The Three Dads World Cup Wonderland

Well, I can't lie.... I am being beaten hands down by Birchy's dedication to the cause here. The return of the working week and a culture that does not include a quick scoot to the pub for a lunch "meeting" has proved quite challenging. What spare time I have had has been dedicated to watching, versus writing about, some top class world cup footie. However, a work from home day today, and even a screw up with my dentist appointment time favoured yours truly, allowing me to watch the end of the Brazil v Costa Rica game live (you would argue the first screw up was me actually scheduling the appointment during this game), I've been able to get back on track today. Soooo, a lot to catch up on: Winners: The very thing that makes him so annoying is what makes him so good. With an ego the size of Steve Bruce falling off a diet, Cristiano Ronaldo just seems to appear that he 100% thinks he is the saviour of all mankind... allowing him to actually play that way....

Croatia's crushing of Argentina last night announced the impending endgame for the group stages. They blasted a lack-lustre Argentina apart and earned their own passage into the round of 16. Messi was anonymous and I have to say that I am now preparing myself (possibly prematurely, given how it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Argentina still somehow progress) to sway into the 'Ronaldo is the best' camp forever. Messi, unlike his nemesis, is playing purely as an individual, with no influence or impact on his teammates. During the anthem he was in his own personal bubble, head in hands, contemplating - and it is a bubble he didn't break out of all game. Ronaldo in contrast, whether he's banging in hat-tricks or not, is a presence and an energy that fuels himself and the team mates around him. We'll see how it goes, but certainly an Iceland win today against Nigeria puts Argentina in greatest peril. Since I was last on, I watched future ex-Villa pl...

Round One of the group games is done, and so far I've been running my watching efforts more successfully than Germany has managed its efforts to progress through Group F. I've yet to be later to bed than midnight, thanks to a ruthless regime of radio-silence in the day and TiVo catchup in the evening. The pattern I've fallen into is to take in the first half of the lunchtime game, live, in a pub near work, and then to get the second half done shortly after getting home, whilst my son watches Sarah & Duck. This leaves just two games to knock off during the evening; which is a cinch. On Monday I went through the same agony and ultimate joy that England fans everywhere will have experienced about 2 hours prior to me.  I thought it was actually a decent and calm performance against a rugged and determined defence. The way the BBC commentary team lost their minds during the second half was  as if they just wanted us to fail. I spent the last ten minutes, cliche though it i...

On Friday lunchtime I left the office saying to my workmates that I'd "be watching 20 hours of footy then turning round and coming back". Having done the maths, I've watched 10 games, at 95 minutes a pop - thus totalling a glorious 950 minutes and weighing in at just short of 16 hours. Somewhere in amongst this I have also ironed 7 shirts, visited a farm, cooked (and eaten) food, slept a bit and put a few odds and ends in the loft. All in all a decent effort - and special thanks must go out to Mrs Birch, for not throwing a big mard during this important time. Since I last signed off: Iceland held out to Argentina, and got their deserved draw. They are in a tough group, but are a decent and likeable team, definitely more twists and turns to come in Group D - certainly Croatia vs Argentina in the second round of game becomes a big big game (Thursday 7pm). Peru, love them [see here for why], put in the performance of the tournament, with a display for pacey and gun...