England’s woes at the Euros and the audacity of a
tinny on the ward | UK News

In MetroTalk, the England matches have been so dull lately that even a TV commentator was waiting to switch to a soap opera. That’s not a good sign.

Is the squad suffering a lack of motivation? If so, what can Harry Kane do to fire them up? Can they still turn it around or are they done for?

Meanwhile, a reader shares their experience of spending 24 hours in A&E, where people were complaining of tummy aches, runny noses, and even drinking cans of lager. Not exactly the scene you expect when you’re finally given an emergency hospital bed, is it?

Share your thoughts on these topics and more in the comments.

Do the England team lack motivation?

England are through to the last 16 of Euro ’24 by default, although I can’t see the team getting much further after that – particularly if they have to play someone half-decent.

If any of us were chosen to play for England in any sport, we would have driven ourselves into the ground in order to repay the honour.

As a kid I advanced from playing football in the street to playing in a local field without the owner knowing and the effort put in by everyone was incredible.

But this England team just seem to wander around aimlessly. I will credit them one thing – they don’t indulge in the deliberate push-me, pull-me football that is spoiling the Euros. When corners are taken the things that go on would see many up before a judge for molestation if they happened in civvy street.

Hollywood’s Tom Cruise, meanwhile, will be learning something about faking a serious injury and I have no doubt that Tom Daley is watching with interest and learning new diving techniques.

It is a shame Jack Grealish is not in the squad as he has a touch of artistry, a touch of the George Best about him.

I saw George in action playing for Manchester United at Villa Park. He danced through the lunging Villa defenders like a Strictly winner.

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I am a touch depressed because I will be watching England not trying hard enough followed by our tennis players getting tantalisingly near success before being demolished in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the Olympics, though, where we might pick up a medal or two. Roger Watts, Walsall

Even the commentator was bored

Further to England’s poor performance in the Euros, I watched the last ten minutes of the Slovenia game and the Portuguese TV commentator was so
bored he started talking about the next programme on TV, which was a soap opera.

I also find it surprising that a team can finish top of the table in their group with only two goals. Pedro, Hammersmith

I used to quite like Gary Lineker but his recent condemnation of the England football team and his personal attack on Harry Kane have changed my opinion of him.

Kane is in the team to score goals, which is exactly what he has done.

Yes, there have been poor England performances and we all expect better but Kane has been no worse and indeed a lot better than many of his team mates. Paul, London

Can someone tell the England football team that if they don’t try hard to beat their opposing team, then that team will beat them. Yes, even the lowly rated and lowly regarded ones. Dave Battersby, York

A day in A&E

I have to agree with CT Parry (MetroTalk, Tue) that we don’t need a change of government, we need a change of public.

I’m always hearing complaints about NHS waiting times. Three times in the
past decade I’ve arrived at A&E in an ambulance – after a stroke, a heart attack and a burst ulcer.

Each time they saved my life.

Any delays were caused by the fact that the A&E department was packed with members of the public who had neither had an accident nor required emergency treatment. There were people with runny noses, dicky tummies and hangovers. People with wind, hiccups and ingrowing toenails.

Eventually I ended up in a four-bed ward. One of the other patients, the moment he woke up, went out to the nearest off licence to get a can and so wasn’t there when the doctor did his rounds. He and his family spent the day complaining about how long he’d been waiting to be examined. Mick, London

The rotten morals of schools and dentists

Further to Vince’s comments regarding parents relinquishing responsibility for their children’s teeth (MetroTalk, Tue), society has become such that people find it so much easier to blame others in order to deflect personal guilt.

In addition to parents being guilty for the state of their children’s teeth, as much can be said of some schools.

My daughter’s has a coffee stand in the playground. Every morning and afternoon, parents with faces in phones are asked by their spoiled-rotten-as-their-teeth children for hot chocolate, cookies and chocolates. Some even ask for coffee.

Parents momentarily peel their eyes away from their phone so that they can zap the payment through.

How can any school permit a coffee stand (or any kind of stand) in their playground? It is not even justifiable on the basis that the rents they charge will go to the school.

As for not being able to find NHS dentists. The reason is due to so many dentists knowing there’s much more to be gained from going private.

We need more principled dentists who, once trained and are running a successful practice, will not hold their loyal patients to ransom by going private. Alps, via email

Memory machine? It’s all a bit Clockwork Orange

This memory machine idea is talked about as an alternative to prison.
Until these rocket-science days are with us, the serious problem of prison overcrowding requires some serious thinking.

Re-offending has long been a big part of the problem and as unpalatable as it may sound, I think the abolition of prison for all but very serious crimes needs to be looked at. If those having served their term can see a future that isn’t laden with closed doors and other obstacles then there is far more incentive for them to stay on the straight and narrow. Dave, Epping

It’s all ‘me, me, me’ until you have to pay VAT

There is an irony in the fact that Sarah (MetroTalk, Weds) states that we have a ‘me’ culture when claiming she can’t vote for Labour due to her working at a private school and the party’s plans to make them pay VAT.

Obviously it is scary that she could potentially lose her job but the policy is for the greater good, which is exactly the opposite of a ‘me’ culture! Gavin, Knebworth

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