World Cup fever

Today I came home from work to see a large England flag had been put up in my neighbours front window. Now, let me make it plain, I have absolutely no interest in football, and will be going out of my way to avoid watching any of it. The first match? sounds like a good time to go shopping to me. But, you simply can't avoid it, and it seems, to the cynicist in me, to be just an opportunity to sell alot of tat with the cross of St George on to the British public. Better shift it quick, before we get knocked out!

What does appall me is the fact that ACAS have also pubished guidelines for employers of what to do to encourage people to attend work, and still be able to watch the football - it's that assumption that everyone is interested, and also that people will otherwise throw a 'sickie' so that they can watch, so they recommend making breaks flexible, providing tv sets in restrooms, and in some instances allowing people to start and finish earlier or later. Some employers are even providing tvs in the workplace. If we ever win it again it will probably be a national holiday - it's a sporting event for God's sake, and it happens every 4 years (and then we get stuck with the Euro tournament two years between) - it's not a one off occasion.

I guess the last time I watched the world cup was Italia 90, when I was in Italy for part of the tournament, and indeed in Verona the day a match was on - I believe we may even have tried to get tickets, but I've no idea who was playing, or indeed, who won that year. What I vividly recall is the ban on serving alcohol in the restaurants, unless you smiled sweetly, and then they served it to you in a water bottle - certainly the best aqua minerale I've ever drunk!