The Thrill and Pain of following England

"2010 will be England's 1966!"...that's what the chant is once again. Its been 4 years and everyone (including me) who vowed never to put ourselves through watching England haplessly bow out of the WC again, are back to putting our money on its footballers. The reason?....well many, in fact...1) Its Fabio Capello who's in-charge, 2) EPL is the best league in the world and English clubs have been outstanding in the recent editions of UCL, 3) Can there be a more lethal stricker than Wazza at the moment?, 4) This time the Gerrard-Lampard partnership will kick for sure!...and every possible minutest reason to make ourselves believe that its not wrong to, once again, break our vow.

But I'd rather check myself here and remind all my fellow-supporters why we took the oath of not watching England play again in the first place after Germany'06. #1 They didn't have a worldclass goalkeeper in 2006, #2 Counting Rooney out, they had a very feeble attacking line-up, #3 The team was ageing with the likes of Sol Campbell, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and David Beckham, #4 They weren't good enough...period!

Let's see if things look better this year in South Africa. #1 The world still wonders who'll guard the English net...the 3 goalkeepers in the squad haven't played a single European match for their respective clubs, #2 Counting Rooney out, they still have quite an impotent attacking line-up, #3 The squad is the oldest among all the 32 in this WC with an average age of 28.7 years, #4 They have a soft core now since Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of the WC with an injury and the management can't put a finger on a suitable replacement, #5 Steven Gerrard will lead England for the first time in a competitive match, #6 After reigning supreme at their respective clubs, there are still doubts hovering over the Gerrard-Lampard partnership in the midfield, #7 Their record against the top-ranked sides in recent times has been abysmal. They have lost to Spain, Brazil and Netherlands, #8 The team management spends more time working harder on warding away the WAGs, press and paparazzi!, #9 The coach is still undecided on who will constitute his first XI, #10 They are still not good enough....period!

Yet, I can't help but plan a get-together on Saturday evening at my place when England play USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenberg. A part of me says that's there's every reason to believe that its going to end in tears for England again...but the football fanatic in me thinks that this year they will go beyond the last eight and prove their worth and get crowned as the world champions. Cummon, #1 its the master tactician and highly successful Fabio Capello who's in-charge, #2EPL isn't the best league in the world for nothing...the Rooneys , Terrys, Lampards and the Gareth Barrys make it the most watched league in the world, #3 Rooney has grown in maturity and he's made even the best defenders in the world sweat with his agility and power!#4 Gerrard-Lampard surely at par with Iniesta-Xavi...top class!

Wait a minute. Am I not repeating myself here??....that's the thrill despite knowing the probable pain. That's England for you. That's football! And this is the World Cup! 11 lions, 1 nation...England shall roar!