26 June ~ While marketeers will occasionally try to aver that Ireland has become “rugby country”, the national team’s progress at Euro 2016 continues to illustrate that nothing comes close to capturing the collective imagination.
24 June ~ I have just got back from France where, seeing my friends’ white-and-red regalia, people reacted by saying, “You will beat Switzerland, you’ve got Lewandowski!” Those people were probably referring to “Lewy” from Bayern as he’s now almost a totally different player with the national team he captains.
21 June ~ Slovakia coach Jan Kozak described England as “acceptable” group-stage opponents when the Euro 2016 draw was made last November. He also taunted them with their lack of recent big tournament success after arriving in Ireland for a friendly with the Republic in March. But on Monday night, after an ultra-defensive performance had secured his side a 0-0 draw, Kozak’s delight was obvious. “A point against England in the final stages is something fantastic,” he said. “We’ve proved we can play against anybody.”
17 June ~ Disappointment at conceding a late goal against Spain has given way to a more positive mood in the Czech Republic, with everything still to play for against Croatia today. Having taken an atypically defensive approach against Spain, coach Pavel Vrba has promised to return to his trademark attacking style for the remaining group games. Sparta Prague midfielder Borek Dockal, the Czechs’ leading scorer in qualification, is expected to return to the starting line-up.
My autobiography
by Sam Allardyce
Headline, £20
Reviewed by Jon Callow
From WSC 347 January 2016
As a Bolton supporter, I have a fairly uneasy relationship with Sam Allardyce. Without question, he brought my club some of the greatest days in our history, and took us to places I could never have imagined when I was watching him plod through his second spell as a player at Burnden Park in the mid-1980s. Still, there’s something about him I just don’t like.