Does watching England lose at football give you almost as much joy as watching Ireland win? 

Tonight, Gareth Southgate’s team take on the Netherlands in the semi-final of Euro 24. 

Although England and Ireland enjoy huge cultural and economic ties, columnist Ian O’Doherty is clear he will not be supporting them. 

“The only thing that gives me more joy than seeing Ireland win, is seeing England lose,” he told The Hard Shoulder. 

“It’s not logical, it’s not rational but neither is football. 

“If you’re an entirely logical and rational person, you wouldn’t even be a football fan.” 

England's Bukayo Saka alongside manager Gareth Southgate following the UEFA Euro 2020 Final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Picture by: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/PA Images

This stance is in fact a “change of direction” for Mr O’Doherty who once regularly urged his readers to support the next door neighbours. 

In recent years, he has given up this point of principle and now accepts he wants them to lose.  

“Before every tournament, I used to write about why we should all be getting behind England,” he said. 

“We’re two remarkably similar societies; we watch English TV, we listen to English music - all that kind of stuff. 

“So, on a logical and rational level, it should be obvious that we should be getting behind England.” 

Despite this logic, he simply found himself “laughing my arse off” every time they got beaten. 

“I just can’t help it,” he said. 

“It’s because they’re the big neighbours, the big brothers and at a time when we couldn’t give them a bloody nose, it was actually just remarkably gratifying to see other countries give them a bloody nose.” 

England manager Gareth Southgate celebrates victory after the final whistle during the UEFA Euro 2020 round of 16 match at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Tuesday June 29, 2021.

Newstalk Digital Editor Ciaran Bradley, who grew up in England with an Irish family, said he can understand why so many people on this side of the Irish Sea enjoy seeing England lose. 

“I’m a Manchester United fan and if I could pay money to watch Liverpool lose, I would do it every week without question,” he said. 

“So, I do understand that but it would be nice if we could get to a point where we are hopefully doing it - and I’m sure Ian definitely is - with some side eye rather than any sort of malice.”

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Main image: An English football fan. Credit: Guy Corbishley/Alamy Live News