Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
17rh December 2017
Those of us who trained as dancers were all agog. Who would win the Strictly Come Dancing show? Who had the best dancing skills? However the winner was judged by the viewers. Similarly in the far more serious fields of politics and in the criminal courts. Should Britain leave the EU? Let's ask the general public. Never mind that the average man in the street couldn't possibly understand the intricacies and financial consequences. In the courts, back when we had the death penalty, a jury of ordinary citizens, completely untrained in the field of criminology, were handed the role of life and death over some poor person. Imagine if this happened in other fields. Picture the neurosurgeon about to decide which bit of the brain to excise to cure a terrible disease: should he then call in a 'jury' of complete novices to make the ultimate decision? In football, was it a penalty? Let's ask the baying, opinionated crowd. The general public will always choose the personality, be swayed by the current fashion/media, will tend to use emotion rather than raw facts. In TV programmes the result isn't that important. In more serious issues, it is. When important decisions must be made, ALWAYS leave it to the experts in the field.
7th June 2015
So, that well-known Swiss anagram Sepp Blatter has finally done the honourable thing and resigned. Trouble is he hasn't yet stepped down from Fifa - he's actually been allowed to continue until next March! Have you noticed too that he never mentions exactly how much he earns in the post? Imagine the noughts on his bank account. In my humble opinion he is an arrogant, conceited, womanising, incompetent little man who is quite happy to deal in as many corrupt practices as possible as long as it improves his own standing and personal wealth. Instead of Fifa, he should have headed Mafia.com. Rather like my own (fictitious) character Professor Darnand in 'Third Degree Murder', perhaps someone should plot his deserved downfall, but who? The husband of Blatter's married girlfriend, paraded for all to see in the newspapers of the world? A sports minister of a failed World Cup bid country, whose job may now be in jeopardy? All the ordinary football fans of the world, who buy season tickets they can ill afford for their favourite teams, who've had their faith in the sport quashed? This is a story that will run and run.
17th June 2012
Nerves are jangling all over Europe. No, not the football - though being an England supporter is bad enough.
Despite beating Russia no less, have the Greeks lost their Marbles? Today's the day when we'll all find out. I've never known an election so closely watched by other nations. France's new leader Hollande is as nervous as everyone else. Three days ago he was interviewed on Greece's Mega TV channel. If the Greeks vote for Tsipras from Syriza, the anti-austerity party, Hollande's in trouble. Major French banks - particularly Credit Agricole - are heavily indebted to Greek banks like Emporiki, and could even fall if the euro collapses. He's even got problems at home. New partner Valerie Trierweiler has her sharp nails firmly embedded into his cast-off partner Segolene Royal. Valerie is actively supporting Segolene's political opponent in France's local elections!
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! But surely it should be poor Segolene, his former partner of 30 years and mother of his 4 children, not Valerie? Ironically, the famous phrase is from a poem called 'The Mourning Bride' - something I suspect Valerie, like her predecessor, will never be!
As ever, Him indoors: It's all Greek to me.
Despite beating Russia no less, have the Greeks lost their Marbles? Today's the day when we'll all find out. I've never known an election so closely watched by other nations. France's new leader Hollande is as nervous as everyone else. Three days ago he was interviewed on Greece's Mega TV channel. If the Greeks vote for Tsipras from Syriza, the anti-austerity party, Hollande's in trouble. Major French banks - particularly Credit Agricole - are heavily indebted to Greek banks like Emporiki, and could even fall if the euro collapses. He's even got problems at home. New partner Valerie Trierweiler has her sharp nails firmly embedded into his cast-off partner Segolene Royal. Valerie is actively supporting Segolene's political opponent in France's local elections!
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! But surely it should be poor Segolene, his former partner of 30 years and mother of his 4 children, not Valerie? Ironically, the famous phrase is from a poem called 'The Mourning Bride' - something I suspect Valerie, like her predecessor, will never be!
As ever, Him indoors: It's all Greek to me.
13th June 2010
World Cup fever. Painted faces, tribalism, everyone obsessed in trying to beat the other team in the name of 'nationality'. In 1969 Karl Deutsch said that a nation is '..a group of persons united by a comon error about their ancestry and a common dislike of their neighbors..' Very true.
But for expats everywhere, there's a feeling of identity crisis in all this. Indeed, the other night even the weather joined in. A local thunderstorm wiped out our Sky transmissions and we were 'forced' to watch the terrestrial match between France and Uruguay! Quite enjoyed it actually. There's something about the 'ugliness' of Ribery that seems to match that of Rooney, dare I say it, but they're both very good players.
But then came last night's England v USA match. I don't mind if we don't win due to honest endeavour, but that fumbled, inept, shambolic goalie error.....Words fail me.
So, from my own actions last night in nearly kicking in the TV screen, it's clear that I still feel English in thought and deed. And, what happens when England play France? It's clear I should be committed to integrating fully in our new country. So, who will I support? What do you think? Courtesy of Rupert Brook..There is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England....Come on England!
But for expats everywhere, there's a feeling of identity crisis in all this. Indeed, the other night even the weather joined in. A local thunderstorm wiped out our Sky transmissions and we were 'forced' to watch the terrestrial match between France and Uruguay! Quite enjoyed it actually. There's something about the 'ugliness' of Ribery that seems to match that of Rooney, dare I say it, but they're both very good players.
But then came last night's England v USA match. I don't mind if we don't win due to honest endeavour, but that fumbled, inept, shambolic goalie error.....Words fail me.
So, from my own actions last night in nearly kicking in the TV screen, it's clear that I still feel English in thought and deed. And, what happens when England play France? It's clear I should be committed to integrating fully in our new country. So, who will I support? What do you think? Courtesy of Rupert Brook..There is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England....Come on England!
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