I wrote a piece on Bethea Jenner’s football astrology talk a few weeks ago. Yesterday Bethea and I, after a quick lunch gathered from Monday night’s leftovers, staggered down to the North London Tavern to watch the game. Bethea was wearing red and was skittishly nervous about the game.
The North London Tavern, surprisingly, was not too crowded and we managed to secure a table right in front of a screen.
Last Friday, I watched England play Algeria and was shocked, for I seldom watch football, at the slow and sluggish lack of energy. The England team footballers didn’t seem to care and criticisms about ‘eleven millionaires on a pitch’ not having any motivation rang true.
Wayne Rooney was upset that the fans booed them, but it wasn’t surprising. Imagine paying out all that money on a flight, hotel, tickets to watch your country play in South Africa and getting that performance.
Even yesterday, we managed a goal, but England weren’t exactly playing ‘the beautiful game’, there was no flow, no grace, no natural talent on display except for a couple of youngsters. England make it look like hard work. As a non-football expert, I struggle to understand how we can have the best league in the world, so many famous footballers and yet be so underwhelming as a side at the World Cup. Is it all about the money?
Bethea explained to me that some footballers retire from playing with England early so that they can concentrate on their last few years with their clubs, earning a few extra bucks. The F.A. whose initial meeting chart forms, she believes, the chart for Football Itself, are no help as an organisation, being run by a bunch of stuck-in-the-mud old fogeys who stymie talent and creativity.
We looked at the chart for the match: I can’t remember the details due to drinking two pints of lager (I’m a cheap date and I was trying to get into the swing of things) and hopefully Bethea will post more on her blog (Sybil’s Boudoir) about it. My first impression of the chart is that England’s main opponent was not so much Slovenia, but the expectations and hopes of people back in England.
But expect upsets: Uranus, having spent seven years in Pisces has just moved into Aries. Uranus equals rebellion, shocks, innovation, the unexpected is in the Arian sign of youth, aggression, energy and enthusiasm. England are Aries, and should always play in red, the Arian colour. Capello should pick young players.
I remember Michael Owen and Rooney as youngsters in the World Cup, it’s shocking that Owen, at 30, is no longer playing for his country, and Rooney, well, if you told me he was 42 rather than 22 I wouldn’t be surprised. He looked ancient, bald, puffy, tired. Maybe they are pushed too hard, too young.
Rooney, astrologically, is having a tough time. Saturn, the planet of age, time, depression and wisdom is transiting his natal Mars, aggression, competitiveness, drive, energy; he probably feels as ancient as he looks. Not a good transit for a sportsman. This transit won’t last long but it’s timing is unfortunate for this World Cup.
The French manager, Domenech, uses astrology to pick his team: he dislikes Scorpios and won’t play Leos in defence. As astrology deals with 12 signs and football has a team of 11 men, possibly this could explain why France are out of the World Cup.
You can read more about astrology and football in this book: Football aims for the Stars: How the Constellations Can Affect Planet Football
Ben Emlyn-Jones
Let's hope England wear their red away strip when they meet their fellow whites of Germany on Sunday! I'd be happy to see them do well, and that is quite something to hear from a Welshman like me. We actually qualified for the 1958 Sweden World Cup. We came pretty close this time, probably the closest since, and many think we should have qualified on default in the place of Russia when they were banned for drug-taking; instead we had to endure a frustrating play-off which we lost. In '58 our own Rooney was John Charles, who died last year. He was never booked in his entire career! This is an unthinkable achievement in the modern game. Back in those days there was no real tackling like we have today and a far stricter code of conduct. Also the general Zeitgeist of the game has changed, and it is sadly very much down to the increasing commercial nature of the game I think. Bobby Robson said that he got 7 shillings a match when he started out in the 1st Division, what's now the Premiership. It wasn't anything like what they earn today, but it was enough to get an average mortgage deposit. I've been watching the '66 cup final and I'm struck by how the footballers of yesteryear seems so much calmer and more dignified than those of today. The same goes for the spectators who reflect their heroes on the pitch. One can't help but admire Wayne Rooney as a player, but as a person I cringe from him on TV when he screws his face up at the referee, hurling inaudible abuse from his red-cheeked baby-face. He probably spells "substitution" ending "-SHUN"!
Ben Emlyn-Jones
It's just kicking off now. Germany are in their home white and England are in Red!
Ben Emlyn-Jones
That was a terrible match! Sadly when one plays that badly even the right colour shirts won't save them. If Wales had only qualified we'd have thrashed England ourselves!
Gorilla Bananas
I think England's footballing skills finally emerged from Uranus in the game against Germany.
MsMarmitelover
Abysmal wasn't it?