All Ireland Hurling Final September 2007 Limerick v Kilkenny

“Limerick by two goals”,“But you won’t get the ball” replied the Kilkenny man as the Dublin bound train left Maynooth station.

And so it was.

Kilkenny got the ball, Limerick didn’t and after 8 minutes or so they led by 9 points (2-3 to 0-0)

The underdogs,Limerick,had too much to do & the ‘Cats’ would win their 30^th title.

The Guinness All Ireland Hurling Final is a very traditional Irish sporting spectacle. It was played on 2^nd September at the Gaelic Athletic Association headquarters in Croke Park, Dublin before a sell-out crowd of over 82,000. Such is the interest that tickets can be sold for in excess of 500 euros on Ebay though on the streets, on the day, they were going for significantly less.

Hurling is an ancient, fast & furious Hockey-like game played 15-a-side on a large pitch of around 135 metres long x 90 metres wide with Rugby-style posts through which the ‘ball’ is sent in order to score. The Hurling stick is known as a Hurley.

And on this day in central Dublin there is a lot of hurley burley.

The city becomes crowded with green shirted & black/amber clad Hurling fans from the west(Limerick) and central (Kilkenny) counties of the Republic of Ireland. Mixed in with the throng are curious tourists getting an extra, unexpected example of Irish culture.

A fairly short walk from the main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, is Croke Park - named after an Archbishop. The stadium itself is steeped in history – not least the evocative open end,Hill 16, reputedly commemorating the 1916 Easter Uprising.

Inside the massive ground the two sets of fans, refreshingly mixed together & split approx. 60:40 in favour of Limerick, present a colourful image under a generally cloudy sky.

The event itself is infused with tradition & an amateur ethos that makes one smile with appreciation :-

the players marching around the pitch with the band in gladiatorial fashion before the start.

the close connection of the participants with their local area.

giving three cheers for the losers.

even the celebratory pitch invasion at the end was good hearted.

But most of the all the gracious & eloquent speech by the winning captain brought to mind a bygone age. It was in complete contrast to the stumbling & often incoherent efforts of the millionaire stars from Soccer’s Premier League.

Despite Limericks’ undoubted effort & commitment they couldn’t overcome the more skilled Kilkenny team in this final but whatever the result both sets of fans would enjoy their day out in Dublin’s fair city.

So if you do find yourself in Ireland go along to a Gaelic football or Hurling match as you’ll enjoy a fast moving game in a friendly, uniquely Irish environment.

The Asian Cup Final 2007 Iraq vs Saudi Arabia

The cause of some briefly united celebrations in war-torn Iraq.
Their victory in this final in Jakarta was due to a combination of good organisation & team effort
amongst the mixed faiths of the Lions of Mesopotamia.

As has been the case in recent times (eg the 2006 World Cup & the 2004 European Championships) the best defence had come out on top.

But before a very supportive & sympathetic crowd of around 45,000 (rather than the announced 60,000) Iraq did more than just defend well as they often took the game to the more favoured Saudis.
In a better-than-average final their efforts were finally rewarded in the 70th minute when captain & driving force Younis Mahmoud headed the winner.

No kalashnikovs were fired into the air at the end but there were joyous scenes for Iraq's first Asian Cup success.


Whilst not always riveting (in my last seven games I saw only 4 goals) the tournament did offer up some striking experiences , not least in this final game.

Asian Cup July 2007

You don't often get to meet an elephant whilst eating at your local restaurant , a surreal experience this writer had near his Bangkok hotel. Though I declined to feed the said beast some children did (for a small charge) .That was during my first night in Thailand - a country that can definitely offer a wide variety of 'experiences'.

Thailand, Vietnam , Malaysia & Indonesia jointly hosted the latest addition of the Asian Cup.
Most games were played in the capital cities - Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta & Kuala Lumpur and each city had its own attractions.
All places were hot, often humid & sometimes very wet. But that was to be expected in July in South East Asia.

The conditions did serve to enhance the chances of the four home countries & probably detracted from the performance of the favourites, Australia, playing in their first Asian Cup.
Certainly the torrential rain that accompanied the Bangkok opening ceremony diminished that spectacle & reduced the attendance for Thailand's game versus eventual winners Iraq. The result of that match was a rather surprising draw with the home team benefiting from a rather dubious penalty decision. Thailand would not progress beyond the group stages but their play exceeded prior expectations.

