The Three Dads World Cup Wonderland

Through a remarkable twist of fate, a day working from home on endless conference calls requiring little attention, I make it to the end of day 2 having taken in every game of the tournament so far.... And what a day. I must have been on a really dull work call, but I actually enjoyed Game 1 and thought Mexico were pretty decent.... Here's my take on the day: Great 3-0 win for Mexico....still waiting for the scoreboard to catch up. Hoping bad officiating doesn't become the recurring theme Dutch delight..... Really thought RvP's header was tremendous and worthy of winning any game. History tells me spanking wins in the first game usually don't compute to future success deep in the tournament. Quick word for pantomime villain Diego Costa..... The man had every trick in the book: Turn back on host country desperate for historic success? Yup Win cynical non-penalty against the team clearly favoured by said hosts? Yup Get away with off the ball head butt? Hat-trick! Will be ...

The World Cup brings out the worst in me. Several weeks back I made a plan to visit my mom tonight, thinking it would be a nice thing to do as summer revs up. Then I remembered the World Cup thing and had to backtrack very rapidly. Its not even really a crisis of conscience because I feel as if I physically have to watch every game, in its full. And to prove that this wasn't a crude family snub, my mettle was tested as I left work. A group of 15 or so colleagues all hanging around outside, congregating for the obligatory Friday pub visit. Would I like to go to the pub? "But I can't" I mumble, as I power walk home to hit the tivo hard. "6 hours of football to do". Its desperate, the compulsion to avoid all media. Honestly, at 5:30pm today the most tragic thing that could have happened would be for someone to have given away the fact that Mexico v Cameroon was still locked in a turgid 0-0 stalemate. I will find that out for myself thanks very much. So ...

So the World cup is properly underway and match 1 is done. After a truly dull opening ceremony (which surely will have reassured the Brazilian population that not too much money or effort was spent on it!), we got into the most rousing of anthems I've seen on a footy pitch. No Hodgson-style directive needed for their players sing along - those Brazilians gave it some welly, with Julio Cesar bringing himself (and, yes I admit it, me) to tears. Such emotion; refreshing to see. The game started interestingly enough, with Croatia, and Olic in particular looking menacing. It seemed as if the pressure was telling on Brazil, or perhaps they were struggling to see through those tears. Anyways, it all progressed like a game of World Cup bingo. Shock goal for underdogs...check Own goal...check Odd haircuts...check Goalkeeping howler...check Dodgy pen...check Sublime toe-poked goal...check. Olic's tricks turned form menacing to self-defeating, as he started turning more and mor...

Prior to the opening game, the Japanese referee sprayed two circles from his vanishing paint spray gun (really?!?! This is a thing?) and then instructed the Croatian goalie to keep his feet within the circles at all times, even if confronted with a moving ball in close proximity. 

Well, out from behind a rock I come. Like Batman responding to the spotlight over Gotham, the sight of Alexi Lalas relaxing on ESPN's swanky new World Cup set spouting 'knowledge' of the beautiful game immediately triggered me into action. A personal excitement for me is the returning punditry on this side of the pond of one Roberto Martinez. 4 years ago, I listened to this polite young man with light enthusiasm....now I find myself hanging onto every word from Bobby Brown Shoes. A supremely classy guy, just hoping for the "and Neymar is close to signing, which is phenonemal (Bobby's most used word - quite impressive for a Spanish native) " Sooo, what have I missed so far (Brazil own goal aside).... - Roy Hodgson in old man sunglasses - An amazing lack of planning from team England organizing a friendly in Florida at 5pm in June and being surprised as a thunderstorm - Scapegoating of a key England player (Rooney) before a ball is kicked in anger - Overplay...

Just had a mail from Stevey in response to my call-to-arms ten days ago... Oh boy - I couldn't be busier compared to be surgery induced couch time of 4 years ago! So much so that I didn't even reply to this e-mail until now. It's going to be tough for me to be honest, but I will try to see what I can do. I just unloaded my Ladbrokes account on every possible permutation that involves Messi doing his thing this summer...... I'm starting to believe in the young guns of Engerlund...... and am starting to foam slightly at the mouth as Croatia don't look all that bad as they line up against Brazil... this should be a good game. Enjoy the tournament!

I have spent the past 4 days stuffing my ears with World Cu[p related radio and podcasting; and getting excited beyond description about the feast of football that is about to occur. So; why do I love it so much? Well: 1) Quality. As a Villa fan, this is an opportunity for some escapism from the trudgery of normality. 2) Neutrality. I love the World Cup because I watch each game for what it is. I support "football" rather than one side or other. Every good tackle, every wild tackle, the goals, the chances. Everything. Watching football like that is very different from typical club football, where there's long standing rivalries, resentment, jealousy and dislike. Normally speaking I need one team or other to lose in case they rise above Villa. 3) National identities. With club teams now so diverse, the teams lose their identities. We get different flavours of "good" rather than truly different styles. With the national teams this isn't the case. Chile...

The Miami weather dished up some perfect practice for the tournament proper> I don't mean the humidity for the teams - I mean the delay meant that I got some late night viewing practice - pushing 1am to sit through a nil-niler. It won't be the last time I do that in the month of June, I can guarantee. England actually played well, should have won comfortably, but were unlucky not to. It was exactly the sort of game that we could have done with Ox playing in - but I think everyone will be fairly happy. We came through it without more major injuries, looked relatively dynamic and can go into the group games in a pretty positive manner I think.