Skip to main content

Thirsty for more

By

Here we go again! The quadrennial celebration of all things football that unites the world. A beacon of all things great in the world where billions of people excitedly gather to watch sporting history. 

Sadly this time around, the only thing the world is united on is a feeling of meh. There’s no debate to be had, this stinks. The corruption, the sportswashing, the human rights. It stinks for the players - what should be their crowning professional achievement and all they’re hearing is they’re either saying too much or not doing enough. It’s a no win situation. And in that vein, I finish the final episode of FIFA uncovered on Netflix and take 3 showers and hunker down to try to just focus on the football. After all, this is what it’s supposed to be about, so let’s make a start on this blog to take our game back!

It’s been an eventful 4 years since last time. Certainly the last host venue didn’t age well….dang, focus on the footie… let’s talk Gareth. This might be a continuation of the feeling of meh. Amazing gradual progression in major tournaments has been forgotten on the back of a long winless streak and a defence including Harry Maguire who despite becoming a professional internet meme,  doesn’t have a viable replacement to put him out of his misery. But, hope springs eternal. As I try to figure out who is going to win groups including Spain & Germany, and France & Denmark, it’s clear that England have a very winnable group. With the preparation run up to the start of the tournament being shorter than Sepp Blatter’s list of life regrets, a team playing themselves into form during the group stage will surely be the profile of the successful team, and England have a great chance to do that. They also have an equally plausible chance of failing to score against an Iranian defence which was miserly in qualifying, and freezing under pressure against the US and Wales who will be fired up to beat their over-hyped opponents. Here’s hoping for the former. 

The other thing working in England’s favour is the volume of distractions off the pitch. Usually we’d be subject to extensive analysis of England’s failings, Phil Foden’s WhatsApp messages, or Jack Grealish’s pre match partying. So far Ronaldo is England’s player of the tournament, taking away the tabloid column inches with his Man Utd hissy fit. Well played Ron!  

And that’s about it for now. Ready to get started… Panini album slowly inching towards completion, with my boys still desperately seeking Jordan Pickford (let’s hope he turns up both figuratively and sticker-wise), winter World Cup schedule has been entered into the work calendar (week one being a holiday week here in the US certainly giving us something to be thankful for!), and wallchart has taken pride of place. 

Let’s just hope FIFA disappear into the background… although I have about as much confidence on that as Grealish might now have on securing his pre-match vodka..  as I sign off, a last minute beer ban and Infantino’s cry for help as a repressed ginger. Oh my. 

It all leaves me thirsty for more. More football, less FIFA. Let’s play. 


 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Arriving late at the far post...........

By
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...
2 comments
Read more

Stunning games and goals

By
Last night's games really lived up to their billing. Brazil and Chile was a great game - both teams going at it, the threat of goals ever-present and the threat of red cards also seemingly high. Chile looked the better team on balance, but the home advantage seemed to lift Brazil and they always carried a threat. The theme of course; one which is endemic across the tournament, is that neither defence looked very strong. In the end, the width of the post denied Chile in the shoot-out, as had the crossbar in the final minute of extra time. A really crappy way to go out of the tournament, but they can be proud of their efforts. Few will be disappointed to see Brazil still in the tournament, as things always go a bit flat once the hosts bow out. I'll also enjoy those anthems carrying on. If anything sums up England's utter failure in big competitions of late, it is the passionless mumblings we do in the anthems, which sets the tone for the game afterwards. The second game o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reflections

By
So another World Cup is coming to a close, and while recriminations, inquests and debriefs will continue - the distraction will stop and life goes on. Sometimes, almost guaranteed, that means dealing with heartbreak along the way. I for one hope Mr and Mrs Birchy have had their share and, the future has in store many more good times to balance out the tough. Wishing you both strength at this tough time. There's no great segue to get us back to the footie, but I talked about distraction and here is my distracting run down on all things Brazil, team by team, with omissions of those that didn't leave an impression :  Africa: Algeria weren't bad at all. Great game v Sth Korea and gave the Germans a run for their money. The rest made the squabbles for win bonuses the height of irony... Asia: Sth  Korea: pelted with toffees upon arrival home. Need I say more. I've forgotten what Japan did United States of Australia: plucky effort team, sum of parts blah blah..., could run all...
Post a Comment
Read more