Sunday Times Article - Rod Liddle

[beautifulrock]

Anyone see this, wonder what is the general feedback on this piece of "fine" journalism, it was in todays Sunday Times (UK Version) not sure if it was in the Irish print.

Rod Liddle: Our World Cup Empire is a mystery to me



SO, the Republic of Ireland have failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals.



This has occasioned in me a deep sense of grief, but one which I hope, in time, I will come to terms with. No Robbie Keane cheekily sliding to the ground pretending to shoot an arrow into the crowd; no Kenny Cunningham hacking chunks of flesh off anybody within 50 metres. No heroic defeat to Togo in the last minute of the last game of the group stage. But never mind, huh? No use crying over spilt milk, etc.

Can anybody explain to me why every news and broadcasting organisation treats the Republic as if it were one of the home nations — when, as the angry ghosts of Eamon De Valera and Michael Collins would attest, it most certainly is not? The Irish are afforded exactly the same coverage as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — three countries which, last time I looked, still had at least nominal membership of the United Kingdom.

Is it vestigial imperialism on the part of sports journalists? Is it assumed that the south’s decision to break away is a mere temporary aberrance, which will one day be corrected and that they didn’t mean it really? Is it perhaps an attempt to take account of the historic friendship that exists between our two countries — or, as the Irish might put it, 1,000 years of Bruddish Uppression? Or is it a form of benevolent condescension — we all adore the Irish, with their cheerful too-rye-aye fiddle-based jigs and love of something they refer to as “the craic”? It cannot be geographical proximity, because the French and the Belgians are closer to the mainland and we couldn’t give a monkey’s about them.

Nor can it be a respect for their footballing prowess: the Republic’s team has all the skill and guile and subtlety of Blackburn Rovers on a bad day. And it’s not the fact that lots of Irish people live in England, otherwise we would pay similar attention to the sporting aspirations of, say, Pakistan or Nigeria. Or, more recently, Poland and Kosovo.

It’s true that a lot of England supporters — all of the ones I know, at least — were certainly very interested in the score from Lansdowne Road last week: they were cheering on the Swiss with almost as much fervour as they were cheering on the national side. But then, Motty didn’t interrupt his commentary of the England versus Poland game to say: “. . . and it’s absolutely terrific news from Dublin, where the P addies are on their way out of the World Cup”.

He instead sounded thoroughly upset. Perhaps he was being deeply ironic, although of all the many qualities one associates with John Motson, a facility for gentle irony does not usually figure among them. Frankly, it’s all a bit of a mystery to me.

No less of a mystery was the praise heaped — universally — upon Shaun Wright-Phillips following England’s thoroughly competent defeat of the lugubrious Poles. I watched Wright-Phillips very closely on Wednesday night; hitherto, I’ve always been a bit of a fan and what’s more, somewhat agnostic on the subject of David Beckham, too. But I cannot recall a single occasion last week where Shaun completed a pass to a member of his own team. Not one. On every single occasion he ended up giving the ball to somebody whose name looked like a difficult, if high-scoring, Scrabble hand.

Sure, he ran very fast along the touchline, quite often with the ball at his feet and I suppose one could say that he caused anxiety within the Polish defence. But it was the sort of anxiety that might be occasioned by a decapitated polecat let loose in a crowded pub, the nerve endings still jangling but sadly disconnected from the cerebral cortex. And wholly devoid of teeth. A blur of pointless and frenetic activity that might be disquieting — but never really dangerous.

How one longed for the carefully flighted ball into the box or the incisive pass through the middle. The difficult truth is, Beckham is incapable of skinning a defender and Wright-Phillips seems incapable of doing anything even vaguely useful once he has.

Almost all of the quality balls last Wednesday were executed by another member of the Chelsea reserves, Joe Cole, who, I thought, played his best game so far for England. Along with the magnificent Ledley King and, of course, Frank Lampard, Cole was the star of the show — although, for once, Michael Owen’s contribution seemed greatly underrated by the pundits the following morning: for a start, he scored a good goal: what more do you want? Peter Crouch’s presence in the team, meanwhile, still seems to me a humorous anomaly, rather as if Les Dennis were one of the candidates attempting to become leader of the Conservative party. It may well be that Crouch is one of the very few Premiership players whose interviews don’t make you want to take out your Luger in a spasm of visceral loathing. But being a decent, palpably sentient, even thoughtful human being should not qualify one to play for England, otherwise we would have a defence that consisted of Linvoy Primus, Graeme Le Saux, Rufus Brevett and Sir Trevor Phillips, which I suspect would look a bit shaky when we come up against the Argies next summer.

Or, indeed, the wonderful Swiss.

[dynamo kerry]

fairly honest fare if you ask me. I don't give a monkeys' if he finds the amount of coverage we get odd.

[gustavo]

i agree with him ,of course they shouldnt give us that amount of coverage its their own fault if they do

[Noelys Guitar]

Surely that should be Liddle Rod aka small penis. The "Liddles" are coming back out of hibernation again. He is a throwback to the 70's/80's coverage of the Irish team. Semi-hooligan hacks who used "Paddies" to describe the Irish team. Who played down the attacks on Irish fans in London (Kilburn Pub wrecked with one Irish fan having a heart attack before game in 1991. Attack on Maggies pub in Willesden during Ireland v England 1990. Vicious stuff and I witnessed the attack in Willesden. Didn't think I would get out alive. I remember the London Standard's "Liddle" describing it as an Irish barroom brawl. It was an unprovoked attack carried out by NF and a few East Belfast types.

