England 2, Trinidad & Tobago 0

I warned everyone that writing off Trinidad and Tobago would be at their peril, yet yesterday served to remind me what exactly I hate most about the England team….its supporters.
From Joey-Twopence being interviewed on the street by London Tonight, to the smug and arrogant Terry Venables (in ITV Pundit mode) to the complete ignoramus Wanker Gareth Southgate, who could not be any more incompetent as an ITV Commentator.
These are the same England supporters who fail to recognise that Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago even exist in England's group, the same supporters who think there are only two teams In this tournament, England and Brazil. The same supporters who think that just because England fancy their chances this World Cup, that they will win it by default The same supporters who have an unhealthy obsession with World War Two and 1966 (That’s 40 years ago folks) who rushed out in their droves to purchase the most jingoistic and xenophobic diatribe (song) that not only stereotypes, mocks and ridicules all Germans (have England even played Germany yet?!) but goes that one step further and likens Jurgen Klinsmann to Adolf Hitler - simply because (you've guessed it!) he's GERMAN and because the World Cup is hosted in GERMANY.

ITVs coverage of the football yesterday was a complete joke. It was as if they had no interest in covering any of the games except for the England one. Now I know that the England team Is of obvious national interest, but when you have a Ecuador v Costa Rica match at 2pm (pre England) and a Sweden v Paraguay game at 8pm (post England) you at least expect commentary that is relevant to the respective match and half/full time analysis that at least covers said match. Not even a goal was replayed or discussed, instead we got a Sven Goran Erickson interview for the umpteenth time. Hey ITV! If you DON’T want to show any non-England matches, then hand the rights over to the BBC! They always do a much more professional and thorough job than that joke of a broadcaster with their pathetic PC female host.

Anyway rant over, as sickened as I was with the result yesterday, I am pleased with the way Trinidad and Tobago played. They had more fighting spirit than England and held themselves with great dignity. What pissed me off was how (and still) the media write off this team, constantly mocking them and ridiculing them as the worst side of the tournament. From what I saw yesterday and with the Sweden game a week before, Trinidad and Tobago are far from one of the worst teams of the competition. No excuses about the weather, Rooney's fitness, playing ten men behind a ball etc, Trinidad and Tobago made England work their asses off - and they still weren't good enough to ensure a Jamaica style thrashing like they so arrogantly assumed was theirs by rights, even before stepping foot onto the pitch.
Generally, the English supporters are far too ignorant to realise just how much of an achievement it is for Trinidad and Tobago - a small nation comprised of two small Islands, (less than 1 million population) to qualify for this tournament and play among the best to the standard of the best. They deserve far more credit and recognition for what they have done than what they are receiving.
After frustrating and holding England, T&T only slipped up with less than ten minutes to go after a blatant Peter Crouch foul on a defender (Is the pulling of the hair not considered a foul these days?) allowed him to score a goal. If that goal had rightfully been disqualified, then im damn well sure that Gerard's opportunity would never have arisen.

To be honest, I never expected Trinidad and Tobago to beat England, I expected a gallant tie at best. One can debate all day whether T&T actually deserved a draw, however I would have thought at the very least, and especially now, that they at least deserved some RESPECT.