Richard Clarke
A s a patriotic Englishman, it is to my eternal regret that schadenfreude originates from German.
For sports fans from these shores, taking joy in others’ misfortunes is our lifeblood. Illogical and petty though it may be, my misery will be reduced by the exact amount of your acute, added pain. Sometimes these emotions are complex, with more than a dash of inverted snobbery. For example, while Essex have enjoyed a spiky rivalry with Somerset since the summer of 1979, when both teams secured their first major trophies, there will be considerable solace if the Ci...
