Quote Originally Posted by Monty92 View Post
For me, Clive, it's simply about intellectual integrity and consistency.

I'd compare it to people like Jorge who quite clearly want Brexit to end badly because it will validate their own political ideology. That's obviously pretty contemptible, but it's at least loyal to his driving motivation (to be proven right). The real crime is the lack of intellectual integrity he shows by denying that this is his true, guiding motive.

Now, you could say I am similarly contemptible for wanting the country of my birth to lose a football game because I don't like some of the players. But I'm at least being consistent to my true, guiding motive (to see players I hate lose). And the only negative consequence is that England lose a football game.

I'd have thought that would be forgivable, if not understandable to those less bothered by such trifling matters as intellectual consistency and integrity
No, your mistake is in believing that everybody else is like you and, as a consequence, their 'passion' is contrived. Not everyone chases intellectual consistency, particularly when it comes to something as spectacularly unintellectual as football.

You are not like other people. Ash explains the motivation for a lot of football fans beautifully above. THere is a genuine irritation in seeing those who clearly dont understand the game at all piping up with their nonsensical views but I would. Have thought an intellectual heavyweight such as yourself would be used to that.