come on you reds......

so what is it with the british that makes us have such a strong group identity? the effect on the ebb and flow of retail customers (certainly in the car trade) seems to be heavily effected currently by the world cup hype. the problem as i see it is that people need something they can talk about and feel connected to. so events like the world cup tick all the boxes. theres the build up the tv hype and pre event coverage. millions of fans have to swear alegiance to the flag and need to know every statistic available to cover themselves for any potential senario. then the pre match peparations where you get match fit running up and down the supermarket isles and lifting boxes of beer. its a good idea if you meet your boss collecting his beer to look really ill and mention a bad headache or bug in the family after all you may need to pull a sicky to avoid missing a match. then theres the pre match ritual when you have to choose the right clothes and paint red and white crosses all over yourself. once you have made yourself look a right pratt you can settle into your new sofa in front of your new hd ready telly (which is just one more reason you're spent out) or join some mates and head to the pub in small packs trying to look as cool as possible with flags flying and windows open occassionally shouting unitelligible sound bites to anyone who happens to be passing. then the match which will definately not come up to expectations because you and your mates will know far more about every minute than any of the players (just like the experts in the tv studio). but it will be worth it win or lose. win and you can drink yourself off the planet in celebration. lose and you can drown your sorrows until the next match and of course put the whole thing to rights by telling everyone how it should have been done. a win obviously means another chance to do it all again but stepping up a gear with more beer more make up extra flags another football top and another really naff cd. perhaps england will make it through to the final and if they do i don't see us doing much car selling over the next couple of weeks. so save your make up because if they don't all we have to look forward to is wimbledon....come on you reds....whats that...wrong colour...have i missed something....?