I Support England In The World Cup. I Do Not Expect Welsh People To Do the Same

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I'm writing this England are in the quarter finals of the World Cup having beaten Colombia on penalties. Yipppee!!! The weather is still hot. England win in a penalty shoot out and you still don't think anything has changed in the world?

England now face Sweden. Who let's not forget defeated Italy to get to the World Cup in the first place. They look like a team who battles for each other. Not unlike England under Gareth Southgate. It will be a tough game I suspect.

Now I've explained in a previous post that I've no problem with supporting Welsh Independence and supporting England in the World Cup. For the simple reason that football is different. I'm not going to repeat myself here but something has happened this morning which deserves a chat. Following England's victory last night a BBC Radio Wales morning phone-in has asked the question now that England are through to the quarter finals of the World Cup "Are We All English Now"?

There is one response (well polite one anyway) to this question

Why?

Fans of Wales should not be expected to follow England. It doesn't mean that you should be condemned if you do. But what's wrong is the expectation here promulgated by the national Radio broadcaster that if England is in a competition and Wales are not then Welsh fans should like good little serfs move to the side across the bridge (yes that bridge).

Trust me also when I say that English fans will have no respect for Welsh fans who do this. And why should they? It's not their team.

Let's take the question to it's logical conclusion. If Wales are out of the six nations rugby championship and England are not should Wales rugby fans support their nearest neighbour? Or if Cardiff City are out of the FA cup but Swansea City are not should bluebird fans suddenly go all Jack? Of course not. It's a stupid, stupid, question for the BBC to broadcast. You have your own team which defines your nation's identity. It's who you are.

This though leads us into a different question.

Why did BBC Radio Wales broadcast it in the first place?

The national radio broadcaster should be representing the nation. Not discussing how it can be a lapdog of English success. Wales will not be respected as a country if it looks East in how it should think or act. For BBC Radio Wales to do this is a national disgrace from the national broadcaster.

If Welsh fans want to follow a team I'd suggest a nation that has relatively recently achieved independence in Europe. Probably the closest nation I'd suggest to Wales.

Croatia it is then.

Until the next time.

I May Be An Englishman Who Supports Welsh Independence. But I'm Still Going To Support England in The World Cup

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Last Saturday there was a Yes For Independence march held in Dumfries. And amongst the groups marching was one called English For Yes. What Twitter noticed and commented upon was a guy in that particular demonstration who wore an England football shirt. Basically the comments that were mocking him were in essence that here was a guy with split loyalties.

So let me be clear here. I'm with that guy. And the reason I'm with that guy is quite simple.

Football is different.

As anybody who supports a football team will tell you that supporting a team is not the same as supporting your local supermarket. When you ally yourself to a team you do so for life, not just for Christmas. So should you move away from that team you don't say, "well I might as well support the nearest club now". No you stick with the team that you have invested blood, sweat, tears and some money following.

After all I currently live near Cardiff City who will be playing in the Premier League next season and whilst (like Swansea and Newport) I genuinely wish them well I'm not going to suddenly start wearing a blue shirt, doing the Ayatollah and shouting "Bluebirds! Bluebirds!" all over the place. No the one time I intend to go to the City Stadium is to watch (quietly, I live nearby!) West ham beating them.

And that is equally the same nationally. I've supported England all my life and nothing changes now. I believe that Wales should be an independent nation and have no problem proclaiming my support for that. But as any fan will tell you the first rule of sports fandom is that once you have committed to a team that's it. You change your allegiance then you've broken the law.....it's a fact.

In fact my problem for this World Cup is going to be quite different. Normally due to my family background I would support England until they get knocked out after which I'd follow Italy. But this time Italy failed to qualify for the tournament in the first place.

Now that is a problem.

Until the next time.

Hockey Sticks At The Ready

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It's Sunday and I'm wandering around YouTube looking for free live sport. Normally there's a cricket or football game that I can cling onto (have to work out what Romanian team to support) but find myself surprisingly stopping at women's hockey. Why would I want to watch a sport I've little knowledge of  and not taken any interest in the past? Well it's in Cardiff (Wales were playing), I noted that this game is part of a tournament, and my daughter plays hockey at school.

