Saturday, January 10, 2009

Greece out as England wish and whinge

I have found a new favourite word it is the German word Schadenfreude it's the satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune। What a surprise that it's German word, I think World War 2 may have given it greater notieriety. If I used it in a sentence I would say it like this: Despite myself, I felt a Schadenfreude at England's failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 tournament. My Schadenfreude gets peaked everytime I read the English media reporting on Euro2008 say things like "what a shame England couldn't be here" or "It would have been interesting to see how far England could have progressed in this tournament" or this one "without England in this tournament, the excitement is not as it should be" Right before the final EURO2008 qualifying game between England and Croatia which Croatia won 3-2, Micheal Owen said that none of the Croatian players would make it in the English first 11. He was right of course however Micheal Owen meant because of playing ability and skill rather the fact the Croatians where Croatian and not English. This is the kind of attidue the English have had towards Football ever since they reckon they invented the game even though different forms of Football where being played in China and South America before the English added "rules"As the Greeks got the Acropolis kicked out of them by the Russians my dissapointment is lessened by my Schadenfreude Cup that the English team and English media keep on filling up. It's much better to watch and read about how crap your team is playing than wish and whinge about a team that isn't even competing. If Australia get to host the 2018 World Cup at the expense of England someone will have to come up with another word to express the satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune and the satisfaction or pleasure felt at my own fortune.

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