Wandering around central Bangkok at this time of year means you will inevitably be wet (through sweating) whether it rains or not. So your correspondent had to modify his tourist strategy on this trip - using more taxis or tuk tuks or even on one disconcerting occasion, a motor bike, to see the sights.
And there are certainly sights to be seen, not least the mind-boggling architecture of the Grand Palace, the excellent National Museum & the golden buddha.

One thing that is impossible to miss are the all pervading Royal images and the numerous yellow shirts. Especially on Mondays (King's Day) when most of the population wear that colour to show support for their long-serving monarch.

In contrast Thai support for the football was fairly moderate & that could be said of the profile of the tournament generally.

However in Hanoi , encouraged by a winning start , the Vietnamese proved keen & enthusiastic supporters. They generated some serious noise at the My Dinh stadium to drive on their players towards a previously unachieved level (the quarter final)

The city itself is probably the most interesting of the four capitals.

Uncle Ho's mausoleum, the Revolution museum, the crazy roads full of bikes & most of all the old quarter, with its ancient system of streets divided into specific trades ,are some of the highlights.
But drinking a beer in a bar overlooking Hoan Kiem lake whilst watching the locals loudly celebrate a Vietnam win, circling the lake in their motor bikes with flags flying , was perhaps the best moment.
Having a hotel nearby was useful although returning after midnight was not to be recommended as I found one night. Fortunately (for me) banging on the shutters awoke the caretaker & I was allowed in.


My introduction to Malaysia was also not very auspicious. Arriving late at night on an Air Asia flight from Hanoi I expected to arrive at the main airport (the only one mentioned in my year-old guide book) in Kuala Lumpur & be collected by the hotel bus service. After a while I realised that the low cost airline base had been hived off to an airport 'annexe' & I needed a taxi to get home, belatedly, for the night.
Somehow KL continued to frustrate with its rather un-integrated transport system , over-officious hotel staff & minor regulations.

But being a much newer city than the others it tends to lack the character & obviously the history of the more established places, though Chinatown does give it some atmosphere. Otherwise you can admire the tall towers & visit a very impressive (and large) bird park.

The Malaysian football team was not so impressive - they were poor & suffered some comprehensive defeats watched by small crowds in the over-large Bukit Jalil stadium.
Though that stadium did host one of the better games ; China 2 Iran 2 , played before an enthusiastic mixture of students & ex-pats workers.


It was especially in Jakarta that you seemed to be in the presence of 'real' football fans. Over 80,000 would pack into the Senayan stadium, generating a vibrant atmosphere, to see their country.
Although Indonesia ultimately failed to reach the last eight they did produce some very spirited performances.

As with the other capital cities Jakarta was often very crowded & hectic though you did sense it had less tourists.
Certainly in Palembang on Sumatra island, the location for the 3rd place play-off, it felt like the locals had hardly ever seen a westerner.
Hence a nod & a smile, often in response to 'hello mister' from the curious faces, was the required greeting.


So the Asian Cup in South East Asia offered a variable passion for football with sometimes very small crowds in vast stadiums, better than expected performances from the home teams & a climate that made your correspondent sweat for England.

Nevertheless it was a very interesting & memorable experience amongst friendly people.

Brazil June 2007

1. The Copa Libertadores Final 2nd leg

When a big Argentinian team plays in Brazil it is normal to apply some precautions. So many of the Boca fans making their long bus journey from Buenos Aires to Porto Alegre were escorted by the state police from the Uruguyan border - some 600km.

When they finally arrived they would find the roads packed with local buses threading their way through the street markets. Walking amongst this throng were taller than normal Brazilian women in their platform boots - some in Gremio shirts. Above it all were the guys on stepladders overseeing the traders' stock.
In contrast to the heady atmosphere outside, the large indoor market offers somewhere quiet to have a pre-match meal , welcomed by your correspondent.