In other words I've a plan to knock off another day from the summer holiday.

This tournament is called Eurohockey Championships II. It involves eight nations just below the top tier. For the moment they are playing in two groups of four before everything then goes into the knockout stage. The reward for the final two is entry into the elite group of nations.

There were two matches on Monday. The first we would miss and it didn't matter anyway. The second however was France Italy. This was good because in the absence of Wales we had a team to support in view of our ancestry.

Just to give you a clue...

"Italia! Italia!"

So found ourselves in Sophia Gardens at around five thirty in the evening. Also home for Glamorgan Cricket Club it's a complex that houses the Welsh Hockey HQ with it's own (much smaller pitch). Had our hot dogs (which tasted better than the Five Guys thing at the Red Dragon Centre on Friday)soft drinks and we were ready.

As we entered the pitch both teams were training and the announcer was giving out the teams. There was a group of young Frenchmen to our right. You could tell they were French by their tops (a giveaway that) and the way they cheered when every player from their side was mentioned (one I noticed that received a whistle). However when it was time for the national anthems it was they who belted out Les Marseillaise with commendable gusto more I noticed than the team. The Italians ladies (dressed in white) sang their tune as loud as possible as if their lives depended on it.

"Allez le Bleu" shouted one of the Frenchmen as the match started. Or if you can imagine a surprisingly gruff voice "ARRLLLEZ LE BLEU!!".

And indeed France in the beginning did attack. So much so that my hockey ignorance began to show. There was apparently a foul on a French player in the Italian half. Ah I said to my daughter "a free kick".

Well she gave me a look of utter contempt that only a teenage girl could give.

But after this French pressure Italy a few minutes later scored.

"Italia! Italia!"

The French tried again. Just missing the goal whilst the Italian goalie threw herself spectacularly across the line.

Soon after I started clapping. Italy scored with a goal a few yards from the halfway line. It was spectacular....but no one was celebrating....cue contemptuous daughter look two. She tells me that you have to be in the semi circled area to by the net to score a goal. 

Ahh right....

There then was an altercation. A French player fouled an Italian who turned round and raised her stick. Before it turned all martial arts though they were both sent off. Didn't seem to bother Italy though. A run off the wing, a cross from which a strike by an oncoming Italian player caught the defence and the goalie off guard. The most football like goal of the game.

Moments later there was a third. A back flip of the stick to the net. 3-0 Italy. And that was the score at half time.

"Italia! Italia!"

The Italians spent half time by the pitch. The French ladies went off to their French dressing room presumably to be shouted out with various French swear words by the French coach.

If there was swearing though it didn't work. Four minutes into the second half Italy scored again. Soon after that there was a penalty  that made it five.

Even the sin binning of an Italian player didn't matter. Just like football when a team tries to throw everything but the kitchen sink to try and retrieve itself from a bad scoreline leaving itself venerable to opposition attack. There was a one on one between the Italian player and the French goalie. I'll give you another clue what happened.

"Italia! Italia!"

To be the Frenchmen I mentioned earlier still shouted support to their countrywomen...just a little more muted with every goal that crossed the line.

And before the final whistle there was another ....seven nil ....."Italia! Italia!".

It's not for me to talk about either team's chances in the tournament. I lack the knowledge to say anything about that. Except in retrospect the fact that the Italian ladies sang the national anthem as forcefully as possible unlike their French counterparts was perhaps a sign that they were a team. Which (let's face it the French lost seven nil!) their opponents really were not.

I must admit I enjoyed my first hockey game and more importantly so did my daughter. Unfortunately work means I can't go to any other match but we'll see whether the wife can take her in the next few days.

Oh yes just one more time.

"Italia! Italia!"

Until the next time.

