It's nearly World Cup time and I am hopelessly unprepared. I haven't got a massive new telly, I certainly haven't got 'High Definition', I haven't got an England shirt, bought an England song or planned how I am going to get out of work before that 5pm kick off game. In fact I haven't even got any beers in the fridge yet.
Us Liverpool fans, particularly those living on Merseyside, have always had a strange affiliation with the England national side. There are many people I know who couldn't give two stuffs - and I myself am not the type to drop everything I am doing to watch an international friendly for instance. Club is always before country in Liverpool.
However, these big tournaments I always eventually get drawn in.
The whole competition as a football spectacle is always brilliant, and so many Liverpool players will be present to cheer on. I suspect there will be more people than usual in the pubs of Liverpool when Spain play for instance.
The antics of the new antihero of British football, Peter Crouch, has also helped my enthusiam for the England team. I still can't stand Lampard, Ferdinand, Terry and Gary Neville. That won't ever change, but I am getting in the mood and no doubt by the time the tournament begins I will have bought some kind of t-shirt to wear in the hot summer sweaty pubs watching it on the big screen with my fellow Eng-er-land fans.
Peter Crouch, and his new dance moves, have been filling the back pages of the newspapers. Seeing as Sven obviously hasn't got a clue (he should have left Wayne 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Rooney at home), I sincerely hope Robo-Crouch does the business, skins a couple of Brazilians, and wins England the World Cup.
Back to the reds though and it's all a bit, ssshhhh, quiet isn't it.
Okay so Paletta and Gonzalez both look done deals but who else. A couple of weeks ago I was reliably informed that Dirk Kuyt was on the way - but why have we not bought him before the World Cup - his valuation could go through the roof and then what...
Chelsea have concluded their summer business - even Everton have splashed nearly £15 million of their 'one a Blue, always a Manc' money.
I hope Rafa has some amazing masterplan he is plotting on holiday in Greece. Who knows - what we definitely want is a Steven Gerrard speculation free tournament. Can you believe it was two years since the Euro's when Rafa, as a new boss, had to go and visit the lad in the England camp?
Either way the next month will fly by, and we can be entertained almost every day with football from the World's greatest football spectacle. During that time the new Premiership fixtures will be released (I am hoping for a trip to the new Arsenal stadium up first), and after the World Cup the new adidas kits will be out. It won't be long before our friendlies kick off - and our qualification stage for the Champions League.
So I hope you all enjoy the World Cup, whoever your country is. Good luck to Stevie G, Crouchy, Carra, Xabi, Luis Garcia, Reina, Kewell and the rest of the gang. Most importantly of all - good luck to Djibril - hope you score a hatful of goals so we can sell you for more money!
One last point - if England get to the final, and it's a big if, and even if they miraculously win the 2006 World Cup, at the final whistle I know exactly what I will be thinking.
'That was no Istanbul'
John
The Editor
www.anfield-online.co.uk
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5th June 2006 
