November 29, 2007 -
Last week, the England national side failed to qualify for Euro 2008 after losing 3-2 to Croatia.Numerous theories have been bandied about by sports pundits as to why this may have occurred. These range from poor team management to a failure to nurture home-grown talent, to the team, y'know, just not being very good...
But it seems that otherwise obscure West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green, who didn't even play in the final match, has the answer:
Video games...
I think we would have the best team if we could go into every household and throw away every PlayStation, Xbox and video game. We have the players and the best league in the world. The way the game is played here is so different though.
Watching the Premier League is like Formula One - it's that quick - and then you go to an international game and it's like a game of chess.
Of course, it's a quote of two halves, and his second half is even better than the first - if Green clutches opposing shots the way he clutches straws, he's a shoe-in for the next England team...
Other countries seem to bring on world class players, countries like Brazil and Argentina where, often, it's football or nothing - in contrast, we live in a country where we have choices, and perhaps the will to do it and the need to escape from situations you're in are not so clear.
If we all dispose of our games consoles, then we can all play football just as well as the man himself.
-GP UK correspondent Mark Kelly
Comments
Re: English Football Team Eliminated; Goalkeeper Blames
I find this story comical and sad at the same time. Somebody is obviously very bitter! Sure I guess kids or parent blame video games for crappy grades. But still, these are adults. If they are pros then they shoudl know their limitations. I think using games as an excuse is a joke. Maybe it was more what these guys were smoking?
Battlefield Heroes
Halo 4
The other teams are haxxors!
Oh... Oh... This is a good one!
...Now if only in 2008 we can get, "I lost the Presidential election because of video games!" Then the circle of video game blame will be complete.
a good example is when homer simpson save the nuclear plant, and everybody was saying "i pulled a homer"
We haven't been obsessed with that Sport for nearly 20 years, maybe back in the Botham days, but it's pretty much on a par with Tennis now, only interesting at big tournaments. The BBC certainly make a big deal out of Cricket but that's more around the fact that it is losing viewers fast than out of a national obsession with the game.
Maybe if we didn't live in a society where our media tells us that letting our kids out on our own will 95% result in them getting shot, stabbed, raped, mugged, kidnapped and sold into slavery in Romania, then more kids would be allowed to go over the park to play football...
Maybe cause we did better with better games consoles about, despite many of us choosing to play games instead. We beat World Number 3 (at the time) twice this campaign, and we've got the same "problem" as our southeern neighbours, the Auld Enemy.
Trust me, British coverage of Euro 2008 will be about Englands sorrow and will bring up 19 fing 66. And gaming ruining the game is a load of non sense, look at Japan for crying out loud. They were in the last World Cup and Japan is gaming capital.
After all the only reason the team ain't great is because we have something stupid like "choice"
Watching the Premier League is like Formula One - it’s that quick - and then you go to an international game and it’s like a game of chess."
Watching a Premier League match is practically like watching an international game, the majority of the star players and big signings for clubs are foreign players.
"Other countries seem to bring on world class players, countries like Brazil and Argentina where, often, it’s football or nothing - in contrast, we live in a country where we have choices, and perhaps the will to do it and the need to escape from situations you’re in are not so clear."
Maybe I'm not getting his message correctly, but this seems to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I am taking it that he is referring to poverty and other problems when he talks about "the need to escape from situations". What he is saying is that it is preferable to live in poverty or in a dangerous neighbourhood and to have football as your only avenue of distraction, than it is to live in a country where you have choices and do not have these same problems...
Call me crazy, but if I had a choice between being the greatest footballer in the world but living in an poor and crime ridden area, or being terrible at football but living in a nice area, not being in poverty, and playing video games, then pass me the controller.
It's funny how for some people, all of their problems or the ills of the world are so easily pinned on one thing, with no proof whatsoever except for an opinion.
The last time we won a major football event, as far too many people are far too happy to tell you, was 1966- a good twenty years or so before the NES and about fifteen prior to affordable home computers like the Spectrum, and we've won other competitions since then which haven't seen the same level of attention- if any at all- that one world cup we won, once did.
Chances are, the people who have turned their back on Football have probably merely moved onto other sports, only to go un-noticed when it doesn't see the same support- in terms of facilities as well as fans- as bloody Football does.
/b
On video games? For SPORTS?
I know it's a big deal for guys in the UK, but it's STILL just a game... and besides, didn't they lose that game by, like, one point?
The only element that is consistent in all of Englands failures at football are the players. They are a bunch of stuck-up over-paid prima donnas who suck as a team because each player is used to being the 'greatest' in their individual clubs, but they also have a butt load of non-english players that cover up their short-comings in club football.
How can you blame the 'playstation generation' for the result of a match played at national level with players who earn more in one week than most do in a year? Crazyness.
Ofc football is so important as well in the great scheme of things :rollseyes:
Personally, given the weather in the majority of England, I wouldn't go outside either!
You know the one thing I can't stand about most pro-sports? The lack of professionalism, off field behavior, and the strong presence of sore losers.
I gladly trumpet my love of baseball, especially the Red Sox. Manny Ramirez said it best during the 2008 post-season:
"...It doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like it’s the end of the world."
He has seen his share of losses as a Red Sox player, yet his mentality demonstrates a love of the game and how to lose gracefully.
Of course, it also helps that he was the cover player for MVP Baseball 2005 =)
...
...
WHAT?!
Did he whang his head on the goalpost going for a save? This makes absolutely no sense.
Just sigh, shake my head, and walk away in utter confusion. I can't argue with non-sense. He wins.
With this mindset their team was fucked to begin with.
From what he says, it sounds like he wants to force everyone to just do nothing but watch and play soccer. No thanks, I'd rather do something where I am not surrounded mostly by douche bags who will kill you if you support the wrong team. Looking at it, it is kind of like gang on gang violence, wear the wrong colors to a match and you are f'ing dead.
It's interesting to note that far more violcene, destruction and prejudice has been proven to be caused by the 'football yob' culture than has even been suggested to be caused by Video Games.
For the colonials out there, the manager making excuses after the match is as much part of the game as the penalties are.
Actually I think it was posted to point out his short comings in the game. Honestly I laughed my ass off at the video. He complains about video games making his team lose when he can't even kick the ball correctly and gives up a free goal because he got hurt.
If a footballer is held back by video games, he is not driven enough to be world class, there have always distractions.
I also take it that they don't have consoles in Italy? Or Croatia for that matter?
That Youtube clip was a bit of a low blow too. Every senior keeper has several horrible mistakes behind them. Like Scott Carson, eh?
Hey, now, this is serious business. If playing games will distract children from playing games, whatever will happen to them when they're playing games?
@Demontestament:
A little from column A, a little from column B, I think--I kinda think including the video is tacky, too. Independent of Green's ability or inability to play ball, he sure does come off as an ignorant little man...and just maybe a touch bitter.
Have to say I'm a little amused that he couldn't get his own stupid idea, but rather jumped onto the "omgeh vidya games!" bandwagon with the rest of the kids.
Explains my headache. Brain cell mass sepaku.