"South African Vuvuzela Philharmonic Angered By Soccer Games Breaking Out During Concerts http://onion.com/dkwWFJ"
Well, the World Cup is going pretty much as normal - cagey first matches many of which are dull, the odd shock result (go Switzerland and the All Whites!), and England being rubbish. I don't know why it should surprise me as it's par for the course, but the inability of the England team to string two passes together is incredible. Perhaps, finally the Emperor's New Clothes that is the Premier League (the greatest league in the world?) will be noticed.
However, do not panic. I've just read All Played Out by Pete Davies, just reissued by Yellow Jersey Press as One Night in Turin. It follows England in the 1990 World Cup - and we forget just how bad England were in the group stages there. We started with two draws...
It's an excellent book which delves behind the scenes of the World Cup, the England team, and the press that follow them. The access Pete Davies had would be impossible today and it's a world before email, satellite TV and one where hooliganism was a real issue. There are lots of stories around Gazza, Waddle and Lineker, Platt breaking through during the tournament, and just what a polite and good man Bobby Robson was; and how badly he was treated by the FA.
If you're a football fan you'll love it - a witty and incisive account of football when it seemed a bit simpler.
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