In Which Euro 2016 Starts (Well For Me Anyway) But I've Got To Do A To Do List First

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well Euro 2016 is finally upon us and what an exciting first day with three matches to kick us off including one involving the three international teams I follow, Italy.

Oh OK then it started on Friday. Wales won. England drew with Russia on the pitch and apparently also are neck and neck in who is liable to kicked out first thanks to the actions of the apes from either team in Marseilles. Because of work I won't be able to see the England/Wales game on Thursday. Question is whether there will be an England team for their final game against Slovakia. Today you had the situation of the England manager and captain practically begging the fans to behave. That was depressing to watch. What's even more depressing though is that I have my doubts that the apes will listen.

And I'll tell you this as well. Here in Wales I'm beginning to notice this in a very minor non threatening form. Speaking as an Englishman,albeit a card carrying member of Plaid Cymru, I've seen some, and note the word some (to be precise about five) people walk around in England football shirts and drive cars with the flag of the cross of St George on the back window or attached to a car aerial. I'm thinking to myself  why antagonise people? If this was France I'd get it but you're in Wales. There is a sort of arrogance about doing it at this particular time at this particular moment. I mean would these people do that in Scotland or the Republic of Ireland? Of course they wouldn't.

Let me be clear who I follow in order with regard to international football. England the country of my birth, Italy the country where my ancestry comes from and Wales, the country I live in now and feel should be an independent nation.

Anyway. Monday was off work and it meant that I was able to watch matches in the tournament for the first time. I mentioned to my wife that I was going to do the vacuuming as I was the one not at work that day didn't really have any excuse not to (plus of course avoiding any grief later). This however had to be added to going to the rubbish tip, the library, doing some shopping as well as of course WATCHING FOOTBALL.

So went to the rubbish tip called Thygeston. It is the most well hidden place to throw your trash away I know covered as it is by green fields and trees. It's so discreet that you'd whether ex KGB members helped in its design.

On the way to the tip.....really

Next stop was Porthcawl firstly to the library where I paid my debt to society for an overdue book (15p) and then picked the next football book to read which was.....

Philippe Auclair - Thierry Henry - Lonely At The Top

Yes I know he's a legendary Arsenal player (boo hiss) but he was capable of taking your breath away and have some fans of opposing teams applauding him. I've also read some articles by the author on the e magazine The Blizzard. If the back cover of this book is correct, what I'm going to read is a biography by an author who admires but does not worship his subject. Let's not forget that thanks to his "Hand of Gaul" incident in 2009 he was as popular in the Republic of Ireland as people with the occupations of banker and British politician.

After that shopping which is unimportant apart from the fact I bought a packet of football stickers. Since chatting about the subject last I've bought 4 packets. The totals now (remember it's 33 stickers per team) are as follows.

Turkey: 17
France: 14
Wales: 13
Switzerland:12
Albania: 11
Poland: 11
Russia: 11
Spain: 11
Czech Republic: 10
Ukraine: 10
Austria: 9
Northern Ireland : 9
Republic of Ireland : 9
Belgium: 8
Italy: 8
Sweden: 8
England: 7
Germany: 7
Hungary: 7
Iceland: 7
Portugal: 7
Slovakia: 7
Romania: 6
Croatia: 5

And of course more doubles. Didn't have time to work out what to do with them......I'd football to watch.

Anyway after lunch came the vacuuming. Well there would've been the vacuuming had not the actual cleaner only a few minutes after I started decided to just turn Franciscan monk on me and suddenly turn silent and go off. My first instinct was to check and see if it affected the electricity in other parts of the house but no, it was just rage in that machine.

So the football gods seemed to be smiling on me. Though felt I should show willing and picked up with a dustpan and brush any obvious dust etc from the floor. Did my best under the circumstances but had an excuse, I think that's what they call a win-win.

At last I was ready for the football. First match was the Czech Republic vs Spain. Purely on the grounds that I'd a football shirt for one of the teams I was going to follow....

Viva Espana

Incidentally I've seen the video of the Spanish world cup song. The Spanish captain Sergio Ramos can sing. Here people would give Wayne Rooney a round of applause if he could hold a note.

