they have been made into genuine contenders because that year God Almighty himself set in stone that they must win everything post-1966. Unfortunately the players were to busy getting drunk, buying Bentleys and shilling products that they completely forgot about what they were actually paid for.
The new national coach is Italian and one of the most successful team managers in the world according to his merits. This has been big news so far which means that I’ve had to put up with the endless harping on about the decline of football in England. Listen, I agree with the decline bit because they have relied on their own greatness for too long but having a foreign coach does not have to mean that the whole country and it’s structure will fall apart. After all Greece never complained after winning the European Championship with a German coach, and neither did South Korea after reaching their one and only football success with a Dutch manager; the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. I’m certain that these countries are fiercely proud of their identities. I know that there are many failures as well but let’s not close our eyes to the successes either. If the managers available are not up to the pedigree then don’t mess up again and appoint a hack without a sense of tactics or charisma.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in being proud of your country. There is also nothing wrong in being sensible either.