One of the best sights in football is seeing Newcastle fans cry after their latest so-near-yet-so-far. One of the worst sights in football is a tattooed skinhead lager swilling union jack shorts wearing England fan in a far off land, not neccessarily being destructive, just being there instead of being safely tucked up in his borstal.

Being 49% English, I do have a part of me that wants England to win the World Cup. But the other 51% (plus a good bit of the 49% too) fears for the over the top celebrations, the media hype and the seemingly inevitable drunken rampages that will follow.

On the other hand, it would be worse if England didn't win; I know of one fellow in Diss who was a completely nice guy with not a hint of violence about him, who somehow found himself throwing stones at a pub where Portuguese migrant workers were watching their team knock England out of the Euros. He was later found guilty of the offence and was sacked from his job. The transformation from hard working nice bloke to football hooligan was dramatic. How on earth do people get whipped up into such a frenzy?

I blame the media.

The World Cup is the biggest tv event. I've been watching them since Mexico 1970 and I've always wanted England to win. Even in the last one where my 51% was supporting Ireland, once Ireland had gone I was hoping England might do it. Although I must say that the distasteful way the English regard the Argentinians is an embarrasment to my 49%. I was also embarrassed by the dive that got England the match winning penalty (is that really any better than knocking it in with your hand?).

As the tournament has approached I've struggled to find a team to get behind. I thought of following Portugal because I've had some nice holidays there and they seem to be nice people. I thought of following Germany because a German victory is what annoys the English more than anything else. In the end, I've decided to plump for.......

....England.

My reasons: well, I look at the England squad and although I ridiculed Sven's choice at first I have to admit that if Rooney can get match fit, with Gerrard perhaps the best player in the world, the difficult to handle Crouch, and a solid back 4 it's just possible England might actually win it. And if Theo Walcot comes off the bench in Berlin to score the winning goal, then I want to be part of it.

Eng - er - land!
Eng - er - land!
Eng - er - land!