When the time came to depart for the game (the 2nd leg of the Copa Libertadores Final) the scenario is familiar.
Roads jammed with buses and cars packed with flag waving fans heading for the stadium.
As you near the Monumental stadium the heady mixture returns with a vengeance as the streets are filled with beer & food stalls & the air thick with smoke from fireworks.
This is a big night.

Inside , some hour & half before kick-off, the two-tier stadium is a mass of blue/white & black shirts (that is apart from about 2700 Boca fans)
The atmosphere builds to a crescendo until the Gremio players appear when you see the full fireworks display. But thats as good as it gets for the home team.

They needed an early goal to have any chance of pulling back the 0-3 deficit from the first leg.
Despite showing promise down the left & hitting the bar a couple of times Gremio couldn't get too close to a well organised Boca side.
Star player Riquelme was to deliver the blows that quietened the 'Vamos Gremio Vamos' , the first a superb right foot into the top corner , the 2nd after a combination with Palacio.
Many tears are shed.

Whilst the Argentinian supporters celebrated their triumph the adrenalin (and songs) would no doubt help them survive the long bus trip back to Buenos Aires.


2. Gre-Nal the Port Alegre clasico

Played four days after the Copa Libertadores final in much cooler conditions (12 degrees) in Internacional's Beira-Rio stadium around 34000 saw this derby.
Rather disappointingly there were a very limited number of away fans present(c. 2500) , because of security concerns.
Even so both sets of fans didn't hold back on the fireworks & Inter did have one eye-catching banner - 'gracias Riquelme' just to remind Gremio of their grief.

But Gremio did recover some pride as they secured a convincing win with two great goals, one in each half.



Although Porto Alegre would certainly not be high on the tourist's list of places to see in Brazil it did provide some memorable football moments (and the caipirinhas are excellent)

Finland & Estonia June 2007

Helsinki is a relatively quiet capital city. In early June on a bright summers' day walking towards the Olympic Stadium, amongst the Goths enjoying a rock concert in the central park, life is pleasant enough.




If so inclined the experience can be somewhat enhanced by a refreshing gin long drink or very enhanced by the dark Czech beer Velkopopovicky Kozel.


For an enthusiast the stroll to the stadium evokes memories of past Finnish sporting heroes & in particular their athletes. Near the entrance is an impressive statue to the most eminent (Nurmi)
Inside you can visualize that epic finish to the 1971 European Championships 10,000m when Vaatainen overcame Haase & Sharafetdinov as the crowd roared them on to a sub-54 secs last lap. Whilst in the nearby museum you can simulate running against Lasse Viren during his famous win in the Montreal Olympics 5000m.

Finland's footballers playing and losing 0-2 to Serbia somehow doesn't provide the same level of spine tingling memory. The biggest cheer being reserved for the entry of 36 year old substitute Jari Litmanen, who still looked the most competent Finnish player on show.

Close by the old Olympic stadium is the neat, modern Finnair stadium where , on another day, I saw a low key 2nd level game between HJK's 'reserves' (Klub '04) and KPV before around 250 spectators.


From central Helsinki its an easy stroll to the harbour & the ferry terminal for the trip over to Tallinn. The Nordic Jet ferry takes around 1hr 40 mins to cross the Baltic.
Once there the nicely preserved Old Town offers an attractive location in the June sunshine for both the cruise ship tour groups & the increasing numbers of England supporters getting in the mood for the European Championships qualifying game against Estonia.


That match gave some encouragement to your correspondent as England secured a comfortable 3-0 victory albeit against very limited opposition watched by 11,000 in the Le Coq Arena.


I returned to the same city & the same stadium a couple of days later to see Flora Tallinn beat Ajax some 11-0 before somewhat less people. Because of the convenient kick-off scheduling (presumably to increase the attendances ?!) it was possible to stroll across town & watch TVMK Tallinn play Vaprus later in the afternoon (just the 9-0 win this time).
Total crowd for the two games... 140 & that included other England supporters - but there were plenty of goals.

Roma v Lazio 29th April 2007

Historic surroundings abound in Rome and the Olympic Stadium evokes special memories for me having seen Liverpool win the European Cup in 1977 & 1984 & the, less famous ,World Cup final of 1990. The stadium curvature & sightlines are somewhat similar to the old Wembley (which again has many memories for this writer - not least a certain World Cup final in 1966)

The game itself eventually drifted towards a goalless draw perhaps predictable given their league positions. Roma star Totti wasn't able to produce (much) and was substituted.

