An open letter to the England team

Dear Wayne, John, Stevie et al,

I am 38 years old and love football. I didn’t make it anywhere close to being a professional footballer (in fact Oakmeeds 1st team was beyond me if the truth be known) because I wasn’t talented enough. When you are playing for England you are playing for me and the, literally, millions, like me who would give anything to be lining up alongside you.

There is clearly a lot of pressure representing your country at the world’s biggest sporting tournament that only comes round every four years. However, it is a different pressure to that which large numbers of people experience every day (think of those with special needs, living below the breadline or coping with the loss of a loved one) and you can provide an alternative to that pressure. For those 90 minutes a lot of us lock away the disappointments or unhappiness we are experiencing and immerse ourselves in ‘our dream’. It isn’t that you are not under pressure but it is a different pressure and one you should embrace and enjoy as you stroll out onto the park.

One of the few upsides to the World Cup so far for an English supporter has been seeing the French implode so spectacularly and so publicly. Please do not take that upside away by being similarly selfish and disrespectful to the Nation. If you have grievances with Mr Capello please air them privately, confidentially and behind closed doors (like the rest of the world does when they have a management issue).

In my opening introduction I alluded to the fact that I would do anything to be lining up alongside you and I promise I would. I can also faithfully promise that if the camera paused on me during the anthems, as well as belting them out as loud as I could (I cannot promise it would be tuneful), I would be stood there grinning from ear to ear. It is a privilege that you are there in a beautiful country, in a beautiful hotel, playing the beautiful game – please look as if you understand that and are enjoying it. It is, after all, just a game.

Best of luck for the rest of the tournament. Apart from some malicious hacks, the whole of the football loving community wishes you well and is looking forward to some great memories from this tournament, as you should be too.

Regards,

Jonny

P.S. If you are bored in your hotel please get a video from the win against Croatia. That was magic.