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So despite a poor first half performance, England managed to run out 5-1 winners over Kazhakstan this weekend.  However, such was the performance, that the biggest talking point is that Ashely Cole was booed for gifting the Kazhakstan team a goal.

For those that haven’t seen it an over casual back pass landed at the feet of the centre forward who knocked it passed the statue that was David James. This resulted in the Cole being booed by on section of the crowd every time he touched the ball for the next 5-10 minutes - until England scored again basically.

So why all the fuss?

Well like all controversial footballing moments, there are two very good sides to the arguement.

The people that were behind the jeering will say they have paid £80 a ticket, no doubt either paid to park or paid to travel to the game, bought a program and paid a small fortune for either food and/or a drink.  They will therefore argue that if the team or a particular player does not perform as they would like, they are entitled to show their displeasure providing it is not racial or discriminatory in anyway.

The counter argument is that every team and or player will have an off day at some point, and will make at least one mistake during a match.  This is the same regardless of how much they are paid - at the end of the day nobody is perfect and £100k per week doesn’t change that fact.  The role of a supporter, as the name suggests is to “support” his or her team.  The best way to do this is through encouraging the team and players, urging them to give 100%.  This should not only be done when they are playing well, but should be done especially when they are playing badly or make a mistake.  Confidence is fragile even in the very best of us, and to undermine that confidence, undermines that player, and is ultimately detrimental to the team.

So where do I stand?

Well, if I have paid the best part of £100 to watch a match, I would want to see them win, and ideally by playing free flowing and attractive football.

I therefore hope, that I would have the intelligence to realise that booing and jeering my own team, will not help this happen.  I guess what I’m saying then, is that the boo boys were almost certainly of below average intelligence, and or were more than likely Arsenal fans, who have a problem with Ashley Cole because he left them to double his salary - (in his position none of them would have done the same of course).

The small mindedness and pack mentality of football “supporters” is legendary - any player or manager, who ever leaves a club is victimised when he plays against his former team, no matter how much he has helped them achieve.  It appears that these idiots have more money than sense and are now prepared to pay £100 plus to watch a match in the hope that they will get the opportunity to watch their National team lose,  so that they will have the opportunity to vent their misplaced and childish resentment.