It has been almost impossible for any journalist covering Andy Murray’s recent run of success at Wimbledon to not mention how lots of people in England don’t like him because of his supposed anti-English comment three years ago. In fact, there was even a letter in this week’s Metro from someone saying they would never support Andy Murray in tennis matches because of that comment.
For me though, these people who are so anti-Murray must simply be using it as an excuse for not liking him as a person anyway or perhaps just hate Scotland. I suspect it’s also partly a side-effect of the lop-sided devolution (i.e. giving devolution to Scotland, without settling the West Lothian Question), that had led some people to become generally more anti-Scottish
I can understand some people in England not warming to him generally as Andy Murray’s public persona has been that of a fairly grumpy individual who is intensly focused on his game (presumably the reason for his success so surely a good thing), as opposed to the more cheerful demeanour of Tim Henman, who also happened to be the epitome of the English rural middle-class.
Whilst, the comment about supporting “anyone but England” has been overinflated. After all it was only said in jest, (see about a third of the way through the column), whilst he was being ribbed by a sports presenter and Tim Henman for the inability of the Scottish football team to qualify for the World Cup. What annoys me more is the hypocrisy of many who say it. After all, how many football fans out there don’t get a smug satisfaction in seeing their biggest rival fail in a football match, especially if that team is a team that has traditionally been one of the most successful around.
A good equivalent example, albeit about local rivalry, is when Doncaster Rovers beat Leeds United in the 1st Division play-off final last year. The Sheffield Telegraph ran a cartoon showing a bill board advertising the match with the words Doncaster Rovers crossed out and replaced with South Yorkshire. For the last few years the rivalry between Sheffield (and the rest of South Yorkshire) and Leeds has, at least as far as football is concerned, seen the former have the upper hand. Whilst many Sheffielders may take great delight in that, and did again this year when Leeds failed to gain promotion yet again, it doesn’t mean that people from either Sheffield or Leeds wouldn’t support someone from the opposite city if they were up for some other accolade in another sport where the two weren’t competing against each other.
In the end, football is about the separate nations rather than Britain, but in tennis it isn’t the case. Andy Murray plays both for himself, Scotland and Britain. Most people in England understand that it’s perfectly possible for people who are English to also be British, so why can’t we understand that the same applies to Andy Murray. It’s just that inevitably when our nations are represented in a sport separately we are bound to support our own nation and at the same time get some enjoyment out of our greatest rival being defeated.
14 responses so far ↓
Nich Starling - Norfolk Blogger // 28 June 2009 at 9:52 pm |
I support him because he is British. I know people who don’t who have Scottish friends, who don’t dislike Scotland but dislik ewhat they saw as anti English sentiments.
I think the press blew this up and amde an issue out of nothing, but it is too simplistic to say all those who don’t support Murray are anti Scottish.
Toque // 29 June 2009 at 9:14 am |
Unfortunately for Andy Murray his comment came on the back of Scotland’s First Minister proclaiming that he supports anyone but England, and his sister chipping in to say that she flies the flag of England’s opponents.
Because Jack McConnell is not very well known in England, and his sister unheard of, the press practically ignored these comments, but made great play of Murray’s comments.
Rhodri Morgan’s “I support two teams – Wales and whoever is playing England” and Neil Kinnock’s “I am pro-Britain in everything I do. I always support Britain. I support the British Lions on every occasion. I support any and every Welsh team on every occasion. And I support any and every team on every occasion when they are playing against England.” are other examples.
The fact that politicians come out with this sort of anti-English banter to little criticism, but a 19 year-old tennis player is still dealing with the consequences years later, doesn’t reflect well on anyone involved.
It’s a shame that people don’t just forget about Murray and concentrate on McConnell, Kinnock, Morgan, et al.
Hendre // 29 June 2009 at 11:39 am |
Some of this ‘anyone but England’ stuff derives from the conflation of England and Britain in general but also the way sport is reported by the London press. We don’t have a national British football team but the London media often seem to be under the impression that the England team can be served up as a proxy for a British side. So for the avoidance of doubt … ABE.
john // 29 June 2009 at 3:28 pm |
Tennis is gay so who cares!
Hywel // 29 June 2009 at 4:52 pm |
The Welsh “anyone but England” mentality isn’t as prevalent outside of rugby. Really it has as much to do with Rugby being the national sport in a way that isn’t that widely appreciated.
The Leeds United example isn’t really comparable. Everyone else really does hate them!
M Anderson // 30 June 2009 at 2:19 am |
“… the comment about supporting “anyone but England” has been overinflated. After all it was only said in jest…”
“[Murray] was being ribbed by a sports presenter and Tim Henman for the inability of the Scottish football team to qualify for the World Cup.”
F*ck Andrew Murray! Oh it’s okay, I said it in jest! Plus, some jock just made a smart arse comment to me about the England national football team. So, that’s okay then right? Bollocks! The uproar when Gary Lineker made a comment about scotland’s football team had hundreds writing into newspapers. What is the difference when the English do the same? And what about when Alan Hansen said, “we” when referring to England’s national football team? More uproar.
I smell hyp0cricisy! What else is new?
Reg // 30 June 2009 at 7:32 am |
It’s quite simple. If he doesn’t support England, why should he expect the English to support him?
Of course, many English WILL support him because they’re more grown up than he is. But let’s hope this is a lesson in humility for him.
Findlers McGiven // 30 June 2009 at 7:56 am |
Let’s face it, the general anti-English sentiments expressed on a regular basis by Scottish people in all walks of life, amount to nothing more than racism by a group of people who still haven’t got over a war that happened hundreds of years ago. The “union” was, is and always will be a cause of extreme discomfort to them, despite the fact that they now have their own Parliament, control our Parliament, and receive a greater share of tax revenue than their population deserves.
