Hotting up already
- 1 Jul 06, 11:03 AM
The 70,000 England fans predicted here have indeed arrived. They are streaming out of the main station and lining the roads into town.
In the square by the main station they are hanging out their flags enjoying a drink in the sunshine and singing "We're not going home".
It's incredibly hot here already - it's only 10am and I'm struggling carrying a laptop around in what must be 30 degrees at least. But the atmosphere is optimistic and expectant.
Steve Wareham and a group of friends from Chelmsford, Essex, have driven through the night just to be here. Steve told me: "It was only 50 quid a head to get here and back on the ferry.
"The Germans have been such great hosts and it's so well organised we had to come." But he predicts it will be a nerve-wracking afternoon watching England. As with the hosts Germany last night, he thinks England will not win in open play. "I think we'll do it," he said. "But we'll only go through on penalties."
Let's hope he's right about the result but wrong about the pens!
PS: I've just been up to the stadium in Gelsenkirchen and can confirm the black market is operating in full view of everyone with touts currently trading a grade 2 ticket (face value 85 Euros) for 500 Euros.
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Now is the time to stop all the self-doubt and carping. This team has the skill and determination to bring home the cup. I wish I was there, but the TV will have to do. Come on England !
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Make sure you check out the hilarious "training" Peter Crouch has been up to, at:
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With Stevie and Rooney,
Who needs a back four?
We'll bend it like Beckham
and lift it like Bobby Moore!
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It is unforfunate, the best teams packed their bags home, only the big names left ,no carpet football but defencive style of play which force us not to have an interest in watching this beautifull competition.
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It is unforfunate, the best teams packed their bags home, only the big names left ,no carpet football but defencive style of play which force us not to have an interest in watching this beautifull competition.
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O.K. Fingers crossed tonight for our beloved friends from the other side of channel. Let's meet next Week in Berlin. For the Final and for the commencing sensational, ultimate Party!
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What a shame! All the nice English have left the island for Germany to have a great party there.
What's left over here are some sad sods abusing facilities like these to publish their moronic racist and xenophobic BS that has nothing to do with football or sports in general.
Which brings me to reply to #8 ... people who speak before using their brains are also prone to hit the Post button more than once.
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Need to get the dam ball to Rooney!
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come on portugal! end this nonsense
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What the bloody hell does that mean? Does being a smartass make one smart? All I meant was Rooney missed to of his own players making a run. Why didn't he pass?? Because he isn't getting enough touches thats all!
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uh, this is awkward! My former comment referred to somebody else's which looks to have been deleted :o)
But then, it also shows how some remarks can be used so universally.
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The pre-match situation was hot and it did not become cool after the match for the England team and their fans. The song became wrong as England ahs to go to home. It was the fans who made the positive environment and that may be spreaded through the teams. This is a bad luck for England and their fans who has traveled from England to Germany just to be a part of the glory of their second world cup victory and they may have started to go to South Africa; Yes, this is not impossible for the English.
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