Peeping over the Parapet

The World Cup starts today in Germany. For those of my friends in North America I might need to explain that this is the Soccer World Cup. I get some back chat here if I call football "soccer" but that is what we called it at school in London many years ago. Very many people in England are fanatical football supporters, for their local team, for a league or Premiership side AND for the National Team. Sales of England replica kit and other souvenirs have already broken all records this year and our Supermarkets have aisles full of shirts, mugs, boots, caps and pretty much anything else to which one can apply the "Red Cross on a White Background" flag of St George for England, including crates and crates of lager beer.

I for one wish the England team well, but confess to be less than enthusiastic about the month long event. As British, (Welsh and English ancestry) and with a sponsored child in Paraguay I have mixed allegiances. Wales did not qualify and Paraguay play England in their first round match tomorrow.

I am sure that sportsmanship prevails between all the teams now assembling in Germany, but I fear that English supporters may let us all down. Thousands are on the way to Germany or are planning football watching sessions in their local pubs throughout this country and a significant number of so called supporters will be spoiling for a fight at the slightest opportunity. Let us all hope that the tournament will be a great and memorable one for all the right reasons.