It is time that our countries went their separate ways, I for one would love to see a passport controlled border between England and Scotland, and preferably some controls on their ability to migrate down here for work (which they do unfettered, whilst simultaneously telling everybody how much better Scotland is).
I support England, and I also support whoever the Scottish are playing, regardless of sport.
KL // 30 June 2009 at 8:35 am |
Reg – why should he support England? Last time I checked, he wasn’t English!
Frankly, I’m fed up about the English press bleating about this. Murray has come through the tennis ranks despite, not because of, the English-based LTA. He has played his best tennis since leaving the LTA-formed coaching team which didn’t suit his needs and personality. It seems like, every year, Murray suffers at Wimbledon simply because he isn’t Henman. Well, he’s a better player than Henman was (by Henman’s own admission), has already got closer to a Grand Slam win than Henman did, has won more Tour titles and achieved a higher world ranking than Henman. I often think that even if Murray did win Wimbledon, there’d still be grouching in the English media about him – and there will be even more when eventually he stops playing in the farce that is the British Davis Cup team.
Gawn yersel’, Andy, and stick it to them!
Reg // 30 June 2009 at 11:29 am |
KL – I see your point and you’re right, you wouldn’t expect a Scot to actively support England. However, it’s this idea of ‘not supporting’ that is so juvenile. Just because you’re one nationality doesn’t mean you can’t support another national team in a game when your own side isn’t playing. For example the many English who support Scotland, Wales and Ireland in international matches. If I may paraphrase your argument, why should English fans at Wimbledon support a Scot? They’re not Scottish.
Of course,they do it because they’re well-balanced, fair individuals, who judge Murray on his merits, not his nationality.
andy // 1 July 2009 at 12:27 am |
I really couldnt give a monkeys if murray wins wimbeldon or loses it. It will be great for Scotland if he does win it. As far as im concerned murray plays for scotland and not for britain. What murray said about the english was disgraceful.
David // 1 July 2009 at 6:10 pm |
I would like to contribute to this as a Scot. I moved down south 7 years ago to go to University, and I couldn’t believe how shocked everyone was when I told them that I would support whoever England is playing – and that I would bet about 95% of my countrymen feel the same.
People make the mistake of confusing wanting England to lose at sport with anti-Englishness. I’ve been here 7 years, I love England and (most) English people, but when it comes to sport, I always hope they get stuffed, whichever sport it is. As an earlier poster said: “After all, how many football fans out there don’t get a smug satisfaction in seeing their biggest rival fail in a football match, especially if that team is a team that has traditionally been one of the most successful around”. That’s exactly it, a small nation who has always been pretty crap at most sports will inevitably take pleasure in seeing their big, dominant neighbour take a beating once in a while. I can’t imagine many Canadians supporting the USA at the Olympics, or New Zealand supporting Australia at cricket! England losing makes us feel a bit better about ourselves – I’m not saying it’s not a bit childish, but it is natural.
And the fact that we are all British too has nothing to do with it. Are Liverpool fans going to support Man U fans in the Champions League? Well they are both English, after all? Yes they are both English, but it is clubs that are competing so our loyalty and identity is with our club. So with national football, where Scotland competes separately, we are Scottish. In the Olympics, where there is only ‘Britain’, we will cheer and shout for Britain – both Scottish and English competitors. It’s human nature.
So in short, I’m sure Andy Murray, like myself, loves England as a place and its people. We just enjoy it when, say, you get beaten by Holland at cricket, for example. It’s not such a crime, is it?
David // 1 July 2009 at 6:10 pm |
I would like to contribute to this as a Scot. I moved down south 7 years ago to go to University, and I couldn’t believe how shocked everyone was when I told them that I would support whoever England is playing – and that I would bet about 95% of my countrymen feel the same.
People make the mistake of confusing wanting England to lose at sport with anti-Englishness. I’ve been here 7 years, I love England and (most) English people, but when it comes to sport, I always hope they get stuffed, whichever sport it is. As an earlier poster said: “After all, how many football fans out there don’t get a smug satisfaction in seeing their biggest rival fail in a football match, especially if that team is a team that has traditionally been one of the most successful around”. That’s exactly it, a small nation who has always been pretty crap at most sports will inevitably take pleasure in seeing their big, dominant neighbour take a beating once in a while. I can’t imagine many Canadians supporting the USA at the Olympics, or New Zealand supporting Australia at cricket! England losing makes us feel a bit better about ourselves – I’m not saying it’s not a bit childish, but it is natural.
And the fact that we are all British too has nothing to do with it. Are Liverpool fans going to support Man U fans in the Champions League? Well they are both English, after all? Yes they are both English, but it is clubs that are competing so our loyalty and identity is with our club. So with national football, where Scotland competes separately, we are Scottish. In the Olympics, where there is only ‘Britain’, we will cheer and shout for Britain – both Scottish and English competitors.
So in short, I’m sure Andy Murray, like myself, loves England as a place and its people. We just enjoy it when, say, you get beaten by Holland at cricket, for example. It’s not such a crime, is it?
Scott // 6 July 2009 at 4:49 pm |
I doubt it has anything to do with Murray’s quip about not supporting England in 2006, anymore.
After all, it is common knowledge that the journalist who asked him that question, lead up to it by teasing Murray about Scotland not being at the 2006 WC.
It is also understandable that it was a catch 22 question, where a yes or no would have damned him on one side of the Tweed or the other.
I just think that many English folk have used Andy Murray’s Scottishness as an excuse to give the Scots some taste of their own medicine.
I am amused at the reaction of some Scot’s, to this English hostility, when the English are only acting like the Scot’s.