Hi RM
I agree about the stag parties, crikey they come from everywhere, but I don't believe that is the source of the 'English feeling'.
I suspect there aren't too many Welsh, Scotish or Irish that will dress in England Footie shirts and follow the English side around Europe. Albufeira in Portugal was not a Pretty sight during the last competition there. Subsequently the Portuguese Police are not best impressed with ENGLISH. They do tolerate the tourists unless they are not well behaved, of course.

My incident showed clearly to me the benefit of not being English, as soon as I gave him my Passport saying 'Place of Birth Cardiff, Wales', he was a changed man, we were laughing and joking as I left the cop shop and he waved us off lol.

I believe if I had been English the story may have been different.

Muck

Muck - Football hooliganism isn't limited to the English. I don't know how old you are, but I can certainly remember the Scottish fans invading the pitch and demolishing the goals during so-called home countries 'friendly' matches - so much so that the annual matches ended up being completely discontinued. Also, the Dutch and Italian police have their fair share of loutishness to deal with. Posts like yours just contribute to the myth that ONLY the English misbehave overseas and that EVERYONE thinks that. It's not true and they don't.

Yes, but Muck wasn't mistaken for a rowdy German!

Whenever a recent event puts a bad taste in people's mouths - especially a "host country", it can take a while to fade.

In nearly every case, gross generalization is both unjust and pointless. But it still happens. Most folks here are pretty good about "getting" than no one type represents all of his countrymen. Not even the positive types!

Hi RM,
I have in no way suggested only the English have this problem. I happen to think that Italy now have the cancer and they have it far worse than England ever had it IMHO.

I am merely pointing out a specific situation in Portugal which was caused by no one other than English fans.
And the perception of one Portuguese copper who was no doubt involved in the riots, fighting and possibly even getting injured during that time.

I suspect as tomassocroccante suggested, the bitter taste will indeed take time to go away.

On the positive side, I believe the English FA have done a great job of resolving this problem and whilst there will always be a minority of idiots we are winning the battle.

Meanwhile whilst the problem is still in the living memory of the Portuguese coppers, I am happy to be Welsh.



Muck

I'd not use the word "tonton" in Quebec..it's slang for a women's breasts.