I've read the comments during the week of Jamie Carragher from his upcoming autobiography and I have to say that I agree with him on a certain subject.
He writes that losing with Liverpool would always hurt him more than losing with England......
He has taken some flak for this but let me explain why I agree with him over this quite sensitive subject.
Growing up I dreamed of, like many others, being a professional footballer. But I didn't want to be just any pro-footballer, I wanted to play for Arsenal.
I played for Millwall and Wimbledon at youth level but I really really wanted Arsenal to scout me so I could play for my dream club.
Being a Gooner it would have meant the world to me to have had the chance to wear the Arsenal shirt in front of my fellow Gooners.
Jamie Carragher has achieved his dream. He has played for his dream club, Liverpool, but ALSO has played for his country, England.
I've never had the chance to play pro-football but I can understand where Carragher is coming from. He has supported Liverpool his whole life so he must feel the same gut-wrenching pain we Gooners do whenever our respective clubs suffer a defeat.
Don't get me wrong, I would be proud to pull on the England shirt but not as proud as every time I pulled on the red and white of Arsenal.
I love Arsenal more than England and I'm not afraid to admit that seeing an Arsenal defeat hurts a lot more than seeing an England loss.
Carragher feels the same about Liverpool as we Gooners do about Arsenal. The only difference is he has had the pleasure of playing for a club that he loves and supports.
Imagine that opportunity, playing for Arsenal AND England. It would be a dream come true but I know that while I would be giving my all in the England shirt a defeat wouldn't hurt as much as one would whilst wearing an Arsenal shirt.
Keep it Goonerish...............
37 comments:
Agreed.
Arsenal are far more important than England to me as well.
It can take days for me to get over an Arsenal defeat but I forget about England as soon as another beer hits my lips.
i agree
i think its coz when eng lose everyone is upset and so its not so hard as when arsenal lose and you go to work and the spuds remind you all day
Wasn't Carragher an Everton fan growing up?
This is why I like Arsenal fans... rather than jump on the bandwagon and have a go - just as he plays for a rival club - you've actually looked at it objectively. Most fans up and down the country agree. Man utd even have a song saying how sh**e Ronaldo made England - yet they're out in force saying how much of a disgrace Carragher is. I think most professionals probably agree too. After all many (Scholes/Shearer) call a time on their international career to prolong their club careers.
Good luck for the rest of the season... except for when you come up to Anfield ;o)
Very good article.
Agree with the Shrink but its also more than that.
We see Arsenal every week and feel a huge pain in defeat.
With England its every so often and defeat doesn't hurt as much.
I think that it's a rumour Carragher was an Everton fan!
Carragher is/was an Everton fan. Ever wonder why he always wears long-sleeved shirts? It's not because it's cold oop norff. He has the Everton crest tatooed on his forearm!
Nice to read an objective opinion and, yes, his dream must have been playing for Everton, like one poster above suggested. He was turned a Red during his Academy time.
Everton fan or not you all know what I mean!!!
Spot on Wrighty. For some players, I think mostly the other European Countries, playing for their country is the number one thing they can do, while for others it's not and others it's about the money. Me, I'm from Ireland but I not that fussed about them. It doesn't hurt as much when they lose and I wouldn't cancel or make plans to watch their matches but with Arsenal it hurts when they lose. I hate people bad mouthing them and I always make a serious effort to watch every single one of their games. Basically they are number one above all others. I've a friend who supports Man U but when they play Celtic he'll support the Bhoys which I think is wrong. In fact I think Celtic are shit and play some of the crappiest football in Europe.
Well said Marko.
Nice one Wrighty.
I love your blog and the way that you think of things to write even on a day when there is not much, not hardly any, Arsenal news.
You always seem to have something to write.
Keep up the great work mate!
I think Carragher's an idiot!
I can't understand his mentality, if he misses a pen in the CL final and liverpool lose! oh well better luck next year 1 million liverpool fans are disapointed. If he misses a pen in the world cup final thats four more years and my be the end of an era for a team that may not come around again! plus thats about a billion unhappy people!
Carragher is and always will be one of the worst players to play for england. MUG
Are Man U fans really out in force condemming this?
I'm suprised if so.
I'm a Man u fan and I agree entirely with Carragher's sentiments. I would have thought most fans from any large club would understand this.
Thanks Topgun,
I do try my best mate!
