Gesture politics

In the end, there's always a disappointing football match.

Except whre there isn't.

I will remove the area of doubt right now when I reveal that England did not win the Euros last night after all.

Yes, it was disappointing, but they are a young team and will learn, but the actions of some so-called fans and many in the media leaves a very sour taste indeed. And as next door was gearing up for an all night party, the defeat meant I got to sleep after all as it all went quiet just after 11.

I will leave the abuse several of the players received after the game by people online, apparent "fans" who either called into question their nationality or just plain racially abused them. On top of that there was the scenes of fighting and drunken stupidity in central London, and ticketless fans forcing their way into the stadium. All at a time when the pandemic is not over and as cases are on the dramatic increase all over the UK.

Sometimes, we just deserve to have good things happen to us as a nation.

Then there is the situation, and I am not making this up, where the PM and Home Secretary said it was OK last month to boo England players "taking the knee" as it was gesture politics, then come out today to condem the bigots. Johnson and Patel are part of the problem, and enboldened those who took aim at Rashford, Sterling et al. They both called taking the knee as "gesture politics", just the same whay that their statements this morning condeming the fans is too.

This morning England woke up to see the truth that it is racist country, and that part of the passionate support are happy with abusing their own players.