You can see it in this morning’s previews of the friendly (the description carries little irony this time) against Germany: a becoming modesty about the English, very much in keeping with the character of the latest manager chosen by an FA celebrating 150 years sometimes marked by, if not arrogance, a certain haughtiness.
It would hardly surprise me if Roy Hodgson, upon disembarking at Rio airport for the World Cup next June, broke into a chorus of Football’s Coming Home, for the English have developed a respect for those who have achieved more than them — and Brazil would lead the list — as if realising that it is the only way to improve.
The change is noticeable in the press, all sections of which have wisely eschewed the old stereotypes in looking forward to the visit of Joachim Löw’s squad.
The captain spoke yesterday and the discussion was all about the 4-1 defeat in South Africa in 2010 — even though Steven Gerrard also played in the 5-1 victory in Germany in 2001. Meanwhile Gerrard, asked how he felt about equalling Bobby Moore’s 108 caps, replied that he was “a bit embarrassed” at mention in the same breath of a World Cup winner. That read nicely, too.
Am I kidding myself? If England beat Löw’s second string tonight, will the headlines scream "Take that, Fritz"? I doubt it. A polyglot Premier League has broken barriers. A Londoner who supports Arsenal might be just as interested in Per Mertesacker’s performance at Wembley as Gerrard’s, if not more. Through the Champions League we know Julian Draxler as well as Ross Barkley, if not better.
Nor are the English just interested in England tonight. Being admirers of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery, we shall be keeping a close eye on play-off dramas in Stockholm and Paris, even monitoring Zagreb and Bucharest. Things aren’t what they used to be. Thank goodness.
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