They’re clever, those football people. Every year they run loads of international ‘friendly’ matches, meaningless events with unlimited substitutions in which great players get hurt, the games are awful because they’re trying out ‘new systems’ every 20 minutes and no-one really gives a shit who wins or, in my case, who is playing. So they invented the UEFA Nations League. An equally meaningless thing but playing by normal football rules (ie 3 substitutions as per usual) and little league tables, in this case very little with only 3 teams in each, and hyping up so it feels almost like a World Cup, but just for Europeans. And Russians. Israelis. Kazakhstan-people. Sort of ‘fringe’ Europeans. They live somewhere near Europe, get ‘em involved. Nice.

And it works. Much as I hate international breaks disrupting the sanctity and integrity of our football season, I find myself actually turning on the tv when I remember that there’s football being shown. With a degree of actual excitement.

I didn’t realised Israel were playing Scotland on Thursday night until I saw it in the paper the next day. I was on my way home as England beat Spain in rather sensational style. And last night I eventually remembered that France were playing a very lacklustre Germany who were doing very badly. So I passed on the Wales vs Ireland game on the other side, because it looked dull in comparison. And watched the second half between the two teams that my entire nation hates more than all others. The French because they’re French. And the Germans because they win enough already and we have a history (read ‘Mein Kampf’ for the full version). But they have stars. They have talent. And Germany, having lost on the weekend to Holland, have been shit. But apparently, in the first half, France were shitter. And consequently 1-0 down.

But football being the game of two halves, I was watching the French one. As they were awesome. Even Paul Pogba looked like he was for once playing for a team he wanted to be with.

Antoine Griezeman scored a fantastic header to equalise. A header. He’s 4 foot 7 and outjumped half a dozen German giants. Actually he didn’t. He just performed a miracle. Watch it and you’ll see. It is stunning. Then he scored a penalty and won the match.

England were great against Spain. 3-0 up at half time is quite an achievement. And we looked good. But more importantly, Gareth Southgate is looking to the future. So unlike former managers, he is not afraid to gamble on younger players who are not so tested in the international part of the game. And it worked.

It’s coming home. Football’s coming home. (Rinse and repeat for the next 2 years til the Euro finals start. And repeat. And repeat…)

Happy Wednesday

A xxxx