In the context of the events during the Italian season (i.e in Catania) it was inevitable that some of the atmosphere would be dampened down for this derby. The Roma song was loud enough but there were no large banners or flares.

But it's certainly a derby to see again not least because there is a large representation from both sets of fans in a historic arena in the Eternal City.

Copa Libertadores group games April 2007

The Parque Central stadium in Montevideo was the venue for the first ever World Cup finals game in 1930 (between USA and Belgium)
It is small (15,000), intimate & far from the standards of modern European stadia though when Nacional played Argentinians Velez Sarsfield the locals certainly generated an excellent atmosphere. No shortage of fireworks, flares & flags. The support no doubt helped the home team secure a 2-0 win and they continue to progress in the competition.
In contrast the game between Audax Italiano and Nexaca of Mexico was played before maybe 4,000 in the 45,000 capacity estadio Monumental in Santiago (home of Colo Colo) in a much more subdued atmosphere. Nevertheless Audax won (2-1) in an entertaining game with Rodolfo Moya starring up front.

Gimnasia v Estudiantes The La Plata Derby

Good but not great. Played in the La Plata City stadium on the edge of town ,this derby lacked some of the intimacy & intensity of the best Argentinian clasicos. Maybe the previous result (7-0 to Estudiantes) and their recent title success (winning the Apertura) gave Estudiantes too much superiority over their rivals.
Even though they had a player sent off very early on the team in red & white still won reasonably convincingly (2-1)
Veron continued to enjoy a renaissance of form in his home country but it was double goalscorer Pavone who was the match winner.

As the Gimnasia fans complained about their lack of quality players & some (minor for Argentina) disturbances broke out in the surrounding streets I was in a taxi making my way back to the bus station for my return to Buenos Aires.

Boca v River April 15th 2007

No longer the best Derby in the World ?
As I strolled back after the game to the centre of Buenos Aires via the markets & antique shops of San Telmo I happened to see two fans amicably chatting outside a bar, perhaps discussing the match. In a perverse way it reinforced my sense of disappointment at what went before as one wore a Boca shirt , the other a River shirt.
Too much of tourist attraction - do the stadium tour , visit the museum & go to the superclasico with Carl Lewis & other celebrities. By further limiting the numbers of away fans , selling tickets only to socios (i.e mainly middle class fans) & reducing the overall capacity adds up to less intensity ,passion & less noise than expected.
Thats what has happened to Boca v River at the Bombonera. Tourists can buy tickets at inflated prices , though still low compared to European equivalents they are out of reach for most locals, via sources in the city.
Continuing controversy over the role of the barra brava (ultras) has meant their numbers have been reduced (seemingly to zero for River) Though no reasonable person would condone the unsavoury & violent aspects associated with them the sense of theatre & spectacle is certainly diminished.
Yes its still Boca v River but , to this correspondent , that sense of commercialisation & europeanisation if you like (following the trend of many european derby games) has meant it is definitely not the most intense, visceral football derby experience in the world anymore.

There are other derby games in Buenos Aires that surpass it in that regard.

Even the game itself ended equitably (1-1) though Boca should have been in control after the chances they had in the first half.

Switzerland (& Italy) Feb 2007

Take the train from Milan into Switzerland & you soon see the differences between travellers.
More blackberrys.

There is also a contrast in derby games. My plan had originally been to see Catania v Palermo but the rescheduling (to the Friday) meant I arrived too late - some would say that was good thing.
The hiatus in Italian football meant i visited Switzerland to see some football.
Including the Zurich derby between Grasshoppers v FC Zurich.
OK its not Sicily but you do see some innovative displays by the local fans (see pics) especially those from FC.
This game was goalless though it did have some near misses , particularly by the brazilian/tunisian Santos. And a fairly ineffective performance by the Bolton-bound Dzemaili.

In my second game , played at the re-designed Wankdorf stadium, Christian Gross's Basel (whose fans supplied boisterous support) convincingly beat Yound Boys.

