'The peculiar sensation of being Irish' is the title of a brilliant book by Pat Ingoldsby. It is also an accurate description of how I've been feeling in the lead up to England's quarter-final game against Portugal this Saturday at 4 p.m.

Normally speaking, Irish, Scots and Welsh fans (along with, let's face it, everyone else) are traditionally expected to boo, hiss, shout and insult the England football team at almost every opportunity. 800 years of opression. Constantly going on about '66. The smugness of Hansen, Lineker et al. The barbaric behaviour of 'En-ger-laaaaaaand' football fans. All of these are reasons cited for 'home nations' football supporters turning on England every time the World Cup comes around. And this tournament has been no different whatsoever with the usual outbreak of ignorant, xenophobic England-hating all over northern Britain and southern Ireland.

Not this time

But, this time, I'm not participating. I've had enough of the pathetic, neanderthal behaviour of Irish and Scots football 'fans' behaving like insular, parochial rednecks towards a country that we live beside and with which we are inextricably related. I'm gonna put my very neck on the line and state, categorically that I, an Irishman who supports the Ireland football team, (drum-roll) would like to see England do well. And I'd like to explain why.

Wayne Rooney is the most exciting football player I've ever seen. I've never seen anything like him. Not ever. As one Guardian journo recently described him, he is 'part bulldozer, part ballet dancer'. You see, I never saw Pele play. I never saw Cruyff or Beckenbauer. I saw Maradona in '86, but I was a kid and have a very hazy memory of it.

And, quite simply, I want to see Rooney play. And I mean play. I want to see him hammering into defenders and scoring hat-tricks left, right and centre and I want to see him do it against the best in the world - because I think he's that good.

The best against the best

Very simply, as a fan of football, I want to see the best playing at the top of their game against the best. The fact that he's an Englishman is an irrelevance to me.

Now, before the patriotism police start baying for my blood, I would like to say this: if England do win the World cup, it's entirely possible that I may never stop puking. I honestly don't know how I would handle it. I suspect a month locked in my flat might help. To begin with.

Ultimately, I think I'd like to see the Argies win. They've been the most entertaining to watch - playing some superb football along the way. And Riquelme is an absolute master at his profession.

Talksport radio

I suppose this post was born out of my listening to Talksport these last few weeks. Sure, some of the pundits are twats and some of the callers are utter morons, but it makes a wonderful breath of fresh air from the smug, comfortable punditry of Hansen, the obnoxious Ian Wright and the pathetically mono-syllabic Alan Shearer. Talksport is a wonderful station, run by fans, for fans. And sometimes these fans can be very insightful. Throughout this World Cup, Talksport have provided the best coverage of the games - by a country mile.

But what's also amazed me is the staggering level of hostility coming from Scotland. A lot of it is just harmless banter (which is always fun), but a lot of it is not. The Scottish animosity to England is ridiculous - far beyond anything that you hear in Irish pubs when England play. There are many Scotland 'fans' who really, seriously need to grow up.

So the Argentinians to win. But Rooney to dazzle us all along the way. I hope.

More:

Talksport Radio

Owen Hargreaves' blog