I feel sick when I see Arsenal lose, but with England it's just another case of same shit, different opponent. I love Arsenal, my blood is red in more ways than 1, to be honest, I was glad we wasn't at the Euro's because we didn't deserve to be there. I'd much rather see Holland and Spain play than England, I should be ashamed of myself for saying that but I'm not, because not only am I a fan of Arsenal but I'm also a fan of beautiful football, the quick, sharp freeflowing football that the Brazil of the 90's brought us, or Spain or Holland at the recent Euro's, or of course our beloved Arsenal. Whereas with England it's boring, it's like watching Bolton, not exactly graceful are they? England are slow on the build up, and toothless in terms of our front line, our strikers aren't like Shearer used to be, or Andy Cole used to be, or Teddy or dare I say Mr. Ian Wright. Only when we get a striker who is willing and able to do the job those guys did (put the ball in the fucking net) then we will have to wait even longer for some success where the national teams concerned. Until then, I'll just have to laugh at Lampard and Gerrard battling each other in the 3 Lions' midfield, Joe Cole doing his "dying fish" dives, Beckham dropping in at Right-Back because he's unfit, Rooney chasing the ball around like Shrek chasing Donkey (not David James) So cheers Wrighty once again for another great entry, and discussion topic. Until the next time, I bid you Adieur!
Gunner #1
well, any *English* player at a big club
A billion people unhappy if england lose??? A billion??
With a population of around 60 million or so.. how the hell do you reckon a billion??
Also Arsenal's estimated fan base is well over 1 million.. try 30 million and counting//
i bet your all distraught when france loose though
sorry about that.. meant to say Liverpool fan base with about 61 million, which is about the population of the UK/
i have met jamie loads of times. he has not got an everton tatoo and also i have numerous pics with him to prove it. he is a red through and through now read the book and you will see why he now is no longer a bluenose.
he is not a everton fan and does not have a tattoo of the everton crest..that was just a rumourcos he wears long sleeves
About time some fans looked at it objectively. I am from Liverpool and find it hilarious when England lose....The press and players build themselves up to be worldbeaters when the reality is they get beat anytime they play anyone decent. Brings them back down to earth if you ask me. Carra is right and most fans would agree, just a shame that some 'experts' have condemned him (well, if you call some randon fella who plays for some random none leage team an expert of course).
Summerspur you do make me laugh me sometimes!
Now go lay your head down pal!
Thanks Gunner#1
Carraghers comments need to be read in complete context before you can call him an idiot. If your the fan of a big club you will understand. I am English o the core but I fucking hate that FA circus.
Don't give me that tripe about letting his country down. The england fans don't get behind the team, they boo them off the pitch at half time. They don't support them.
For you gooners Carra writes in his book that the first calls him and gerrad recieved after beating Chelsea was from Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera congratulating them. Said the Liverpool players have always had a great relationship and respect for The gooners
As a gooner I'd like Liverpool a lot more if they'd up their game this season and take some points off Manure and Chelski in the league ffs.
Also, 'pool and the gunners are the two with a serious Spanish connection so relations should stay warm-ish over the next few years anyway, assuming the Spanish players actually like one another.
It's not a rumour, Carra was an Everton fan as a kid
England is mainly supported by lower league teams who think the prem players are just spoilt with all the money,i also support lfc & i think the booing of eng players / team is ridiculous,support the team!how can young players settle in to an eng team when they get boo-ed all the time,LONDON PRESS ,KEEP YER FUCKIN ENGLAND & KEEP YER FUCKIN WEMBLEY!
Carra was a blue before he joined liverpool
"I can't understand his mentality, if he misses a pen in the CL final and liverpool lose! oh well better luck next year 1 million liverpool fans are disapointed. If he misses a pen in the world cup final thats four more years and my be the end of an era for a team that may not come around again! plus thats about a billion unhappy people!"
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I think this person needs to brush up on their knowledge. The only countries that would have 1 billion unhappy fans would be India or China. Last time I checked neither of those had make it to a World Cup final?
As for Arsenal, well I can't think of many greater pleasures than watching them lose. It makes my day, week and year!
arsenal are more mportant than england agreed but fuck i wouldnt wouldnt want you lot behind n the trenches
hi there im new to this blog, im a gooner from aberdeen and i am a big fan. Can i post comments on here without people being racist towards scottish people?
I like the view youve taken. And totally agree. the only time i get angry with England is in a major competition, but then i look at my club players (liverpool) and see how they have performed. Usually Gerrard is man of the match and critics are having a go at the management for not playing him in the centre.
I take this view - the club pay your wages and England is a bonus. However you need to perform well for your country. However, friendlies just 1 game into the season are not going to set my heart on fire, as i want my players fit for a league campaign.
On the BBC website, i have suggested that the Euro and World cup qualification period is a set month in the calendar year where no club football is played. Players contracts with their club do not exist for this month therefore the responsibility is solely with the countries.
i think this could work.
Karim
Personally my only interest in England is that the players from my club don't come back injured. International football is for people who support small clubs and wouldn't otherwise get the chance to see top players, it's an excuse to support a second team and not feel bad about it, but as a fan of one of the top 4, why the hell would I be interested in that second rate football?
I even get to travel to foreign games in Europe unlike Yeovil Town fans.
I don't care about England, simply because I find it impossible to support a team with horrible people like Lampard, Terry, Cashley et al in it...
I don't care about England, simply because I find it impossible to support a team with horrible people like Lampard, Terry, Cashley et al in it...
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