Arabian Gulf Cup 2007 Abu Dhabi

The 18th Arabian Gulf Cup certainly has a (very) low profile in the UK which is a bit of a shame. The UAE & the Gulf area in general is a progressive, prosperous & safe region keen to promote sporting events & in January presents a pleasant location to visit. Having said that hotels are certainly not cheap though transport is - you can travel by communal taxi to Dubai for as little as £1.50.

Getting into the games during this tournament is also not costly. In fact its free as tickets are given away. However this does mean for UAE games in particular the entrances can be closed some hours before the kick-off.
The eight teams in the Cup split into two groups to play in three stadia , all in Abu Dhabi, one of which is walkable from the city centre. The standard is decent (bearing in mind the saudis are regulars at the World Cup) , technically reasonably competent & organised.
Many of the games had plenty of drama with a number of sendings off & late goals.
No one player stood out except (eventually) UAE's Ismail Mattar who went on to score the decisive goals.

Amongst the teams , apart from the home side, the Iraqis had the biggest support - though most were local workers. They were part of large ex-pat community meaning Abu Dhabi can resemble Mumbai at times.
Amongst the mosques, skyscrapers & luxury hotels there is an exceptional quality of life for some locals & a good selection of sporting events to attend (this correspondent also went to the Abu Dhabi Golf tournament) in the winter.

A date for your diary - in 2013 the Gulf Cup is scheduled to be staged in Iraq.

Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates December 2006

Often described as the one of the biggest clashes in world football the Soweto Derby between Chiefs & Pirates is certainly an impressive spectacle. A crowd of over 70000 , of which probably less than a 100 are white ,with just a few Europeans (such as your correspondent) in evidence.

Following an overnight flight from the UK it takes about a day to return to 'normal'. The weather certainly helps the process as its at least 25 degrees & usually dry & very sunny. Though a languid feeling tends to take hold - reinforced by seeing the locals strolling around the streets (or indeed the motorways)

Driving from Melville (Jo-burg) it takes around 40 minutes , with one or two wrong turns to get near to the NASREC area/FNB stadium (actually just outside of Soweto) As a newcomer it certainly takes a while to find your way around as signage can be uninformative or non-existent & road names hard to find (often on the kerbside)
You know when you are close because the car park hustlers appear & you see the yellow & black/white colours of the two teams displayed on the vehicles. Parking near the stadium (as I did - not my usual approach but as it was my first visit to a game in South Africa it seemed the safer option) meant a long wait to get in amongst the general chaos with little evidence of police presence.
That gave plenty of time to absorb the atmosphere which was friendly enough as both sets of supporters seemed to mix happily with the early arrivals enjoying their pap (porridge) , beers & maybe some ganja (which I noticed was popular amongst the Ajax Cape Town fans who I saw at another game - being connected to their namesakes in Amsterdam this seemed eminently appropriate)

Inside the mainly open stadium there was a carnival atmosphere enhanced by the pre-game entertainment of dancers/singers & the non-stop noise of the fans' vuvuzelas (horns)
The Pirates supporters occupied the side opposite & half the right hand side (as viewed from the main stand) with the remainder of the stadium being dominated by the Chiefs fans.
The german coach (Middendorp) of the Chiefs chose to leave Shaun Bartlett (ex-Charlton) on the bench & started with young Kaizer Motaung up front. The Bucs included a Tonic, Avril, Innocent , Excellent (who wasn't particularly) & a Lucky (in the end they weren't)

Played at medium pace in sunny & warm conditions the game was dominated by the Pirates who lead early on thru a great Benedict Vilakazi shot & seemed sure to seal their first derby win for a while. But as many of the home supporters were drifting away Bartlett , on as a sub., headed in with just a few seconds remaining.
So only at the end did you see the golden horde of Chiefs fans really animated.

Then it was time to negotiate a way out of the car park & the roads back to the motorway - a procedure that took at least 45 minutes (to travel maybe a mile and a half)
The last game at the FNB ,before the stadium is refurbished in preparation for the World Cup, had finished peaceably.

This derby doesn't have the visceral excitement , visual presentation (no flares, smoke, balloons, few flags) or the songs/chants of the big European or South American derbies.
But certainly it does present an exciting image & though latent during this match I'm sure the volatility evident amongst the crowd could easily erupt under certain circumstances.

