Step on....

I went to the England v Isreal game at Wembley, being the first competitive fixture there since it opened. England won pretty comfortably in what was being billed as a must-win fixture. I always thought it would be simpler than people were making out, but you never know.

I bought the tickets late because I was in Toronto and forgot they went on sale, so that meant I was up in the gods. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but I am seriously aching for reasons I will go into in my next post, but anyway, I had to drag my aching body up a total of 185 steps, which, even at the best of times is a struggle for an unfit person such as me, and I think I've got to do exactly the same again on Wednesday for the Russia match.

I guess one other thing to mention is that, for the first time ever, I booed one of our players. I normally can't stand that at England games, particularly booing during/after the opposition's national anthem, or if one of our players does badly, but I felt differently this time. The player in question was substitute David Bentley, and it is nothing he did today, but more his actions during the summer when he pulled out of the England U21 European Championships because he was too tired to play, but after the squad had been named, which meant that they could not call up a substitute squad member. If he had pulled out earlier, then I don't think it would have been as much of a problem, but it appeared a very selfish act to do so when he did, as it left all his fellow team-mates short in what might be their only chance to play in an international tournament, and he was one of their best players to boot. I personally think that he should not have been allowed to pick and choose which international games he plays in, and should not have been forgiven and picked for the national team so early......and judging but other reactions I am not the only one.....we'll see what happens if and when he plays again