[beautifulrock]

yes he seems quite comfortable to use the term "paddies" but veered away from referring to Pakistan as Pakis. seen some of his previous work and NG has summed him up perfectly.

[Dodge]

To answer his question, the British media know they there is a relatively large Irish audience, both in Britain and in Ireland, so they pander towards that. Would also assume that a large percentage of British people would see Ireland as a british isle...

I'm not trying to start a political debate, I'm just justifying the British media's coverage of Ireland's games

[thejollyrodger]

i think its the fact that all of the irish players play in the EPL the english fans can related to them. Plus were not a team of prima donnas and its a very easy team to support. We gave England a lot in the world of football and in general.

[shakermaker1982]

what an absolute p**ck, got a good mind to send him a nice email about his racism. Paddies hummmm

[Tired&Emotional]

Disturbing undertones in this article. Is it really about sport or a journalist taking the opportunity to vent his racist opinions under the guise of football?!
He's takin' the mickey out of us for God's sake how on earth can this article be "fair...honest....or agreeable.....????!!

[shakermaker1982]

"It’s true that a lot of England supporters — all of the ones I know, at least — were certainly very interested in the score from Lansdowne Road last week: they were cheering on the Swiss with almost as much fervour as they were cheering on the national side. But then, Motty didn’t interrupt his commentary of the England versus Poland game to say: “. . . and it’s absolutely terrific news from Dublin, where the P addies are on their way out of the World Cup”.

my fave paragraph. Let me tell you when Zidane scored those 2 goals at Euro 2004 against the hooligans I was so happy I could have cried and wet myself at the same time. If he used the word paki he would be sacked.........yet he can get away with paddy?

[Dodge]

He'll get away with it because he saying John Motson Wouldn't say Paddies....

[Donal81]

Rod Liddle writes regularly for the Spectator, a magazine which seems to revel in the hamming up of good old British values, when rule Brittania would be understood all over the world, when Britain was the most civilised and cultured of countries and London was the centre of the known universe.

With writers like Liddle and magazines like the Spectator and elements of the Sunday Times, it's important to read them to understand what's out there. As any sort of commentary, I wouldn't take it seriously, though.

[Dodge]

He also wrote extensively for the guardian and his other politics seem to be left wing so it might just be a single issue with him

[pete]

I'm always surprised we get so much coverage in the UK. TBH i couldn't care less if they covered our games or not so he has a point there.

Using the word paddies is insulting & possibly racist. If someone was to make an official complaint to the British Press Commplaints Board (or whatever name is) i've no doubt he would be dragged in & sanctioned.

[Rover 2 U]

Is it perhaps an attempt to take account of the historic friendship that exists between our two countries — or, as the Irish might put it, 1,000 years of Bruddish Uppression?

Is he taking the **** here? Historic "FRIENDSHIP" WTF?
BRUDDISH UPPRESSION? What planet do you live on you fcuking gob****e!
Two fcuking words for you brit boy - "THE FAMINE"

Now fcuk off and take your poxy queen with you!

[shakermaker1982]

every major city Manchester, Brum, London, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Cardiff etc etc the list is endless of Irish passport holders. is full of Irish folks and their 2nd and 3rd generation families and why shouldn't we get the news over in the UK?

I'm gonna try and find his email address later on.

[geysir]

"It cannot be geographical proximity, because the French and the Belgians are closer to the mainland and we couldn’t give a monkey’s about them".

Ah, the "mainland". I like that one

[as_i_say]

di ck head. that is all.

[Closed Account 2]

Liddle eh ? Is that what the wife calls him ?

A "Liddle" biography of him

Rod Liddle - Journalist and after dinner speaker. Born in South London in 1960, Rod was educated at a comprehensive school in Guisborough, Cleveland, and the London School of Economics. His pre-BBC career saw various roles, including a reporter on The South Wales Echo and Western Mail, and a research assistant and speechwriter for the Labour Party during the 1980's.

New to the After Dinner Speaking circuit but an experienced raconteur at conferences and elsewhere. Rod draws on his inside knowledge of how the BBC's leading news and current affairs programmes are put together.

Rod has been editor of the Radio 4 Today since 1998 and is therefore the "boss" of such shrinking violets as John Humphrys, Sue MacGregor and James Naughtie!

Before this Rod was involved with Any Questions, and often is called upon to warm up audiences when the programmes go live. Rod writes a weekly column for the Guardian Newspaper.

Here is a picture of him...


As an aside, can anyone think of a team in England which hasnt had at least 2-3 Irish players playing for it over the past decade or so.

[Irish_Praha]

As an aside, can anyone think of a team in England which hasnt had at least 2-3 Irish players playing for it over the past decade or so.

Arsenal.

If you mean playing regularly for them.
McGoldrick only played 38 games in three years and I'm sure lots were as a sub.