So, just as you thought there was too much football on television, the World Cup has started and I have to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever been less excited about it. Maybe it has been Watford’s lethargic season that has dulled my enthusiasm for the sport but even across the country, there are no flags on cars or in shop windows; there seems to be a general public apathy about this particular tournament. In the 80s and to a certain extent the 90s, the world’s best players did not play for English teams and so the World Cup was always an opportunity to see these almost mythical sporting superstars playing against each other; Zico, Socrates, Platini, Zubizarreta, Zidane et al added a certain glamour to the event and added to the anticipation. These days, we know all these players because they play in the Premier League or even the Championship. I, and my fellow Watford supporting Year 5 boy Peter Smith, will be cheering on England of course but also looking out for our team’s representation in Norway (Goalkeeper Egil Selvik), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Midfielder Edo Kayembe) and Australia, where Forward Nestory Irankunda is capable of scoring the goal of the tournament and being a breakout superstar…or having absolutely no impact on the pitch whatsoever. We’ll see; after my misguided predication of Ashes glory over Christmas, I’m going Quarter Finals but no further for England this year and as for our Scottish Beacon friends, of whom I know there are many, I can’t see you getting out of your Group I’m afraid…
I am on ISI school inspection duty next Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and the calendar savvy amongst you will be aware that my attendance there conflicts with the whole school photograph scheduled for Wednesday morning. Although initially looking for alternative dates in an already packed school schedule, the photography company proclaimed that it was easy enough to ‘leave a space and we will superimpose him from last year’s as long as he hasn’t changed much’. All the important people need to be there in person, looking smart and with neat haircuts please, but as for the Head, no problem to be without him it seems!
Nick Baker