What Is E.A.S.Y About South Africa?

It's time for me to concentrate on one of my pet peeves and that's the English media and their bias towards the English football team.

Every time there's a tournament on the horizon, we're always informed that they 'won the World Cup in 1966'.

1966 indeed.

The press have been jumping for joy at the World Cup draw as England were seeded in a group with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.

This seeding prompted The Sun to splash the group on the front of their Saturday edition with 'England Algeria Slovenia Yanks' with the capitalised letter spelling out EASY in red.

I rolled my eyes when I saw the paper at the shop. After years of following football and reading about it in the paper, I am used to this hyperbole.

What sent me over the edge, however, was the Ten O'Clock News on Monday night when they were reporting on Silverstone securing a new contract to host the British Grand Prix. The reporter noted that next year's race will be held on the same day as the World Cup final and pondered whether it will be a day of double celebration.

Stick to reporting on motor racing.

The funniest thing about the entire 'England will win it' mentality is the idea that the English were worrying about who they will be selected with in the group stages and are now pleased to have been placed in a seemingly easy group.

If they win, and that's a big 'if', will the press forget how everyone was praying they got an easy group?

A certain guy I know used to say; 'To be the man, you have to beat the man'. England trying to backdoor their way through a tournament proves they haven't got the will to prove they are superior to the better teams.

How can they lift that trophy knowing they were looking for an easy route all the way through?

Hell, I'd even bet that the USA wins that group ahead of them, anyway.