The new England away kit. Most notably, the change shirt that Capello’s men will carry on their backs along with the hopes of a nation when they land in South Africa to take on the world’s best. How will Umbro’s latest Three Lion-ed offering help the players to strive for that extra 10% that turns a team into winners? Will the mix of modern technology and unashamed nostalgia carry the squad to glory?
I couldn’t give a monkey’s.
You see, as someone who looks upon himself as a Frenchman (or, to be correct, a Marseillais) trapped inside an Englishman’s body, I don’t actually feel the tug of the heartstrings when, say, a stadium erupts in the sound of imploration to the heavens that an unelected head of state should be kept out of harm’s way. Nor do I feel the need to proudly cheer as the stadium announcer reels off the players’ names: “Ashley Cole!...John Terry!...and England’s captain, RIO FERDINAND!” For me, Euro 2008 was made all the more exciting by the fact that the general stigma of a doomed England campaign was absent. Whilst I may not cheer on the opposition against The FA’s finest, I certainly won’t be weeping any of the tears of despair or joy which will accompany their final act. As a child I prioritised the national teams fortunes over that of any club side. No longer.
However, this is not to say I don’t recognise Umbro’s release of the new away kit as a significant event. It ticks all the football shirt culture (snigger) boxes. England shirt? Check. Referencing bygone days of glory? Check. Pleasing me by playing a part in the enraging of several thousand Parisiens at a Kasabian gig? Check.
Who are we kidding: Is it a red England away shirt? Check!
The England kit releases are always huge. It’s the EastEnders of the football kit world, only with everybody really talking about it. Fakes, leaks, gossip, robberies. For a couple of months FSC even beats The Mail online’s sleb news pages 2:1 in hits! (I may have to recheck this though)
Last year’s home kit launch, for instance, was massive. Umbro’s design expertise and marketing inventiveness a joy to behold as the Tailored By concept was unveiled to critical acclaim. But, whilst all white was the order of the day back then, there’s something about the red away that will always stir emotions that no other England kit quite can. We all love a replica sky blue aertex from 1970 or a Gazza-ed Italia ‘90 model but it just doesn’t give the same impact that the red can deliver. Why? 1966.
‘66 was a great year for English football as, aside from Eric Cantona being born (in Marseille!), England won the World Cup (ish) at Wembley and wore what has, rightly, gone down in history as one of the most iconic shirts of all time. Even to the extent that both this and a recent feature in my all time favourites. Will this latest instalment appear on anyone’s list? The upcoming reviews on DesignFootball.com (due as soon we receive our review shirts. Hint, hint) may give an indication.
Regardless, tributes have come and gone and this one will eventually go the same way, most likely to be replaced with another colour next time up. But whatever the innovation, whatever the tweaks, whatever other “high watermarks” through history New Umbro will throw into the mix, 1966 will always shine through.
