in the world at their chosen sport

I’ve chosen a sport? – Why wasn’t I told?

I do find it interesting how many people dislike Murray. He is a pretty bland character to me but vaguely interesting with his flaws

He got badly bitten by the media in the past and now is somewhat cagey with them.

I don’t know why he arouses such strong feelings in folk tho

I agree with Markie’s sentiments on the last page.

It was quite funny watching him yesterday being interviewed alongside Rory Mcilroy. Rory Mcilroy said he and Murray shared ‘common interests’. Murray looked quite sheepish about that one.

Stop picking on me!

I don’t know why he arouses such strong feelings in folk tho

because he represents the ludicrous situation whereby english people are expected to simultaneously support britishness and accept anti english feeling from the celts.

He is a comedy genius, I thought this very clever

“The problem with superstitions is that you become very attached to them,” he explained. “Then, if you go in the same shower and someone’s in it, you’re obviously not going to jump in there. Well, you could, but I choose not to.’’

He is a pretty bland character to me

In the interviews, perhaps – I read his twitter feed and some other articles, he seems like a normal bloke. I’d chat if I met him on a bike ride.

Mr Murray taught me a valuable lesson a couple of years ago. In individual sports I now tend to support the competitior that I most admire rather than support by nationality. That might be influenced by their style of play, their ethics and sportsmanship and I suppose their “personality”. I found this enormously refreshing – I now follow sportsmen and women that I truely admire regardless of nationality.

In the case of tennis that means Nadal for me.

To be fair to Murray he now seems a much more personable chap than he did. If someone could work on his winning smile and chatty interview persona a little more I’m sure he would be a lot richer than he already is.

If he really wanted to gain the admiration of the whole country (not saying he does) she should do the following:

– At the end of a massive rally or realy tense tie break, scream at the top of his lungs ‘COOOOOOME OOOOOON TIIIIIIMMMM’

– Then win Wimbledon.

I’d settle for just the first point.

I’m actually number 3 in the world at throwing a telegraph pole about a foot away

I read somewhere that he has earned £16 million in prize money so far – wouldn’t have thought he needed to get much more “media-friendly”.

In the case of tennis that means Nadal for me.

I’ve not seen Nadal be any more interesting than Murray in post match interviews.

I support my national competitors, but I also support other people based on the same criteria as you convert – and for me that means Federer.. and now Tsonga too 🙂

if (and it’s quite a big if) Tsonga plays like he did in the last three sets yesterday I can’t even see Nadal having a chance.

I’m happy for all 4 of them now left in to win. It would be good to see Murray do it though (and Lisicki in the ladies)

I like watching Federer play – that backhand is genius/poetry but he does seem a bit of a non-personality, even among the other “electric” players

I’m also supporting underdogs, as is the british way, so here’s to a Murray vs Tsonga final

trailmonkey – Member

because he represents the ludicrous situation whereby english people are expected to simultaneously support britishness and accept anti english feeling from the celts.

Apart from that is not the real position. If it was he wopuld not be photographed withteh Union Flag. he is a Patriotic Scotadn a brit,

Its been created by the press mainly the Daily wail. Henman teased him about Scotland not qualifying for the world cup.

so if you don’t accept anti english xenophobia, you are a daily mail reader ? that really doesn’t make a lot of sense.

as far as i’m concerned murray said what he said because it’s culturally acceptable to be xenophobic towards the english. he’s been back tracking ever since.. there is a feeling of anti englishness in all of the celtic nations and you’ve even alluded on here to being bullied because of it.

it’s culturally acceptable to be xenophobic towards the english

^ this

that backhand is genius/poetry

most of Federers shots are genius/poetry. There are not many other players that cause past masters to come out just to watch them like he does/did.

At least Tsonga played a couple of single handled backhands which was encouraging.

I’ve not seen Nadal be any more interesting than Murray in post match interviews.

What I like about Nadal is the sheer hard work he puts into training (they all do, but he is considered the hardest working); the sportsmanship – have you noticed how whenever he looses he always is full of praise for whomever beat him rather than coming up with excuses as well as wishing them luck; and his general ambasador to the sport nature. Apparently he rang up the director of Queens after he lost to appologise for his performance and say that he did not mean to disrespect the event by being so tired (he had just finished at the French the day before queens started). Class.

