England a Bet?

Don’t say this too loudly, in fact only whisper it… but England might be becoming a bet for this Euro 2012 tournament.

Usually laying the hyped teams is the way to go, and England are no exception. They always start towards the head of the betting market, for reasons I can nver understand. How can a team that hasn’t won anything for nearly 50 years always be so highly touted?

And it’s not like England really has any great players. Yes Hart is solid in goal and yes Rooney is handy up front. But would any of our midfield get into the Spain team? Or the Dutch team? Or the German team?

So, in the past, I have taken on the English with some success. This is why it feels very strange to say that I wonder if England are a bet now.

I have never known the English enter a tournament with less hype, less expectation and less press attention than this one. Usually by now the country would be festooned in Union Jacks and St George’s flags. The papers would be handing out free masks to wear and bringing up 1966 and all that.

But no, not this year. I don’t know if it’s because of the Olympics, or the Jubilee, or Hodgson, or the fact that the “golden generation” is looking more “silver”… but for once the focus is off the England national team.

Now I’m not saying they’re going to win. I’m not even saying they are a bet (the 12-1 for the tournament looks fair). I’m just saying for once they don’t look like a lay – and that really is saying something.