So apologies on my last pieces. I can be a right Debbie Downer sometimes.
Isn’t football brilliant!
It’s been some time so we’ve been able to digest the world cup draw. And while it has a whole lot of suck in it, aside the emotional patriotism of how your country might do, we’re in for a cracking month of football.
The way the pots worked out, the USA was 80% going to be up against it realistically. I was and still am a very pessimistic boy when it comes to this World Cup, I’ve seen too many England penalty shootouts to be an optimist on my countries chances. At the Illinois Piasa game last week I spoke to American Outlaws STL chapter prez, Mr Ryan Smith about it. Ryan is going to Brazil with AO, they’ve chartered some planes to take the fans from city to city. This is wise considering the USA has the longest trip of any country there. For example the drive from Natal to Manaus is 51 hours, and it’s safe to assume the roads aren’t like I-70 in the jungle.
“It is what it is, but I’m going to see at least three great games, by the coast and in Amazonia, that’s bucket list stuff.”
That’s really a common sense approach. As no matter what. Yes it’s a tough group, but Sweden would love to be in it. Ukraine and New Zealand would love to be in it. So it is all relative. The world cup pitches the best 32 teams on the planet against each other. It’s going to be phenomenal with some top games. Instead of bitching about our group, let’s be ecstatic we’re invited to the party.
When the European teams were being pulled out of the hat, I was hoping that England would be drawn with the USA and Germany. Just embrace the nightmare straight from the beginning. There was always going to be one group with a south American seed and two European teams. It’s just England’s luck to be plopped into their own group of doom with Italy and Uruguay.
However all isn’t lost with regards a USA v England friendly in the books for Miami in May. I shall move heaven and earth to go. Roadtrip baby………
So bring it on, with 6 great games at least in the group stages let’s do it. Let’s have a cracking summer. I’ll be at the Amsterdam Tavern. and so should you be too.
Additional note 1, talks of 2016 Copa America being brought to these shores and having USA and Mexico in the competition. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, this is a go and sites have been selected. None even remotely close to us, but still….. It will be very exciting.
Additional note 2, Debbie Downer normal service shall resume in the future as I try and dissect what is going on with David Moyes and my team in Old Trafford.
Matthew Bird
@matthewb76
