The Draw Is Done

As of today the 32 teams competing in next summers Football World Cup know who they are up against in their respective qualifying groups. I'm not that great a fan of football (or soccer if you prefer to call it that), but I do enjoy the World Cup. My own country have never qualified to play in the finals, I don't think Wales ever will to be honest. The old joke about Welsh football fans is that they support two teams: Wales and whoever England is playing!

I'm not that patriotic. I'd like to see Wales with its own parliament, treated as an equal to England, like Scotland is. I think I will likely see that in my lifetime. I don't support England unless they are playing one of three teams: Argentina, Germany and France. If they are playing anyone else, I'll be rooting for the other side, but against those three nations, yeah I'll cheer for England all the way.

Argentina because I don't like seeing cheats win, and thats what they did with Maradona's infamous "Hand of God". Also the bastards invaded the Falkland Islands back in 1982. Granted they got a good kicking, and rightly so, but a lot of Brits lost their lives in that war. Sure was fun when David Beckham's kick put them out of the World Cup last time around.

Germany.... well mainly because the Brits and Germans have a good rivalry going and have done for nearly a century now, having fought two World Wars against each other. Also because they are really dull to watch, all professionalism, no flair. I loved watching the match a few years back where they were thrashed 5-1 in their home stadium by England. I don't watch much football, but myself and my Mum sat and relished watching that drubbing!

And lastly France. Well it's the French. I'm British. We have a long and justifiably proud history of hating our neighbours across the channel. The French talk a good fight, but they are fundamentally gutless, and I have nothing but contempt for them.

England face old enemies Sweden (who they have not beaten in 37 years!), newcomers Trinidad & Tobago, as well as Paraguay. I can't see them having any real problems qualifying at the top of that group and progressing to the knockout stage of the contest. I don't think England will win it, they play too conservatively for that, stupidly defending on single goal leads, rather than attacking. If they were to remember that the best form of defence is offence, that the other side can't score in your goal, when the ball is always in their half of the pitch, then I think England would do well. They have the talent to play like that, but they won't.

I think Brazil are going to win the Cup again personally, but it will be fun to watch the tournament unfold next June.