England Think About Euro 2020
According to this report on the BBC, England are thinking about putting together a bid for Euro 2020.
The comments show most are sceptical, that we would win, due to FIFA/UEFA politics.
I also think England not bidding is what FIFA/UEFA wants.
After all if we don’t bid and the organisation in some neck-end ex-Soviet republic goes belly up a few months before the tournament starts, we have the stadia, hotels and infrastructure to stage it the next week. Probably only Germany, the USA and ourselves could do this!
After all, in a bankrupt London we did it with the Olympics in 1948, so we have form in this.
Incidentally, as the transport links between England and Germany will be more than excellent in a few years time, we could even stage it jointly with the Germans. Now that would be fun!
I’ve always felt that one of next two World Cups after Brazil will not be held in the designated host. Especially today, as Russia has been fined points for the behaviour of their fans as reported here.
How Many Points Do England Need To Qualify For The Next Stage?
In England’s Group in Euro-2012, the points totals are these.
England 1, France 1, Sweden 0, Ukraine 3
England and France still have to play both Sweden and Ukraine.
There are nine possible combinations of the French results.
1. France beats both Ukraine and Sweden which gives England 1, France 7, Sweden 0, Ukraine 3
2. France beats Ukraine and draws with Sweden which gives England 1, France 5, Sweden 1, Ukraine 3
3. France beats Ukraine and loses to Sweden which gives England 1, France 4, Sweden 3, Ukraine 3
4. France beats Sweden and draws with Ukraine which gives England 1, France 5, Sweden 3, Ukraine 4
5. France beats Sweden and loses to with Ukraine which gives England 1, France 4, Sweden 0, Ukraine 6
6. France loses to both Ukraine and Sweden which gives England 1, France 1, Sweden 3, Ukraine 6
7. France loses to Ukraine and draws with Sweden which gives England 1, France 2, Sweden 1, Ukraine 6
8. France loses to Sweden and draws with Ukraine which gives England 1, France 2, Sweden 4, Ukraine 4
9. France draws with both Ukraine and Sweden which gives England 1, France 3, Sweden 1, Ukraine 4
I think it is safe to say that England need four points from the last two games. They might do it with three, but I’d say they need a win and a draw to be safe.
Was Tumbledown One of the Last Bayonet Charges?
The Times today has a detailed account of the Battle of Mount Tumbledown in the Falklands War. It is told by four soldiers from the Scots Guards, who took part in the battle. This paragraph tells how they went in.
The Battalion went in wearing berets, because their helmets were too clumsy; rucksacks were left behind; they had no body armour. They carried SLR rifles, with bayonets fixed, 80 rounds of ammunition, a sleeping bag, grenades and first-aid kit. Communication was through “open” radio. “I talked to my company commanders as easily as I’m talking to you,” Scott says. Their only password in the dark was “Jimmy,” the idea being that, since the Argentinians could not pronounce their Js, they would be easily identified.
Would soldiers do that today? Certainly, a lot of armies wouldn’t!
I once used to live next to a Colonel in the British Army. He would have loved the bit about the passwords. As he once said to me. “In case of war, burn all the rulebooks!” The more I read about the Falklands War, the more it was a war where convention went out the window.
I think even the Americans thought we would be unable to regain the islands. I’ve always felt that it put the wind up the Russians and they then realised that they would never be able to walk their way across Europe, when they would be fighting the strong and well-trained volunteer armies of Western Europe. I think even in 1980, a lot of experienced high-ranking officers in the Red Army had seen the horrors of the Second World War and felt they wouldn’t ask their soldiers to go through that again.
I hope we never have to fight another war like the Falklands.
Spain is not Uganda
This was texted by the Spanish Prime Minister to his Finance Minister during the negotiations on Spain’s financial bailout.
The BBC discusses it here. Here’s the first paragraph.
Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy sent a text to his finance minister in the midst of negotiations on the terms of a bailout for Spain’s banks. Urging him to hold out for a good deal, it said: “We’re the number four power in Europe. Spain is not Uganda.” The remark caused a storm of protest in Uganda and some ironic tweets pointing out Ugandan economic success. So how do the two countries compare?
I actually think, that many ideas from the so-called Third World can be applied successfully to countries like the UK, the US and Spain.
She’ll Regret That Photo
The Times has an awful picture on the front page of Angela Merkel.
She looks in a terrible mood and if it wasn’t for her age, you might think that she was pregnant.
But then she has a lot of problems to solve!
Danny’s Vision
Danny Boyle‘s idea for the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will probably work and it’ll certainly be different.
But I have one gripe. The horses doing the ploughing should be Suffolk Horses or Punches. As someone, who has spent probably three-quarters of his life in the county, could I say otherwise. I think though, that the colour of all chestnut might be wrong, although of course they are slightly smaller than Shire horses, but probably with a better temperament for the Olympic stadium. Have a look at this Suffolk Punch parading at Portman Road, before Ipswich against Burnley.
The Anonymous Widower 