I like Andy. I like his dourness. I HATE the Tony Blair-esque cult of 'personality' that so many people in the puiblic eye exude. Sports people are just that - sports people. Who the fud CARES whether they sparkle and shine with a bubbly (GOD how I loathe that adjective) personality? Not me.
The 'anti-England' comments were made years ago, as a joke, and as a response to teasing from Henman and an interviewer about how crap Scottish footbal is. Here's the interview for all you haterZ :
"Let me return to the topic of Andy Murray and this whole anti-English argument for what I truly hope is the last time - although I doubt it.
Some of the nonsensical criticism Britain's No 1 has received is laced with such misplaced venom and outrage that it makes me despair.
So, for the hard of thinking, let me state here that: I did the interview with Andy Murray and Tim Henman a couple of years back where Murray talked about 'supporting whoever England were playing against'.
It was a clearly a sarcastic remark. He was responding to teasing from your columnist about Scotland's absence from the 2006 World Cup and derisive laughter from the mischievous Henman.
It was reported in that context in this newspaper at the time and the exchange was run as a transcript.
A couple of days later a red-top got excited about the comments, lifted a couple of them into a 'story' that took on a life of its own and from there the truth was lost.
It is astonishing how this has run and run.
An extremely talented columnist pal of mine declared unequivocally the other day that: 'I don't think his remarks about England were a joke. There are some people who just don't like the English and I believe in my marrow that Murray is one of them.'
Based on what?
I did the interview - and it was a joke, as I have said before. And what marrows have to do with it I don't know, but it is certainly time to call a halt when vegetables like David Mellor pop up on the Today programme to lecture Murray about how to wave a Union Flag.
Murray has been variously decried as 'disgusting' and 'yobbish' for doing nothing more than show a bit of Celtic fire during a fabulous comeback by people who clearly have no understanding of the excitement sport generates.
They are the same Phillipa Space types who used to accuse Henman of lacking passion.
The critics also ignore the fact that Murray has improved greatly at Wimbledon this year and is Britain's best and only hope of success for years to come.
He doesn't drink, behaves himself off court, has a steady girlfriend, a fine family and has just moved back into the world's top 10. Something to be proud of, I'd say.
As for this England v Scotland thing, personally, after some of the twaddle I've read this past fortnight from 'patriotic' Brits, I wouldn't hold it against him if he decided to become German."