go to the World Cup Finals

..to the world cup by flying to manchester and watching Manchester united beat Sunderland 1-0; then getting a bus to Liverpool and watching Everton lose 2-3 to Aston Villa. In all I took 2 planes; 1 train; 3 buses; 6 metros and 1 taxi. I ate terrible food; nearly froze to death; slept in a camp bed and spent lots of money doing it. Strangely, it was all quite enjoyable.

On wednesday night the Irish soccer team play Brazil at Croke park in Dublin. I have a ticket! I have had tickets to all of Ireland’s home games for the past two years but due to work I haven’t been able to go to a single one. I’m going on wednesday! What is particularly pleasing is that I live right next to Croke Park – inside the ticket cordon so it will take me about four minutes to walk from my front door to the Davin Stand where my seat is. In fact Ive just looked out the window and was only prevented from seeing the actual seat itself by the high wall at the back of Hill 16. I’ll post a photo in the morning.
It’s not the world cup but Brazil have won the world cup so it’s in the right ball-park, as it were.

In 2003 I was in New York for Halloween. It blew me away. the parade was amazing but nothing compared to the efforts of the average NewYorker. It seemed as if everyone in Manhatten was dressed up. and no trouble! At least none that i saw. Dublin is a different kettle of fish altogether. Halloween here can be quite ugly. The streets get very aggressive and a lot of energy goes into throwing things at people. I try to avoid it. I’m at home now after work and the sounds outside are of exploding fireworks and sirens. we had a small bit of bother at work tonight and a Garda (cop) had to come around. His radio was going off constantly with calls about trouble kicking off all over the city. When he left he said, “Allright lads, back to the war-zone”. I felt sorry for him.

Real holiday blues are experienced in the comfort of your own home while watching an event on television that you had hoped to attend as part of a holiday but instead you are spending your only day off in the week catching up on work.
Tonight i put work to the side for an hour and watched Ireland play Namibia in Bordeaux in their opening match of the rugby world cup. All the talk was of how big a score we would rack up against the African minnows who are the lowest ranked nation in the tournament. We played very poorly and stumbled to a narrow victory, evaporating all hopes we may have had of winning this tournament. Namibia on the other hand played with passion, commitment and no little amount of skill. We need to improve drastically or the better teams will hammer us.

The rugby world cup kicks off in Paris tonight when Les Bleus take on Argentina in the opening game. I had been hoping to take a trip in my little French car and spin around Bordeaux, taking in the festival atmosphere and attending a game or two but work commitments have scuppered all that. In fact i wont even be able to watch many games on television for the same reason.
Never mind, i have been reading up on the teams and will watch what games i can. All reports indicate a French win but with a stern challenge from the Argentinians. The French man mountain Sebastian Chabal will not start the game, which is a disappointment. He is one of those hulking great men that make me glad i gave up playing rugby when i was ten.
Ireland play Namibia on Sunday, which i WILL be able to watch.

Just been to a meeting where i was offered a really good job that would overlap my current job by 3 weeks and go on until the end of november. This wasnt part of the plan at all. If i take it, my world cup aspirations are scuppered, but on the other hand i would make some good money with which to further my ambitions to buy a small place in France.
What to do???

While this goal was concieved with the football world cup in mind it would be good practice to take in the rugby world cup in France this autumn. My current job ends on sept 22nd which would give me time to attend the knock out phases. I have it in my head to take my lttle car and spin over to France anyway so why not take in the World Cup while I’m there?
France seems to be looming large for me on a number of goals! Must investigate further.

On St. Patricks Day the Irish cricket team managed to beat Pakistan in the cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. An amazing victory that put irelands cricketers on the front page of all the newspapers here. How sad to read this morning that Bob Woolmer, the Pakistani coach was found dead in his hotel room just hours after the game. I guess it puts sport in perspective. Rest in Peace.

while this goal refers to the football World Cup, I have just realised that 2007 will see Ireland compete in both the Rugby world cup (in France, I think) and the cricket world cup. I wont get to the Caribbean for the cricket but who’s to say I wont make it to France in the autumn. Lateral thinking, thats the key!

I nearly went to the last one but i got a job and stayed in dublin. if im ever going to go to this thing i have to just go! No ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’, just go. South Africa in 2010. Do I have the courage and commitment?