THE BIG GAME

Who do I support in a football game, England, my native country, or Germany, my new home?

Both English and German friends often ask which football team I support when England plays against Germany in the European Championship. The assumption behind this question is that it could only be England; after all, supporting the national team of your birth is a question of genetics; anything else is mental and biological perversion. Well, no one really believes me when I say that my allegiance varies according to certain decisive factors. Before explaining these, I must point out that I have lived and worked in Germany since 1971, and there are some who would call me a traitor for supporting the German side, despite the length of time I have been in North Rhine Westphalia. It is a dilemma, and I cannot escape the necessity to consider which of the teams I would choose from one game to the next, especially the so-called “big games”.

When Germany plays against other national teams, I’m always for Germany. This includes Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, amounting to treason with a name like mine. The problem I have only arises when there is a game between England and Germany. Pictures flash around my head, the Queen’s Speech at Christmas, the Union Jack, the Second World War, Winston Churchill, Bobby Charlton, the Night of the Proms with ‘Rule Britannia’ and Marmite. What have I got to withstand all this and support a foreign football team? To be hung, drawn and quartered is the only possible fate for this act of treason. Even so, you must stick to what you believe in. Over 50 years residing in Germany and adapting linguistically and culturally has had its toll. So, what do I do then? Tomorrow, England will play against Germany and the big question is, which team?

The following is what I do.  At the first sign of bad sportsmanship, this does not matter whether this arises from a player or players or even boos from the English spectators, I then make my choice. This trick really does work sometimes. However, after some time, the other side begin to show what they are capable of on the dirty side. I try to quantify the amount of bad play on both sides. This often helps, but not always. Sometimes it’s easier just to choose on the spur of the moment and to hell with all this pseudo neutrality. The real fact is that I’m in a cultural trap and I really hate it. On occasion I miss the whole game so as not to have to make a choice.

Those who have been through a similar situation will know what I mean. This is not only question of football; it is about how you adapt to living in another country, countries and cultures. This, basically, is what my book ‘The Grail’ is about. It’s just a little more complicated.

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