So, for England it's Italy in the jungle to start with eh? Presumably Ant or Dec will be on hand to lend their expertise on living in a five star hotel while laughing at others' feeble efforts in physical challenges. Lineker and Shearer are mere novices by comparison, and need all the help they can get. Avoid the prawns Gary, that's what I say, and don't play cards with strangers. Tough life. And I fear destined to end in tears, if not dysentery. Naples may not be Manaus, but it's a damn sight more steamy than Manchester.
Ignoring England's valiant and unlucky 1-0 defeat I will of course, and this is yet more free gambling advice, be having my usual World Cup opening bet on most of the first group matches ending in draws. Defeat is a disaster and everybody will settle for a draw and live to fight another day, so guess what you usually get? Don't say I haven't told you. Oh, you want evidence do you? Well, 6 out of 12 in South Africa my son, and 6 out of 10 if you assumed Brazil and the Germans would even so beat Korea and Australia respectively, which you would do. Like finding money in the street. And, equally importantly, have you found your grannies life savings and invested them on Brazil to win the whole thing? Get on, get on. When they managed to get beat in the 1950 final in Rio by Uruguay the national mourning and grief sent the economy into a near death collapse, so rest assured if natural talent doesn't do it, which it probably will, then other means will be found....
Meanwhile back home, a few slip ups for the boys, and they are boys by and large. But no despair, progress is being made, so keep the faith I say. Be good to see a few goals at home mind, we must be due a few at some point soon. Hopefully today, but it looks a tough one, and next week the joys of Penrith in the winter, nice ride out if the weather doesn't hold. Think I'll stop down here and have a nice quiet day in...