The heat has been such this week that I have benefitted from the relaxed dress code in the office and worn shorts. My legs are two of my better features so I'm not afraid to. No judgement on them has yet been overheard and so I've been unable to point out that Ron Atkinson once described my right leg as a wand.
Okay, it might have been another David he was talking about but it applied to mine before his. One swing of that right leg, some 40-odd years ago, back of the net, the onion bag.
So, with bravado that I might live to regret, I have figured that the first knock-out round is where to get involved in investments. The groups gave us a chance to assess who is any good and once it gets to the last 8 it will be more competitive. However, in this last 16, Croatia, Spain, Brazil and Belgium look solid enough to put together in a 4-timer that could retrieve this year's deficit in one four-part hit, sometimes more due to the quality of the opposition than anything they've shown themselves thus far. We do have to go for 90-minute results so I don't want any pratting about but let's see.
Gareth Southgate has so far looked like something of a revelation with his young guns, several of whom I've never heard. And none of who would use conjunctions to end sentences with. But he finally has a game on v. Columbia and will be judged on that. It's a shame my e-mail friend and I are denied the friendly game of England v. Japan and could now only meet in a very unlikely final.
Best of luck to England. If I happen to be in a friend's house who doesn't watch football, as happened during the 6-1 v. Panama- and what gorgeous calm that provided- I must remember to check the result in a newspaper the next day.