Spain dominated the game from start to finish. But it had looked as if they had followed the football manual to the letter apart from forgetting the final chapter relating to how to score. Then with a few minutes to spare they did exactly that.

Almost immediately afterwards the match was stopped.........as I paused the TV to pick up my daughter from the school bus. Reading some thirties poetry whilst I was waiting for her...as you do.

Returned. Resumed. Spain won. They can thank me for wearing the shirt later.

Republic of Ireland vs Sweden next. The first half was barring a few Irish chances generally dull which I thought was a good thing as the Republic were the equal of their opponents. In the second half the men in green were ahead, Ciaran Clark scoring a goal best described as Zlatanesque. Unfortunately for them the Swedish equalised through an own goal. That's how it stayed. For a neutral it was a good match to watch on the whole,

So finally Belgium Italy. Not neutral here. To the extent that it was spaghetti for dinner. Microwave spaghetti admittedly (too busy watching football..hope you noticed) but it's the thought that counts. Daughter at guides Wife chatting over coffee with the neighbour. I was all alone. One, two, three "Italia Italia".

Italy were not favourites here. Belgium are apparently the second best nation in the world at the moment. Still you had the feeling they were going to do well. Won the battle of the national anthems and they could deal with Mark Clattenburg as referee being used to Prima Donnas.

Early on they scored with a strike from Giaccherini. Belgium for the most part bar a spell in the second half did not look as if they were capable of making an effective response. It appears that without Vincent Kompany they are a bunch of sole traders. As for Fellani's new blond hairstyle, my theory is that it was designed so that their opponents are so convulsed with laughter they're unable to play properly.

Pelle scored a second just before the final whistle. Italy won. And you know what was the best thing about that victory.It was typically Italian.

Two matches today (Tuesday). Wife and daughter are out for the evening. Things just get better and better.

Until the next time.

In Which I Watch Football, Buy A Football Figure and Stickers And Of Course Try To Like Poetry Through The Medium Of Motoring

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well the European Championship is being held soon and although looking forward to it I already know that I'm going to miss a fair bit of it because of work commitments (boo hiss). Still it's now summer and to find football other than continental championships requires investigative searches. You suddenly become grateful for those countries with a March-November season.

Last year I'd stumbled on an Internet stream in the Norwegian Tippelgaen and found myself rooting for the home team Viking FK. They became the Norwegian team I follow online when work permits it. So to reiterate, I probably am the only Englishman living in Wales to follow a Norwegian League team. Footballing fame at last.

Now even though the commentary was (surprise,surprise) in Norwegian which I don't speak (my ignorance) that didn't matter. As long as I knew which team was which I was involved. Background could always be looked at half time.

I'd wanted to see whether Viking FK were playing yesterday but in the event that proved irrelevant because a cousin of the wife's came for Sunday Lunch so there was no opportunity to watch a game online even if it had come on. The afternoon was spent between watching a cricket game that was so dull until the end that I could have died of rigidity. Tennis where Andy Murray fooled us all by winning the first set before collapsing into swift defeat and darts.

Must admit I'm in two minds towards darts. On the one hand there is a skill involved and it is a sport. On the other what possesses people to see these players in these massive arenas where depending on where they're seated they could hardly see the darting gladiators let alone the darts?

When I put it to our guest who has gone to these things he responded as follows. "Well there are big screens". Was silent at this. Though did think couldn't people just stay and watch their big screen in the comfort of home?

Anyway wasn't able to watch a match until 10pm that night when online I saw a match in the Copa America. Jamaica were playing Venezuela in Chicago. Two teams I've really seen play. It was about 10pm here in Wales and it felt rather humid (and for those of you who know about Welsh weather you probably do believe in climate change after reading that sentence).

Venezuela started well with an impressive goal. Cue the camera to focus on a pretty blonde I'd remembered seeing before the match started. I'd wondered whether the cameraman was going to ask her out for a date. The commentator stated that the team's performance was "high energy". I'd wondered whether he was being deliberate in his choice of words given their economic problems.