Impressions of Buenos Aires November 2006

Sometimes it can take a while for the lift to arrive as the locals typically press the up & down buttons regardless of which direction they wish to go. Breakfast is filling since it often means too many medialunas (pastries) with your coffee. Then you pop out for the sports paper (Ole) to confirm the days football fixtures passing the numerous dog walkers & the odd tramp.
Its morning in Buenos Aires.
Spring it is usually very pleasant , not too hot but bright, sunny & dry. The feeling of renewal, that the best part of the year is yet to come, is uplifting compared to the dark dull days back home in autumnal England.
Walk to the nearest metro station, via one of the numerous Internet cafes, queue for a ticket whilst those begging for change look on. Sometimes they have a child in tow who may have a cleft palate or other such problem.
Taking the metro is usually (apart from walking) the most cost effective, preferred & reliable travel method followed by train, bus & taxi.
Trains can depart from a variety of city stations including 3 adjacent to each other at Retiro &
overcrowding is not unusual - such that riding on the train roof is not uncommon. Expect a steady stream of pedlars to accompany any journey & its advisable to avoid sitting next to an open window passing some areas of BA (to avoid the missiles) Underinvestment is all too evident.
Buses do offer an alternative slower option bouncing along the one-way streets via a myriad of routes.
But regardless of which route is taken at journey's end is a football ground - it could be the Diego Armando Maradona stadium (Argentinos Juniors) , Isles de Malvinas stadium (All Boys) or La Bombonera (Boca)
Either way once inside you experience the passion of a city like no other.

Independiente v Racing November 2006

For an englishman Avellaneda , in Buenos Aires, is not easy to pronounce ('abeshaneda' maybe) & though it is a station on the line from Constitution when you get there don't expect it to have that name on the platform - it actually says Dario y Maxi.

But i'm sure the two sets of fans had no problem getting to the stadium as this couldn't be much more of a local 'derby' - their respective stadia are about 150 metres apart.
Not that they would go to the game together (this being Argentina) - the two groups are channelled through specific streets & entrances with diagrams in the morning sports paper.

50,000 attended this last clasico at the Independiente stadium before it is re-built, many arriving 3 hours or so before the kick-off & for some it was not a comfortable experience & for all it finished early.
The stadium is partly covered , very unusual in Argentina, & it resembles a European ground albeit from 20 years ago. The packed terraces also bring back memories but the noise, smoke, balloons, streamers & passion are pure Argentina.
The afternoon (it was a c.5pm kick-off) became quite hot especially when you were exposed to the unrelenting sun - in the shade it was pleasant enough.
But some Racing fans did have the chance to cool down later on as the water cannon was wheeled out. Before that they had been shot at with rubber bullets & had tear gas to inhale - presumably in reaction to missiles being thrown at the police (I was in the home area)
Action that eventually resulted in the referee having to abandon the game.

The contest itself - almost incidental - lasting around 65 minutes was a triumph for Independiente with Montenegro scoring through a penalty (following a rather inexplicable handball) & from a nicely chipped second.

The atmosphere & build up made this an awesome spectacle that somehow couldn't contain the passion generated without degenerating into (partial) mayhem & ultimate suspension of play.
Not a unique occurrence in Argentina.
You couldn't help thinking that unless the atmosphere it is kept within reasonable (i.e non-violent) boundaries the risk is that these clasicos might go the way of many European derbies where there are often few (or sometimes none at all) away fans present.

Subsequently I understand the AFA (Argentinian FA) did disallow visiting fans from attending games for the remainder of the season - then rescinded the restriction.

