Madam, - I'm writing to express my disappointment with the tone of RTÉ's post-match analysis following the Italy-USA World Cup game last Saturday evening, and in particular the political references that were used in the context of the American team's performance.
I consider the World Cup to be a wonderful diversion from everyday troubles - including politics - and so I thought it was vindictive and unnecessary to bring US foreign policy into the discussion of a sporting event.
I'm Irish, not American, but I don't understand why the RTÉ panel would single out the US in this fashion.
Should I now expect a monologue on Iran's nuclear programme after their next game, or a mention of how British troops are doing in the Middle East when England play Sweden?
The RTÉ panel wouldn't make such comments about other countries, so why make them about the US? The impression was conveyed on RTÉ that several of the US players had said they were "going to war" against Italy.
If the panel had done their research they would know that this misguided remark was made a few days before the game by a single 23-year-old member of the American squad (Eddie Johnson).
Their manager, Bruce Arena, subsequently said that the comment was inappropriate.
To criticise a team's tactics is one thing, but for RTÉ to bring politics and global current affairs into a TV discussion about a soccer match is quite another. John Giles was the only member of the panel to emerge with any credit, as he at least limited his comments to events on the pitch. - Yours, etc,
ADRIAN CUSACK, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Madam, - From where comes the notion that one should support one's sporting neighbours? I come from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Why would I wish anything but ignoble defeat on Barnsley F.C.?
This phenomenon is not unique to football or to me; hurlers from Kilkenny and Tipperary, baseball players from the Yankees and Mets of New York, Aussie Rules footballers of Collingwood and Carlton, they all know the feeling. My advice to Neil Johnson (Letters, June 19th) is to shout for his own team and not worry about what everyone else is doing. - Yours, etc,
COLIN JOHNSON
Beaufield
Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Madam, - Perhaps when the English fans have forgotten about 1966, as the rest of the world has, we might give one cheer for the England team if they face a team from Hell. - Yours, etc,
DONAL KENNEDY
London N13