World Cup Catastrophe

So the World Cup is heading Russia’s way. Who would have thought that when England’s odds were 2/1 on to get the 2018 World Cup we would only end up with 2 votes from FIFA? Certainly not me. The speculation that has followed this ridiculous decision is in my opinion absolutely right. Whatever happened in that FIFA vote was an absolute joke and has only undermined the organisation and the respect it carried. The panorama show not only highlighted the corrupt way the organisation is run but also the blind eye FIFA shows to any indiscretions against them.

Sepp Blatter is a fool. No matter how you look at it he has ruined what was good about the world of football. He wanted a Russian World Cup and guess what, Russia got it, what a surprise. But the disrespect he showed English football and the integral members of our bid by saying that we had an ‘outstanding bid’ is an utter disgrace. Saying that and then only getting 2 votes is just too far and people seriously need to look at how the committee is run.

Russia are a corrupt country, full of crime, terrorism and bribery. One can only imagine the amount of money they threw at certain FIFA members to get their vote. Not only that but there will be no legacy left in Russia as the pitches from the World Cup will be put back to artificial ones due to their cold weather and the size of the country simply makes it impossible to travel between places, resulting in the atmosphere and continuity of the tournament faltering through the sheer distance between stadiums.

All in all, it is a gutting blow for all England fans and should be a blow to football. England are perfect for the World Cup and I felt certain that we could have put a huge mark on how to run a major tournament, as well as with our performances on the pitch. If we had lost after getting a few more votes people could say that maybe the result was correct, but to lose in the first phase of voting with Netherlands/Belgium above us is a disgrace. Tactical voting, bribed voting...whatever you want to call it, England have been robbed and humiliated by FIFA, at least we have the Olympics to look forward to!

Movember

Wow, clean shaven for the first time in years. I feel a different man. I haven't seen my neck like this in such a long time its like looking at a different person. However, far from the amusing fact that I am now beardless, Movember represents something far more important and actually tackles real issues that men have to deal with in their life. Prostate cancer and mens health is the main priority of Movember and although seen as an amusing thing to participate in, the issues that Movember help raise are far from amusing for the unfortunate men who have suffered or currently suffer from any of the issues that Movember helps to raise awareness and money for.

So yes people, laugh at out beardless faces, even join us and clean shave....but never, ever underestimate the value of.....MOVEMBER!!!

Donate now!!

So...Who's going to win the Premier League?

With the Premier League under way it was an interesting first weekend for the best league in the world. Minnows Blackpool handed what can only be described as an utter thrashing to Wigan, Chelsea began how they ended last year with a comprehensive 6-0 win, the first battle of the big boys ended in a 1-1 draw with both Liverpool's and Arsenal's new signings failing to make the end of the game due to red cards. But after all the games, has anything really changed. After their 4-0 defeat of Wigan I doubt many people would still predict Blackpool to survive. Depsite some classy football at times it still doesnt look like Arsenal and Liverpool have the ammunition to go the whole way, although their fans think differently. Tottenham could count themselves highly unlucky to end up with only a point against an under-par Man City who looked like the talent they have at their disposal failing to gel with only goalkeeper Joe Hart producing the kind of performance expected. In my humble opinion the Premier League will actually be better this season...instead of the usual big 4, i think that about 7 teams will be close around the top of the table. As Man United and Chelsea seem to have got slightly worse other teams such as Man City, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Liverpool seem to have strengthened, narrowing the difference between the teams. I think that this can only serve well for the premier league as teams have been trying for years to get between the big 4 and Tottenham succeeded last year, taking Liverpool's spot. With fans from most clubs being wildly optimistic at the start of the season there will be a lot of dissapointments during the season. Ultimately it looks like the league will be split with the top six, maybe seven or eight, in a league of their own, and then the relegation battle. Clubs such as Wolves, who had a great start to Premier League life, will once again need every point they can get to work up the table and they will be looking to establish themselves as a tough premier league outift. My relegation prediction will be a sorry sight for Bolton fans as I predict they will finally be shot in the foot with their 'ugly' football and join Blackpool and West Brom in the dreaded bottom three, although I also think Wigan and Stoke may struggle. New boys Newcastle seem to have enough in the tank to stay up in their first season back with the elite, although, along with West Ham, even with the players they have, they still need to win games and the season could be a long one if players don't perform.

