LONDON – When Hubert Vogelsinger coached the San Diego Sockers, he once declared in his Austrian way: “English soccer isn't worth the time I don't spend watching it.” Hubert also noted: “If the British fought World War II like they play soccer, it would have ended in a nil-nil tie.”
K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune
Soccer fans crammed into the Sports Cafe in London on Wednesday, where eight games were showing. Interest in American football is often hard to find among soccer's die-hards.
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K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune
Soccer clearly is the sport of choice at London's Sports Cafe, but NFL games on Sundays draw a few hundred patrons.
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The Brits, obviously, don't give a kidney pie what Hubert thinks or thought. Elizabeth may be queen, but soccer is king, even if scoring is as rare in these parts as women wearing flip-flops along Pall Mall in October. Ask for a fish taco here and you'll probably get an egg in it, with chips on the side.
If the NFL's Chargers and Saints are playing Sunday at Wembley Stadium, doing their American football thing, that's fine with many of those who don't mind novelty stores. But most I've seen and talked to here can't be bothered with big men wearing pads and helmets damaging the hallowed Wembley Stadium turf.
Deciding to really find out, Wednesday night we took a brief Tube ride to Piccadilly Circus, hung a right onto Haymarket and entered the Sports Cafe to mingle with the soccer – “football” – cognoscenti.
It was Champions League night, huge here, and the two-story modern pub was jammed with passionate patrons. There was a line to get in. Eight matches were being televised on the big screens, but those of most interest clearly were Chelsea vs. Roma and Liverpool vs. Athletico Madrid.
There were many groans and a few cheers, and I say a few only because that's how many goals were scored while we were in the place – and we were in there a while.
I talked with a Chelsea fan, James Rice, a pleasant bloke who doesn't think much of the American game.
“I don't like it,” he said, citing last year's Giants-Dolphins game at Wembley as an example. “They ripped up the pitch. They tore it up so much England didn't qualify for the European Championships. If the NFL didn't tear it up, England might have made it.
“This time, at least, they have three months to fix it. I watch the Super Bowl. If it's on, I'll watch it. But I'm a purist.”
His buddy, Jonathan Dould, nodded. “I watch the Super Bowl,” he said. “I probably won't watch Sunday's game.”
Anton Koeck, an Austrian by birth, is a Liverpool fan, watching the match with a friend from work, Fabiana Turco, who hails from Naples (but isn't rooting for Roma).
“I love Rome, but I'm from Naples,” she said. “American football? I don't understand the rules, but I like to watch it sometimes. It's violent. It's such a big deal for you guys, the Super Bowl.”
Anton sees little in the American game. “Nothing at all,” he admitted. “I watch the Super Bowl. I enjoy it, but I don't normally watch American football. Once a year, maybe. I'm familiar with the rules, but I'm not into it.”
What's with these people?
“I didn't even know there was a game Sunday,” Alex Stewart was telling me. “I don't know anything about it. I'm an Arsenal fan.”
His pal, Anthony Coster, thinks he knows something about the NFL.
“Reggie Brown is somebody I know,” he said.
You mean Reggie Bush?
“That's the guy.”
I informed him Bush is from San Diego.
“I hate San Diego,” he said. “I was on vacation there and had my car stolen. At least it was a rental.”
From his pocket, Stewart then produced a key chain. On it were the words: SUPPORT THE GOONERS (Arsenal). HATE TOTTENHAM.
“I'm a Chelsea fan,” Coster said. “It's hard to be a friend with this guy.”
A couple of French transplants with Italian names are hanging around. “No, we don't know American football,” Jean Pierre Rizzi said. “Just a little. The Super Bowl. I remember it once, late at night.”
His bud, Alex Bartolini, offered: “I'll be going to the United States soon. I'll watch it there.”
But they do watch American football in this pub, where they show college games Saturday and the NFL on Sunday. Soccer fans have to pay to watch at home. The Sports Cafe has a $3 cover Wednesday because many soccer fans used to come in, catch the games and not buy anything.
“Soccer fans will leave right after the games,” Sports Cafe assistant manager Danny Taylor was saying. “American football fans stay around and drink after the games.”
Taylor pointed to a building less than a block away, a residence for Notre Dame students studying in London.
“That's a big turnout,” Taylor said. “We try to show three or four college games every Saturday. We show one at 2 a.m. We stay open for 20 Americans or so, and they appreciate it.
“Sunday, we'll get 450 to 500 people in here for NFL games.”
Mostly Americans, naturally.
“This place will be filled to capacity Sunday,” he promised. “They'll be in here wearing their team colors.”
Jeanne Roden, a Chargers fan from Santee, came up and said hello.
“Soccer is not for me,” she said. “You know, I've seen one Charger fan walking around.”
Now, even I've seen one.
Nick Canepa: (619) 293-1397; nick.canepa@uniontrib.com
