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| England fans fear the worst in Croatia | England fans fear the worst in Croatia |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| England hope to banish the memory of the two defeats to Croatia which ended their involvement in Euro 2008 By Chris Mason Europe correspondent, BBC News, Zagreb | England hope to banish the memory of the two defeats to Croatia which ended their involvement in Euro 2008 By Chris Mason Europe correspondent, BBC News, Zagreb |
| "We are better. Two times better than you!" | "We are better. Two times better than you!" |
| The cheeky, adolescent shout came from a group of Croatian teenagers - and I was pretty sure it was directed at me. | The cheeky, adolescent shout came from a group of Croatian teenagers - and I was pretty sure it was directed at me. |
| I was walking up to the imposing Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb to watch the England football team train ahead of their crucial World Cup Qualifier against Croatia here later. | I was walking up to the imposing Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb to watch the England football team train ahead of their crucial World Cup Qualifier against Croatia here later. |
| As I turned round, the four lads started giggling. I couldn't help but admire their chutzpah - and their fluent English. | As I turned round, the four lads started giggling. I couldn't help but admire their chutzpah - and their fluent English. |
| "Oh yes, we are better than you. Fabio Capello is not as good a coach as ours," suggests 13-year-old Filip, who shares his surname with the Croatian coach Slaven Bilic, a top target for a number of Premier League clubs. I can't see us winning the way we're playing Richard Hulbert | |
| Filip's friend Fran Prelevio, 11, is playing keepy uppy next to us as we chat - and he's also proud of his team and how they'll perform. | Filip's friend Fran Prelevio, 11, is playing keepy uppy next to us as we chat - and he's also proud of his team and how they'll perform. |
| "We have an excellent side," he says. "And we know how to play with confidence." | "We have an excellent side," he says. "And we know how to play with confidence." |
| This last point, coupled with their optimism, is a world away from the mood amongst England supporters. | This last point, coupled with their optimism, is a world away from the mood amongst England supporters. |
| They have been arriving to collect their match tickets from the Westin Hotel in central Zagreb. | They have been arriving to collect their match tickets from the Westin Hotel in central Zagreb. |
| It is also where England are hosting their news conference, so fans hang around to catch a glimpse of Fabio Capello. | It is also where England are hosting their news conference, so fans hang around to catch a glimpse of Fabio Capello. |
| With their loud shirts and often loud voices, they cut quite a contrasting look with the immaculately dressed, effortlessly polite staff in the 5-star hotel's opulent reception. | With their loud shirts and often loud voices, they cut quite a contrasting look with the immaculately dressed, effortlessly polite staff in the 5-star hotel's opulent reception. |
| 'Gone backwards' | 'Gone backwards' |
| Among the supporters is Dave Green from Nottingham, who's been following England home and away since 1978. | Among the supporters is Dave Green from Nottingham, who's been following England home and away since 1978. |
| Nicknamed Tarmac Dave amongst the travelling England fans, he is known as a "top capper" because of the number of games he has been to.Croatia's young fans display more confidence than the England supporters | |
| "We have got to perform as a team," Mr Green, 44, says. | "We have got to perform as a team," Mr Green, 44, says. |
| "It'd be nice to come and see England play a decent game of football - give 100 percent and more. | "It'd be nice to come and see England play a decent game of football - give 100 percent and more. |
| "We have gone a bit backwards in recent years and Croatia are better than what people think. I'd be really happy with a draw in this game." | "We have gone a bit backwards in recent years and Croatia are better than what people think. I'd be really happy with a draw in this game." |
| Richard Hulbert, 23, from Bury, agrees: "Coming away with a point is the best we can hope for at the moment - I can't see us winning the way we're playing. | Richard Hulbert, 23, from Bury, agrees: "Coming away with a point is the best we can hope for at the moment - I can't see us winning the way we're playing. |
| "Certainly the performance on Saturday night didn't instil any confidence in the travelling support. Just look at how few England fans have come out here," he tells me. | "Certainly the performance on Saturday night didn't instil any confidence in the travelling support. Just look at how few England fans have come out here," he tells me. |
| 'Overpaid muppets' | 'Overpaid muppets' |
| The figures are pretty striking. It is thought around 3,000 fans are making the journey, half the number that travelled here for the corresponding qualifying fixture for Euro 2008. | The figures are pretty striking. It is thought around 3,000 fans are making the journey, half the number that travelled here for the corresponding qualifying fixture for Euro 2008. |
| England lost that game and went on to lose to Croatia at Wembley too - ensuring the team didn't qualify for this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. | England lost that game and went on to lose to Croatia at Wembley too - ensuring the team didn't qualify for this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. |
| That failure, coupled with England's patchy form in recent months, means there's a dogged, unshakeable pessimism lingering amongst most of the England faithful. We owe them big time, so let's get a result James Watson | |
| And Saturday night's unconvincing 2-0 win over the minnows of Andorra didn't do much to restore confidence. | And Saturday night's unconvincing 2-0 win over the minnows of Andorra didn't do much to restore confidence. |
| One disgusted fan there told me afterwards England were "a bunch of overpaid muppets". | One disgusted fan there told me afterwards England were "a bunch of overpaid muppets". |
| Contrast that outlook with England's opponents. Euro 2008 quarter finalists, ranked 5th in the world, above Brazil and Argentina, and with a prodigious home record. | Contrast that outlook with England's opponents. Euro 2008 quarter finalists, ranked 5th in the world, above Brazil and Argentina, and with a prodigious home record. |
| It's a difference that has not escaped James Watson from Staines in Middlesex. | It's a difference that has not escaped James Watson from Staines in Middlesex. |
| "It is going to be very tough. They've not lost at competitive match at home since 1994," Fulham fan Mr Watson, 23, points out. | "It is going to be very tough. They've not lost at competitive match at home since 1994," Fulham fan Mr Watson, 23, points out. |
| "Obviously that's a great record and they've beaten us the last two times in a row. But who knows? We owe them big time, so let's get a result." | "Obviously that's a great record and they've beaten us the last two times in a row. But who knows? We owe them big time, so let's get a result." |
| A flickering ray of gutsy optimism. A rarity amongst England fans here. | A flickering ray of gutsy optimism. A rarity amongst England fans here. |
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