July 2026
World Cup '26
22/07/26 14:13 Filed in: Football
It was always going to be a strange World Cup. Being spread over such large distances, multiple countries, multiple time zones. What’s happening to the US during this current nonsense of a Government with no known plan for the country only plans for making money for himself and his similarly bent friends and family. The attitude to foreigners (well those not white anyway) is abhorrent and the large list of countries whose fans (or referees) couldn’t come was painful to observe despite my distance from it.
If they had to hold it across multiple countries I think most people would have preferred if if had been Mexico and Canada alone as hosts. The US, despite their half arsed trials at getting into football, just don’t get it. I’d half expect Trump to instigate a US only cup and declare the winner of the ‘Football World Series’ to be World Champions.
How Iran were treated for their games was like some comic strip story. Iran were attacked by the US and Israel in Real Life outside of football. And because they were a victim of this aggression it was their fault.
The way the US and FIFA introduced the game being played in Quarters so they could fit in more advert breaks was painful to observe. They tried this in 1994 along with having ‘bigger goals’, which Sepp Blatter thankfully managed not to agree to (corruption back then hadn’t become full on Infantinoed). The 27 minute half time break of the WC Final was painful. The game has rules but FIFA permitted the US to dictate changes to them—or at least the none requirement to observe them—in the name of money. No wonder Infantino and Trump come as a pair. They are cut from the same corrupt cloth.
There was some good football at the tournament, but this was despite the rule changes, not because of them. Splitting matches into Quarters changed the momentum of the games too often. At least in the UK we didn’t have to suffer more adverts during these breaks. But football in quarters just isn’t football and FIFA shouldn’t have allowed it. Don’t get me wrong, if it really is too hot then hydration breaks can be warranted—but they are already permitted in those circumstances. They are not enforced in cooler places (like cold, enclosed, air-conditioned stadia) just so the TV peeps can make more money. The way the matches changed because of these external issues was awkward to watch.
George Orwell would have dismissed some of the story lines as too implausible and unlikely to be believable. But in Trump’s America anything seems possible—looking from the outside we can’t really understand how people with any power in the US accept it constantly. So many things that they get away with because ‘the President can do what he wants’ is not understandable in more normal democracies. Whilst I wish we hadn’t gone thru so many PMs in short order recently, at least it shows that they can’t get away with anything.
Whilst football is ‘just a game’ it can feel more than that to many people across the world. Most people think that you can change your religion, but you can’t change your football team. My experience of people from the US is they don’t understand that; Oh, I supported Chelsea last year, after falling out with Man U, but now I’m full on Arsenal’. They really don’t get what it means to the rest of the world because they don’t have the same feelings.
Of course, this is a little moot in terms of International football. Surely your team would be the country of your birth—or maybe your parents. But I dare say in the States they were disappointed and confused that Israel weren’t plying. In hindsight I suspect Trump wishes he’d asked the Infant to throw Iran out and replace them with Israel. He’d probably have done it.
I was never that bothered about England to be honest—hey, I’m half Scouse. Bur I wouldn’t have minded if they’d won—or even go to the final. The manner of their defeat, after leading for so long, was frustrating and annoying to watch. They had the beating of Argentina if they’d just carried on after Jude’s goal. Hey, ho. They’d probably have been beaten by Spain in the final, but at least it would have been a better game of football—probably.
Roll on the Premier League (just four and a half week’s away) and games split into just two halves. You can have a hydration break if it’s dead hot on August 23rd in Newcastle if you must. And fifteen minute half times without a half time show—maybe time for a pint, a piss, and a pie—if you can hurry.
If they had to hold it across multiple countries I think most people would have preferred if if had been Mexico and Canada alone as hosts. The US, despite their half arsed trials at getting into football, just don’t get it. I’d half expect Trump to instigate a US only cup and declare the winner of the ‘Football World Series’ to be World Champions.
How Iran were treated for their games was like some comic strip story. Iran were attacked by the US and Israel in Real Life outside of football. And because they were a victim of this aggression it was their fault.
The way the US and FIFA introduced the game being played in Quarters so they could fit in more advert breaks was painful to observe. They tried this in 1994 along with having ‘bigger goals’, which Sepp Blatter thankfully managed not to agree to (corruption back then hadn’t become full on Infantinoed). The 27 minute half time break of the WC Final was painful. The game has rules but FIFA permitted the US to dictate changes to them—or at least the none requirement to observe them—in the name of money. No wonder Infantino and Trump come as a pair. They are cut from the same corrupt cloth.
There was some good football at the tournament, but this was despite the rule changes, not because of them. Splitting matches into Quarters changed the momentum of the games too often. At least in the UK we didn’t have to suffer more adverts during these breaks. But football in quarters just isn’t football and FIFA shouldn’t have allowed it. Don’t get me wrong, if it really is too hot then hydration breaks can be warranted—but they are already permitted in those circumstances. They are not enforced in cooler places (like cold, enclosed, air-conditioned stadia) just so the TV peeps can make more money. The way the matches changed because of these external issues was awkward to watch.