The Rosario Clasico October 2006

Rosario Central v Newells Old Boys - the Rosario Clasico

Take the bus (comfortable but slow) from Buenos Aires & 4 hours or so later you can be in Rosario.
Arrive about 2hrs before kick off & you may get the chance to walk to the ground with the Newells hinchas (fans)
Surrounded by police & led by motor bikes they present an awesome sight as they march from the centre to the Central stadium.
There are then something like 6/7 sets of security before you reach an entrance gate - for me to be in the lower tier of the 'main stand' side.
This is one of the top derbies in Argentina with a significant local focus - Central in particular having mainly Rosario players - Paolo Wanchope , who played a starring role, being one of the exceptions.
The stats are :- a 42000 crowd , 1450 police (a record for this game) with the away team (Newells) having both tiers behind the goal (c. 10000)
The presence of a very large (and needless to say noisy) away following plus the intimacy of the Gigante stadium makes this derby one of the best you will experience.
The build up starts well over an hour before kick off with chants, balloons, smoke & flags.
As always there is a 'dialogue' between the fans often referring back to previous events (eg the Central fans don't sing, the 'penguins' - Newells fans - are freezing)

Not many Argentian clasicos are dull & this one certainly had plenty of action - goals (4-1 to Central) ,drama (2 Newells players sent off) & trouble (after missiles being thrown the police fired rubber bullets at the Newells hinchas). Despite the stoppage during the police action the game did restart and finish (unlike my subsequent clasico - Independiente v Racing). As usual the locals (including myself) had to wait whilst the away fans departed - helped along by the odd baton or bullet.

For me the action hadn't quite finished as on the bus back to the bus terminal the locals smash the rear windows - but we shake off the glass & carry on regardless.

After all its just another normal football derby day in Argentina.

Croatia/Austria/Slovenia October 2006

Croatia 2 England 0 , hooligans arrested 198-26 so Croatia 'won' on both counts.
Zagreb was pleasant enough with an excellent City museum , large student population & a comfortable ambience as long as you avoided the Bad Blue Boys of Dynamo Zagreb (if not their graffiti)
It was also convienent for travelling to southern Austria (Klagenfurt) where Bill saw second divison team Karnten lose rather unluckily to league leaders Linz before a respectable 1800 crowd.
Neighbouring Slovenia also has picturesque countryside with an alpine feel. Attractive cities like Maribor and Ljubljana offer a cafe style culture (at this time of year) & decent sightseeing in a generally quiet environment. Both games Maribor (vs leaders Domzale) & Factor vs Gorica ended 1-1 , though it was disappointing (in the groundhopper sense) to visit Maribor whilst most of the stadium is under reconstruction.

Sevilla vs Real Betis September 2006

Andalucia in September is still hot. Seville was 33 degrees at times & most people tried to avoid the sun. The city centre's narrow streets gave some shade but also a sense of claustrophobia.
Similarly if you were a Real Betis supporter around the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium for the Derby you probably felt a sense of being hemmed-in & intimidation & some beer might well be directed towards you.
Inside the stadium it seemed a little like a smaller (though less intense of course) version of the Monumental in B Aires - the red & white , the curve of the stands & watching the away support arrive in a segment of the higher tier.
Los Biris (Sevilla ultras) had prepared their presentation based on 'Victoria' later accompanied by red smoke & as the kick-off neared the rest of the stadium joined in with their white/red flags.
Except the 500 or so Betis fans who missed the first 20 minutes of the game - because of security reasons or maybe they didn't want to see the display ?
Betis tends to represent the poorer areas of this city - they also showed the Spanish flag whereas Sevilla had the Andalucian flag prominent.
Sevilla, with recent European successes, were also on a high.

Though victory ('victoria') did happen it was not easy in an at times pulsating Derby.
With Rafael Sobis , recent Copa Libertadores winner, scoring two well taken goals Betis for a while anyway seemed like they might spoil the party.
But Kanoute with a Kanu-esque style also scored a couple & (another) Brazilian Renato struck the winner following a dribble & decisive finish with 5 minutes to go.
Expect Sobis (given the opportunities) & Sevilla's Jesus Navas (who at times terrorised the Betis defence) to be stars of the upcoming season in Spain.

A Derby with atmosphere & also a memorable game.
And with a 9pm finish you only had an hour or so to wait before the local restaurants would open.

