Can Club Rivalries Ever Be Truly Set Aside?

Following England's defeat to the Ukraine, a professed Arsenal fan called in to a radio phone in to give his opinion on the game. Of all the England players on display, the fan in question only picked out two players for criticism, John Terry and Frank Lampard. Significantly, both these men play their club football for Chelsea.

This is not a unique occurrence. Across forums and phone-ins, Manchester United fans have been raging against Glenn Johnson (of Liverpool), Liverpool fans venting out at Rio Ferdinand (of Manchester United), and everyone against Ashley Cole (also of Chelsea).

When questioned on this, said fans will claim their criticism comes from concern for England team, its just coincidence the players reserved for their harshest criticism play for one of their clubs big rivals.

No player is immune to criticism. Wayne Rooney is arguably the finest player England have produced since Paul Gascoigne, but it seems you would be hard pushed to find a Liverpool fan willing to acknowledge he has the basic ability to kick a ball.

Why should this be the case though? Why does it seem impossible for some to put their club rivalries aside to give their full support to the England team?

It wasn't always so strained. Once upon a time it was common for the English fan to support United, Liverpool or Arsenal in Europe as they were the 'English team'. A sickening notion to the newer generation of fan.

Perhaps what has changed in this respect is the influx of foreign players into the English league. It becomes more difficult to justify giving your support to Arsenal as the English side when their team is comprised of players from France, Holland, Russia and Spain.

Jamie Carragher observed in his autobiography that in the 1980's the Liverpool-Everton rivalry had always been quite friendly but in recent years has taken a more spiteful edge to it. So what has changed since that time?

The Premier League for one thing. Clubs were on a more even field in the '80s but since the introduction of the Premier League in 1992 as well as the Champions League, unprecedented amounts of money have flown into English football. Some clubs have benefited during this time while others have been left behind.

It becomes an inevitability that some would look over at their more prosperous neighbours with envying eyes.

Technology has also greatly improved in the last 15 years. Top flight games are now covered from every conceivable angle. Every players nuance seen and (over?) analysed in painstaking detail. Fans are invited to make a moral judgment over a player in a way they hadn't been before.

One fan sees that Steven Gerrard makes what appears to be a dive, the Liverpool fan becomes compelled to defend him creating further division between the fans.

The rise of the Internet could have had an effect on the modern football fans psyche. Before use of the Internet became widespread, an average fans interaction with rival supporters was limited to the game and possibly friends at work.

The Internet has brought us forums to discuss and debate football issues. Now a Tottenham Hotspurs supporter is faced with, more often than not, abusive comments from Arsenal fans on a near daily basis.

Footballers have become over-exposed in recent years. David Beckham has a multitude of endorsements ranging from office stationary to Armani suits. Knowing he played for a rival side, this over-exposure can create a great resentment in a fans mind.

Following the 1994 FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United, a Nike poster was put up along the Fulham Road outside Stamford Bridge with Eric Cantona's image emblazoned across it. It lasted all of three hours before fans had ripped it down.

A combination of these factors makes it difficult for a modern football fan to forget their club loyalties. Though I would not doubt they would love for England to succeed, it seems they are emotionally torn when it comes to rival clubs players. Its almost as though an Arsenal fan feels they have betrayed their club if they cheer a Lampard goal, or a Liverpool fan were to applaud a Ferdinand tackle.

The game has changed greatly, loyalties aren't switched on and off as easily as they once were but to move forward we need to recognise the value and benefits to the team if we get our full support behind them. Scapegoating rival players gets you nowhere.