George Orwell would have dismissed some of the story lines as too implausible and unlikely to be believable. But in Trump’s America anything seems possible—looking from the outside we can’t really understand how people with any power in the US accept it constantly. So many things that they get away with because ‘the President can do what he wants’ is not understandable in more normal democracies. Whilst I wish we hadn’t gone thru so many PMs in short order recently, at least it shows that they can’t get away with anything.
Whilst football is ‘just a game’ it can feel more than that to many people across the world. Most people think that you can change your religion, but you can’t change your football team. My experience of people from the US is they don’t understand that; Oh, I supported Chelsea last year, after falling out with Man U, but now I’m full on Arsenal’. They really don’t get what it means to the rest of the world because they don’t have the same feelings.
Of course, this is a little moot in terms of International football. Surely your team would be the country of your birth—or maybe your parents. But I dare say in the States they were disappointed and confused that Israel weren’t plying. In hindsight I suspect Trump wishes he’d asked the Infant to throw Iran out and replace them with Israel. He’d probably have done it.
I was never that bothered about England to be honest—hey, I’m half Scouse. Bur I wouldn’t have minded if they’d won—or even go to the final. The manner of their defeat, after leading for so long, was frustrating and annoying to watch. They had the beating of Argentina if they’d just carried on after Jude’s goal. Hey, ho. They’d probably have been beaten by Spain in the final, but at least it would have been a better game of football—probably.
Roll on the Premier League (just four and a half week’s away) and games split into just two halves. You can have a hydration break if it’s dead hot on August 23rd in Newcastle if you must. And fifteen minute half times without a half time show—maybe time for a pint, a piss, and a pie—if you can hurry.
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Pokemon Go 10th Anniversary
22/07/26 14:12 Filed in: Pokemon
It was another hot week in England. Even in Liverpool—which often avoids the heat with nice west coast breezes, but didn’t this time. And at the weekend of the 11th-12th of July it was GoFest 2026, which was the 10th Anniversary. It was two long days of challenges and masses of available Pokémon, which changed over the hours largely in three hour periods from 10am-1pm, 1-4, and 4-7pm. There were loads of opportunities to collect new or better Pokémon—or shinies—to add to your collection. And to collect your important candies and special powers for the Megas or Primals. All the while collecting much UV and buckets of sweat out in RL.
It was the 10th Anniversary of PG—and the first time Scopely was referred to instead of Niantic.
Twas hot out there—stay in the shade if not the pub.
Hydration Break.
But not me. I played from Dr Duncans across the road from Liverpool’s Pokémon Central in St Annes Gardens. I had the benefit of on-tap beers and Air-Con. Phew!
PG Central for me—Dr Duncans
Had some nice beers over the two days and collected plenty of good stuff in game (and from Lidl in RL). I didn’t get the least bit dehydrated. Wonderful. Over the two days a few peeps popped over from the Gardens to cool down, hydrate and get some scran. Hey, I was ‘ere first! Does that make me an influencer? Probably not.
There were MewToos everywhere.
More hydration, with a Solgaleo in The Vines.
Got me a decent Shiny Primal Groudon complete with a background on Saturday and some nice Necrozmas. Need to work though still in collecting fusion energy so I can fuse them with my Solgaleo. Only ended up collecting five shiny Pokémon over the two days (along with the Groudon I got a Stunfish, Aron, costumed Squirtle, and a lovely looking Terrakion). I have just one Hundo over the entire week (currently evolved to a Grotle).
Snagged a Shiny Groudon with a snazzy background.
I left 66 behind on the Friday.
I’d levelled up to 67 on Friday and managed to make 1.3million points over the two days of the Festival due to the massive bonuses that were available. All in all it proved a mighty fine game weekend. I dare say I could describe it as Cool, despite the outdoor evidence to the contrary.
It was the 10th Anniversary of PG—and the first time Scopely was referred to instead of Niantic.
Twas hot out there—stay in the shade if not the pub.
Hydration Break.
But not me. I played from Dr Duncans across the road from Liverpool’s Pokémon Central in St Annes Gardens. I had the benefit of on-tap beers and Air-Con. Phew!
PG Central for me—Dr Duncans
Had some nice beers over the two days and collected plenty of good stuff in game (and from Lidl in RL). I didn’t get the least bit dehydrated. Wonderful. Over the two days a few peeps popped over from the Gardens to cool down, hydrate and get some scran. Hey, I was ‘ere first! Does that make me an influencer? Probably not.
There were MewToos everywhere.
More hydration, with a Solgaleo in The Vines.
Got me a decent Shiny Primal Groudon complete with a background on Saturday and some nice Necrozmas. Need to work though still in collecting fusion energy so I can fuse them with my Solgaleo. Only ended up collecting five shiny Pokémon over the two days (along with the Groudon I got a Stunfish, Aron, costumed Squirtle, and a lovely looking Terrakion). I have just one Hundo over the entire week (currently evolved to a Grotle).
Snagged a Shiny Groudon with a snazzy background.
I left 66 behind on the Friday.
I’d levelled up to 67 on Friday and managed to make 1.3million points over the two days of the Festival due to the massive bonuses that were available. All in all it proved a mighty fine game weekend. I dare say I could describe it as Cool, despite the outdoor evidence to the contrary.