wow, what a douchebag.

If he wanted England to win the game, he should've turned the difficulty level down to Medium.

@Scotland89

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.

I wonder why Scotland arn't using this exuse when cheated against Italy?

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.

Yeah and maybe if we took all the youths out of school and put forced them into football death camps, where you need to score goals in order to be eat, then we'd have the best team ever... or a massive increase of deaths caused by starvation.
After all the only reason the team ain't great is because we have something stupid like "choice"

I thought the "it's not my fault" attitude was particularly American. Gee, I wonder if ciggies also have an effect on athletics? Sounds a lot like the Chewbacca Defense.

"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."

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.

I think the real problem here is that Mr. Green, like an annoyingly large amount of the British populace, hasn't realised that there are other sports than Football.

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

And i thought Europe took soccer waaaaaay too seriously before... now THEY'RE playing the blame game?

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?

As usual with England squad, when they lose it's not because of the players. It's the coach, it's the fans, it's the opponents cheating!

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.

Basically, the England team should stop trying to make excuses for their 5-figure paychecks and start earning it instead.

It sounds like he is complaining more that his teammates spend too much time playing video games and not enough time focused on football. To me this is no different that someone complaining about any other activity that could cause their teammates to lose focus or slack off. I don't really see this as a bash on video games at all, but rather a bash on his team for being a bunch of slackers.

I think he's complaining that "talent" is being "wasted" because kids are playing video games instead of going outside...

Personally, given the weather in the majority of England, I wouldn't go outside either!

...
...
...
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.

i thought the British were all about Cricket anyway...

This blame game is just getting fucking ridiculous.

With this mindset their team was fucked to begin with.

@DemonTestament

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.

Hey, wasn't Beavis & Butthead supposed to have destroyed society by now? That seemed to be the favored whipping boy back in the day. Could it be the moral eleitists were...wrong?

... this has to be one of the most ridculious things I have ever heard and I read the articles here frequencily.

Wow.... blaming video games because you suck at soccer.... what's next?

*eye twitches* *goes to cry at the stupididy of others*

[...] via icWales ; GamePolitics [...]

Also, to defend 'otherwise obscure West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green', he should be England number one in my eyes. He's played many blinders for West Ham over last two seasons.

That Youtube clip was a bit of a low blow too. Every senior keeper has several horrible mistakes behind them. Like Scott Carson, eh?

Is it just me or does anyone else feel stupider after reading that quote?

Instead, let's throw away soccer ball in the world and make it so that when everyone in the world says "football", they mean the sport with 11 pad and helmet wearing players on each side playing with an oval shaped ball.

I'm waiting for someone to blame video games for their lack of skill at video games...

Then, truly, the circle will be complete.

Man... Last night my team on Team Fortress 2 was so bad. If they would all stop playing that darn sports we could have won that match of 2fort.

*shoe, meet other foot*

...... I rubbed my eyes, then looked at the article one more time. I honestly think we've run out of excuses for losing. 'Cuz there's a total douchebag blaming console gaming for a loss. Wow.

I have to say that this is by far the poorest article I have ever come across on Game Politics. To be honest I expect far better

@Scottland89

Professional football isn't manly, its about running around and diving as soon as an opponent gets a part of his body near you.

And let's not forget that very 'manly' Scottish sport GOLF. :D

Oh and as you might have noticed recently, the English also play Rugby and are not half bad (well gotta be competent at something).

Scotland rocks and all, but England isn't as bad as you think. Plus if you consider the English your 'Auld Enemy' then that makes you prefer the *French*.

Oh dearz. :P

I'm half Scottish btw, I'm not having a go at Scotland and England isn't perfect but I love em both.

CREAG AN TUIRC!

Er on topic the goalie is talking shite, the problem lies with the players not games.

Haha... blaming it on a video game? What's next?

The reason we are no good is simple .Too few English players.
and too much money.

Simple

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?

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