But the game really turned on the sending off of a Jamaican player soon after the first goal. To my eye it looked harsh. After half time (during which I did the very British thing and made myself a cup of tea) the manager was sent to the stands by the referee for arguing with him. One player off,one manager off and one goal down. You got the feeling that it wasn't going to be Jamaica's day. Still although they lost it was only by that goal. Given what they faced it was an impressive performance by the team in yellow.

Monday evening I watched the friendly between Italy and Finland. If you're wondering what my allegiance is here then.....

Blue is the colour

So Blue is the colour, apart that is from the Italian goalkeeper whose strip was of a colour best described as motorway maintenance. The Azzuri won 2-0. Really it should have been more. Italy is at it's best when they play with a swagger which was missing here.

Italy was captained by Chiellini. Or as Luis Suarez would call him...a snack.

By the way you can learn a lot about a country by watching their TV commercials. Italians like mineral water. They are also led to believe that teeth whitening toothpaste will attract women in the way aftershave/deodorant was once meant to do (note for the next shopping list I think).

After that I watched a bit of the second half of Iceland Liechtenstein which was won 4-0 by the home team. Unfortunately it was 3-0 by the time my eyes I'd joined them.

You may remember a challenge I set myself a long time to buy a football sticker pack a day to fill a Panini Euro sticker album with. Well it's gone surprisingly slowly. At the beginning I saw more packs for trading cards than for stickers. Don't ask me why. Anyway in Porthcawl on Monday all of the packs so far have been bought. Will spend a bit of Tuesday on a football sticker special post....I know you can't wait.

Here is incidentally the Porthcawl picture of the week.

A warm day

You will note the fence at the bottom of the photo, Because if you turn a bit to your left this is the view you'd see.

Preparing for the summer crowds 

Today I bought Neil Taylor of Swansea and Wales.....this is the proof.

Told you

Kudos to the local Coop supermarket in Porthcawl for selling something Welsh that Tesco Bridgend at time of writing only sells the English version of.

You may remember that in my last post I quibbled with Andy Miller with regard to him wondering how you could call yourself a sportsfan but not particularly liking every sport. Well I've realised that you could call yourself a reader (which I am) but missing a notable subject out.In my case, as you've realised from the title, it's poetry.

I wish I could say that the reasoning was amongst the classic ones thrown out.

"It rhymes? How poncey is that" or

"It doesn't rhyme?  How pathetic. Anyone can be a poet." or

"I wander lonely as a cloud? You cannot be cirrus? When do you see cloud by itself? They hunt in packs. Especially when it's about to rain".

No it came down to finance. I've no idea about the price of poetry books now but when I was a teenager you'd pick up a slim volume of poetry and you'd be shocked to discover that it was about the same price as a novel (autobiography etc). So poetry gave you less bang for your buck, less pull for your pound.

Of course there were the poets I read at school. I liked T S Eliot when he was depressed only to lose me when he discovered God and cats. John Donne the womaniser who discovered religion (how convenient.Covering your bases I'd say) wrote poetry I shrugged at. And there was another that so influenced me that I've forgotten his name.

There was one exception which was John Betjeman who was the Poet Laureate when I was younger. He was a man of varied interests but was capable of writing poetry that made you laugh or feel sadness. He was the one who would go on TV chat shows. He made poetry accessible to everyone without the feeling he was dumbing down. I don't know how good Betjeman was in comparison to others because I've read so little poetry. But I liked him.

So then me and poetry. Not against just apathetic. Not in denial just indifferent.

However my collection of classic Penguin paperbacks has a few poetry books in it. John Donne (been there Donne that) and this.

Robin Skelton (editor) - Poetry of the Thirties

The point is that I've finished the last "car book" I've used to dip into from time to time. (The Henry Cooper post sporting career biography which read more like the finish from one of those "An Evening With.." events) so this seems like the perfect book to dip into.

We shall see.

Until the next time.