I wasn’t going to do this.
I really wasn’t.
Even when colleague work colleague Jerry (admit it you thought it was an inappropriate German joke didn’t you) told me he would be broken hearted if there was no traditional world cup rambling from TLF. TLF stood firm; work is too busy, the commute is too stressful and relations Chez TLF will be under sufficient threat with wall to wall football for a month. Mr TLF was already asking by Satday “how long does this go on for?” And as we were at Stratford, Shakespeare had answer for that, “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.”
And yet here I am, with my determined NIET! now sounding very hollow.
It wasn’t the amazing Spain Portugal game that inspired me (and while I don’t like you Ronaldo that free kick was some response to a suspended sentence from the Spanish authorities for less than appropriate management of your financials).
It wasn’t the chance to fuss about VAR; I’ll leave that to everyone else, although I will say that right now I imagine the French are saying a mahoosive merci after Satday.
Nor did inspiration come from the need to respond to the surly Patrice Eva, lolling around in his chair in the ITV studio, like some adolescent who has just been banned from every form of social media known to man. You are being paid or at least kept very well to talk abut football at the greatest footballing show on earth. Look interested! Or at least swap with me. I don’t know if you are just a miserable git or just horrified at the idea that you sharing the studio and panel duties with human beings that have ovaries, but either way STOPPIT.
Nope it was Danny Murphy. And his little Yoda like comment regarding a wayward Spanish pass, saying of Diego Costa, “disappointed he is.” And with that my notebook for capturing bon mots was out and I was sucked in.
There are rules though. For the sake of my sanity some days I might be brief. Other days a picture may replace a thousand words. Whatever you get; you get. No referring me to VAR. And you won’t be getting fixtures and results – the are wallcharts, newspapers, telly, radio and the interweb for all that.
While Satday’s penalty miss by a Peru team, that were at the time on top, was tragic it wasn’t a tragedy in the true sense of the word (see we are educational too). Tragedy was taking place on a different stage, with Family TLF missing the Croatia game for the Scottish play. Macbeth promoted to goalkeeper played a blinder, confident that he could never be beaten by any ‘woman born’ only for Macduff to turn up in his Birnan Wood kit and pierce Macbeth’s defence. Only Scottish reference you’ll get all month, but possibly not the only Shakespeare one.
It says a lot for Sunday that Spain v Portugal is now a mere memory. While I know Mexico are no slouches and Switzerland are ranked 6th in the world (two places behind Brazil) there is nothing better than seeing two pre-tournament favourites have a wobble. Even if you, along with half the world to be fair have tipped them to do well. Mexico’s coach Juan Carlos Osorio caught TLF’s eye with his small notebook three different coloured pens, neatly placed in the corner of his technical area. I do hope his stationery is not put at risk by any sideline spats a la Costa Rica/Serbia.
So much fun….it would be easy to just enjoy it, but today Ingurland make their first appearance. I have low expectations, years of supporting Lesta have taught me that is best….Gareth Southgate seems to have created and attitude and atmosphere amongst his team that is vaguely enticing. They have made me care. DAMMIT. The remote control will be in orbit tonight if it all goes t*ts up I can tell you.
Before that Panama in their first ever World Cup, against a Belgian side that depending on which paper you read is a golden generation firing on all cylinders or an unhappy camp who don’t like their manager. We shall see.
Game on!
Late-to-the-party-but-definitely-here-now Fox
Dish of the day: Paraguay
Let’s hope something along the liquid lines makes for a souper day of football (BOOMBOOM!)
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/chicken-soup-ricotta-dumplings-vori-vori-de-pollo
Phrase of the day: Belgium, which for the sake of not upsetting anyone means we need it in German, French and Dutch
And as they are playing Panama it needs to be a sartorial elegance comment NOT a terrace chant:
Nice hat!
Schoner hut!
Beau chapeau!
Leuke hoed!