My Premier League Prediction:

1) Chelsea

2) Man United

3) Liverpool

4) Man City

5) Arsenal

6) Tottenham

7) Aston Villa

8) Everton

9) Wolves

10) Sunderland

11) Blackburn

12) Fulham

13) West Ham

14) Birmingham

15) Newcastle

16) Stoke

17) Wigan

18) Bolton

19) West Brom

20) Blackpool

The World Cup - the good, the bad, the Suarez

Four years from now every England fan will again (most likely) be surrounded by emotions of hurt, anger and loathsome for the England football team. Yet again in a major tournament the so called 'mighty' English failed to put any mark on a major international competition. Although quick to jump on the back of the English players, questions need to be asked in every department. The performances were lackluster, boring and devoid of any emotion usually attributed to our players. Gone was the passion of Rooney, gone was the drive of Barry and gone was the flair of Lennon.... Having said that, at least we qualified for the competition, unlike the Euro's.

Still, South Africa provided the world with a well held World Cup, lacking violence and introducing the phenomenon of the vuvuzela. Among all the performances and brilliant goals, the most shocking fact to me is that the minnows New Zealand were the only team not to be beaten during the whole tournament! As a World Cup I thought that it wasn't the greatest in terms of football, although the Spanish showed how total possession football can win games, the German's proved again that they are a major tournament team, the so-called fearsome Fernando Torres joined the likes of Wayne Rooney and the majority of the French and Italian players as one of the worst of the tournament. One positive from the World Cup was that finally FIFA have decided to consider the use of technology in sport. If they did that before the tournament there would be a fair few happier Mexico and England fans, although if Lampard's 'goal' had been given we still would have lost with the performance we put in. I didn't realise Miroslav Klose had been taking lessons from Usain Bolt but that must be the only reason Mathew Upson made him look like a 9 second 100m sprinter.

It was a tournament of the under-dog with a host of big name teams struggling to overcome lesser opponents, although Spain ultimately lifted the cup. Among all the games, goals and action one moment stands out...the Suarez hand ball. Suggestions of a penalty goal have been broadcast in which the team aggrieved would just be awarded the goal, just like in Rugby. Some people agree with Suarez, some don't but I believe he had every right to commit the handball that put Ghana out after a penalty shootout. In reality, Gyan should have scored his penalty, then no-one would have spoken of the actions Suarez took. His reaction to the missed penalty was justifiable as he had pretty much just put his team in a World Cup semi-final. If an England player had have done the same and we went on the go through I am pretty sure we would have all been praising him.

In the England camp I could only find two positives to come from the tournament, the 'lethal' goalscorer Emile Heskey (7 goals, 62 games) has retired from international football and I can safely say we had by far the sexiest bench in the whole competition with Becks rocking the England suit to perfection... the Germans can have their boyband manager and assistant and we'll have Becks looking like a Greek God on the touchline. How we missed him!

Reports have come in that David Blaine is reportedly furious after England crashed out of the World Cup - his record of doing nothing in a box for 42 days was broken by Wayne Rooney

Top word!

After scrolling through the archives I came across these words:

"cognoscente" - meaning: a person with special knowledge;

And,

"pleonasm" - meaning: the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea.

Top marks to anyone who manages to fit either of these into the next essay they write!

Paul the Octopus

What has the world come to when we start believing an octopus is psychic? Yes...Paul the octopus has predicted all of Germany's World Cup matches correctly, as well as Spain to reach the final, but no...he is still just an octopus, not some talented psychic that we all wish