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The previous mayor made 2 highly risky, but ultimately hugely successful, interventions: the Congestion Charge and the Oystercard.

I’m hardly the first person to point this out, but it’s impossible to see what the current mayor believes in, other than keeping everybody happy in a rather spineless way. These are wasted years for London, they will not see bold moves like those 2 above.

The current is big on flowery words, small on a unifying vision.

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What do you have to say about that, Edna? Not that I’m trying to send your blood pressure sky high, of course.

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I’m hardly the first person to point this out, but it’s impossible to see what the current mayor believes in, other than keeping everybody happy in a rather spineless way. These are wasted years for London, they will not see bold moves like those 2 above.

The current mayor is big on flowery words, small on a unifying vision.

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Boris, always spot on – and amusing with it (though Gary Linekar’s remark is hard to beat!).

Twas ever thus, wasn’t it? I stand back and watch, constantly bemused at the antics of the good folk of England. Sporting expectations permanently high (on what basis I have no idea), days off work to watch matches, flags galore, Henman Hill, Murray Mount…the list goes on). Thank God we didn’t waste time having a song this year (apart from Eurovision, of course – and what a stunning success that was, too, from a nation capable of writing some of the best songs ever written – erm, but never for the Eurovision song contest where it seems songwriters collectively lose their minds).

I couldn’t agree more about the modern day lack of competitive sport in schools singularly adding to the problem. What’s wrong with some healthy competition? It’s a great lesson for life. You reap what you sow. Hard work pays dividends. I am the lone voice at the infant and junior sports days shouting at my children from the sidelines and urging them to ‘come on, you can do it, keep going, don’t look behind you!!’ etc etc etc. And children love winning. There’s nothing wrong with that, unless it’s done ungraciously and arrogantly. They’re never happier than with a medal round their neck. It helps self-esteem, it brings them confidence – all great tools for life.

But these pampered individuals who call themselves professional footballers – now that’s another story. They get paid so much just to tie their boot laces that it’s not surprising they can’t be bothered with the 90 minutes they’re meant to be running around the pitch doing something meaningful (before losing to the Germans). Where’s the fire in the belly, the incentive to win, to be the best in the squad, to function as a team for England when they are so used to such idolisation and over-remuneration in their self-obsessed everyday life? So they lose. Does it affect them? Course not. They don’t lose their job. They just go back to their home side, their excessively comfortable life and carry on whooping it up. They are classic examples of the ‘me first, me last, me everything’ generation (which, let’s face it, our media simply encourages).

The French were just as shameful – in fact more so. Selfish primadonnas the lot of them. We are not alone. It is a matter which the FA and FIFA should be looking into, but I fear there’s no going back now. I can’t see the salaries getting smaller, but some sort of incentive system should be introduced (assuming it isn’t already?).

Alternatively, perhaps we should have selected a younger, more inexperienced squad using players who have performed consistently well for their sides at home. They, at least, would have had something to prove and perhaps a little more passion to perform as a TEAM for their country. Like Slovakia, like Paraguay. I think I need say no more.

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And I also blame it on those vuvuzelas, them horrible things. The civilised English only watch sports in silence, like the Wimbledon Tennis Championships right now. Spectators should be seen and not heard. True civilised English sportsmen can not stand noise while playing. Those bush-people have really ruined it for them.

( you can call me a bigoted woman or anything you want Edith but I stand by my comment love )

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please at least explain why… no?
hmmm….

englands teams reflect our economy do you not think?
everyone used to living off the state because they allow them to?
Can you see the connection?
How much good could we do with those salaries?
no, i understand, i am proud to be british but not of our sporting teams.
Or nhs
certain things knock my pride but i like being british we just need to pick up our game a bit in all macro-economical areas.

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