Macedonia v England September 2006

Kosovo was hot , maybe 33 degrees , so drinking water was essential & Bill needed to keep hydrated. Buying some bottled water from a nearby kiosk the vendor showed three fingers - Bill pulled out his change & offered one euro - the vendor shook his head - Bill jumped to 3 euros.
The local smiled before searching the handful of coins & taking 30 cents (c. 20p)
Skopje is also cheap.
It offers a pleasant ambience , surrounded by mountains, with an (inland) holiday location feel.
Plenty of (often) well dressed locals strolling around in the hot weather enjoying the nice restaurants & bars in the city centre.
The locals seemed friendly enough - with no evidence whatsover of any previous hostilities.
And in particular the taxi drivers can usually converse about the game ('why is Beckham not playing', 'I support Albania' etc)

Kosovo(Pristina) is quite near but a 2.5 hour bus journey (no trains) , with half an hour taken up by customs checks, sometimes thru hilly roads.
A not very appealing town with shops seemingly wedged in amongst the appartment blocks, Pristina showed no evidence of any troubles, Bill saw one or two Kfor vehicles but no other UN
presence. Graffiti was the only discordant note.

As to the game the result was all that mattered & one goal proved enough in a lively (but not very hostile) atmosphere. Once again it highlighted (amongst other things) the strength of Hargreaves in the holding role , Crouch's ability to score goals, that Phil Neville can still 'do a job' & that Defoe will soon get competition from Johnson & (later)Ashton.

Czech republic august 2006

Mlada Boleslav is a car-town. Catch an early morning bus to Prague , as I did, & you will see the stream of nightworkers leaving the works. A large propotion of the local population are employed by Skoda. They also sponsor the football team.
Mlada Boleslav vs Galatasaray (1-1)
It was always going to be tough task for the home team to retrieve a 5-2 deficit from the first leg of this Champions League game.
Gala paraded the likes of Hakan Sukor, Rigobert Song, Hasan Sas & Sasa Ilic together with support from their usual lively travelling fans ('sultans of europe')
Although MB did have quite a number of chances & near misses , especially in the second half, they lacked a decisive finisher. Only when it was (far) too late did they equalise Sas's
driven opener.
So Gala did enough without being over stretched- no doubt they were doubly pleased when they heard the news that Fenerbahce had failed to qualify.

Brno 1 Slavia Prague 0 & Slovacko 1 Banik Ostrava 2
Brno is a bus or train ride from Prague - the bus generally being quicker & cheaper but less spacious. Slovacko play in a town called Uherske Hradiste - a couple of hours (by train) east of Brno.
From this outsiders viewpoint these Czech league games tended to be dominated by strong defences & good technical players though generally lacked goalmouth action. (& goalscorers - no doubt the best move on to bigger leagues)
However the fans support was not lacking ,especially the ultras of Brno (see pic.) & the travelling Banik support. Flags, banners & flares being prominent.

Combine that atmosphere with the cheapness of local match tickets (c. £2), travel, food/drink and the ability to see a number of games over a short period & you have a decent value-for-money trip.

World Cup 2006 in Germany

Bill left the Berlin Olympic Stadium as the Italians celebrated not waiting for the presentations. He assumed this time there would not be any communal prayers (as the Brazilians were out) - his usual exit point.
Somehow he felt it was an unsatisfactory conclusion - the penalty shoot out (dramatic nonetheless) & Zidane's dismissal plus the seeming inevitability of England's under performance all contributed to the feeling that the tournament could have been much better.
The S-bahn quickly took him back to his pension near the Zoological Gardens where he quickly blended into the heady atmosphere.
Italian flags & car horns merged with the general melee of drinkers & partygoers - Bill somehow failed to resist the lure of a weissbeer & a couple of cocktails.

The long road had ended.

Bill's personal stats were :-

Number of games attended..................... 28
Number of teams seen ............................ 26 (missed Brazil, Ghana,Switzerland,Saudi Arabia , Ivory Coast & Costa Rica)
Mileage in car ............................................ 7000 km
Mileage on train ........................................ 3600 km
Stadiums .................................................... 12
Best game.................................................... germany v italy
Best performance ...................................... argentina (v serbia)
Best goal ...................................................... maxi rodriguez (v mexico)
Best supporters .......................................... korea & argentina
Most expensive (black market) tickets...... mexico's games
Most awkward stadium entrance.............. Kaiserslautern(up that hill)
Biggest surprise............................................the weather
Least surprising...........................................England lose on penalties