Maybe so, but the english don’t appear to recognise the effort that has been put in previously in order to achieve this level of xenophobia.

Trailmonkey – that simply is not what happened in this case. It does happen for sure but Murray is simply not guilty of it. Listen to what Henman says – he was there.

Some do Don – I understand how the British Museum has become world famous

It’s been done to death why Murray said what he said about “anyone but England”. It was banter, you know, a joke??

For me, I want England to lose at football but couldn’t care less in other sports. In fact, strangely enough, tend to support them when it comes to the cricket and the Ashes, etc. Not so bothered about Rugby these days I don’t mind either way if they win or lose now that Scotland are so crap at the sport!

The football thing isn’t to do with anti-Englishness – it’s more to do with a combination of probably envy – since my team don’t qualiy these days – and wanting to see all the smug pundits and over-hyped players get a wake-up call when they realise that ‘The Golden Generation’ are actually second rate international underachievers who ‘over achieve’ at domestic level due to the amount of ludicrously overpaid foreign talent imported to the league.

Watch ESPN classic and things like the English Euro 96 team or the 1990 Italia 90 squad or Mexico 86 – they would piss allover the 2010 group. English football is all image (can’t bring myself to use the word ‘style’!)over substance and it pleased me no-end to see them get a footballing lesson from the Jerries in South Africa last year 🙂

as far as i’m concerned murray said what he said because it’s culturally acceptable to be xenophobic towards the english

Daft.

It was just ribbing between friends. Obviously.

Does anyone who is Scottish think otherwise?

it’s culturally acceptable to be xenophobic towards the english

No, it’s culturally acceptable to have a bit of rivalry between two close nations. Too many people fail to see the difference between rivalry and xenophobia and immediately tar everything as xenophobia.

Maybe so, but the english don’t appear to recognise the effort that has been put in previously in order to achieve this level of xenophobia.

its very convenient for xenophobes to generalise. not all english people are longhanks incarnate. in fact the vast majority of us in england have been shafted by the aristocracy as much as those in the other corners of these islands have.

It does happen for sure but Murray is simply not guilty of it. Listen to what Henman says – he was there.

just sounds like his mate trying to dig him out of a hole. of course if scotland had have qualified for the world cup, murray – a patriotic scot – wouldn’t dream of supporting england’s opponents in every game 🙄

Aristocracy in Benidorm? Engurland away? 😉

Trailmonkey is going for this month’s TJ award of desperate arguing and bonkers points of view 🙂

What really surprises me is english football fans not getting behind the germans, their friendly european neighbours.

What really surprises me is english football fans not getting behind the germans, their friendly european neighbours.

Look what happened when we supported them on their Czechoslovakian tour of 1938/39

Poor trailmonkey,are you feeling unloved and picked on? Two words that justify any amount of this anti-English feeling you claim to encounter

IAIN WRIGHT

Im English. I want Murray to win. Tennis is really related to my thoughts on other sports.

What time is he due to play?

Will he have to wait for the other semi-final to finish before his starts meaning you can’t say that it will start at 4pm for example?

Someone who’s not Murray:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/is-anyone-watching-the-womens-game-this-week

^^^^

Damn youtube is blocked at work.

I now tend to support the competitior that I most admire rather than support by nationality

What does it mean, in practical terms, to “support” a tennis player you only see on TV? Is it just a shorthand for saying that you shout at the telly when that person is on?

What’s wrong with just watching the game? (*)

Obviously different rules apply for wimmins tennis. I am supporting Maria Sharapova. Or she is supporting me, more accurately …

give the kid a break he had a scary childhood, went to the school in dunblane where the massacre occured.

I’m English and I always want England to lose at World Cups. Don’t have to put up with the rubbish on TV about how it could be our year, we have a chance and all that rubbish then.

To me, nationality is irrelevent. I want Andy Schleck to win the tour, not because of where he’s from but because I think he’s the best riding and exciting to watch. Murray wouldn’t be where he is without being a fantastic tennis player, who cares whether he can hold a conversation with the press or has a shave.

on’t have to put up with the rubbish on TV about how it could be our year, we have a chance and all that rubbish then

You know, you don’t HAVE to put up with it anyway….

If he wins today he is a Scottish legend , If he loses he goes back to being a Hibby ****. Good luck Andy .