Cech this out Alan Shura’s Euro 2016 football wisdom

Ahead of Europe’s finest sporting tournament, we asked Man Utd fanatic Shura to turn football pundit.

Words: El Hunt
10th June 2016

Summer is upon us, and today marks a pivotal day. This evening France and Romania will kick off Euro 2016, battling head to head in the great game as revellers across the continent watch their respective national football teams with bated breath (and a pack of tinnies to hand). In a mere day’s time, our sweet, brave boys will be on the pitch, too, and we shall rally and gather to support them. After all, nothing says summer quite like screaming and fist pumping in a rowdy pub garden, crowded around a single television set.

Ahead of Euro 2016, we asked Manchester United supporter, former City player, and certified fanatic Shura to turn DIY’s very own footie pundit. With far more pop bangers to her name than miserable grouch-in-residence Alan Hansen, and a name that very helpfully melds with Alan Shearer to create a truly awful pun, there’s no-one better suited to the job than Shu.

First thing’s first - who are you backing in the Euros, Shura?

I think it’s just always really safe to back Germany. They always know what they’re doing. And also, I swear at the last thing – the World Cup or something – they had access to the new football before anyone else, so they were training with the new football. That’s actually a really big deal. I’m going to back them.

A tough one next. Who is your favourite player in the whole England squad?

It’s really tough! I think, as a United fan I think I have to say Wayne Rooney. If you’ve ever seen him live in the flesh, playing football, that man runs more than anyone on that pitch. I know he’s a striker, but now he’ll probably drop back because he’s a bit older. I love how we’re all saying that. He’s not even old. But yeah, him, because he works so hard. We’ve got a super young team as well which is really exciting. It’ll be exciting to see what Jamie Vardy does.

"We're not going to win the Euros, but let's just make sure everyone's in a good mood when we start!"

Talking of Vardy, what do you think to the whole hoo-hah where he was deciding whether to move from Leicester to Arsenal? It looks like he’s sticking with Leicester for the time being, but what would you have done in his situation?

If you are signing him, you have to get on it now. If he does really well in the Euros he’ll become more expensive as a player. I am a bit pissed off with people – with Arsenal – because I’m like, why are you trying to unsettle a player before probably the most important tournament of their career? He’s had a great season, and now it’s his chance to make an impression on the international world. Yeah, we’re not going to win the Euros, but lets just make sure everyone’s in a good mood when we start! Yeah! I’m a bit annoyed.

Actually, I was talking about this with my tour manager the other day. We agreed that if we were him, of course we’d go play for Arsenal, or City or whatever. You can stay and be the hero at your club again for the next season, but what if it doesn’t happen again?! He won’t have that chance again, and Arsenal won’t come knocking. I think he would kick himself. It’s like being a musician, and not wanting to play arenas. You get to 50, and you can’t play arenas, and you’re like, damn, I should’ve gone for it.

So if you were Vardy, you’d go to Arsenal, then?

Nah. I’d go to Man United.

Lots of different musicians have been writing their own football anthems ahead of the Euros. Manic Street Preachers’ so-bad-it’s-good Welsh song is a particular highlight. If you were put in charge of penning the England anthem, which squad of artists would you call up to help you?

I’d call a load of girls just to do something a bit incongruous. I’d call Marika Hackman, The Big Moon, and Courtney Barnett, and make something really ramshackle. Also, I think all of us are going to go and play football, anyway. Well, not Courtney. We haven’t extended the invite to her yet and also she lives quite far away. But yeah the rest of us are going to have a 5 a-side team.

"Football is like theatre. You need to know the backstory."

You’ve done the whole Breakfast Club film theme for your ‘What’s It Gonna Be?’ video. Would you ever consider making a Bend It Like Beckham themed music video?

Uhm. I would love that. I feel like Bend It Like Beckham was a really important film for me growing up. It was like, oh wow, you can be a total babe and play football. I think that’s decided now, for the next one. I was going to do a horror movie slash video game theme, but now it’ll be Bend It Like Beckham.

Do you collect football stickers?

I did, when I was a kid. I used to do it all the time, but not anymore. I do like stickers, though.

How will you personally be commemorating the Euros?

By watching all the games! I’m going to try to! The weird thing is, when I had a normal job, football tournaments were fucking amazing because you had a really good excuse to have the television on at work. And no-one would work. Now I work from home it’s a bit different. I don’t feel naughty anymore watching the football cos it’s like, ah, no-one’s here to tell me I shouldn’t be doing this.