World Cup fever!

Forty seven years of hurt – and still counting!

World cup fever has hit the Gandy-Draper household (well, not so much a fever as a passing interest). I’ve hung the flags up. It’s something of a (futile) tradition for us now on the occasion every world cup or European championship. Ever hopeful, yet realistically, knowing it won’t happen in my lifetime that one day England may wave around the silverware once more.

I was around in 1966 – just – the last and only time England won the world cup, albeit completely oblivious and wetting myself with lack of potty training rather than excitement – but I still dream. As everyone else I think to myself – maybe this time. But we all know that in the unlikely event the team should get to the final Germany will inevitably win on penalties. It is written.

I’m no football fan. I’m not usually interested in your average Saturday afternoon goings on (give me the game of men any day). I usually have about as much interest in football as Alan Carr or Graham Norton might. But, when the big ones come around I join the ranks of the wishful thinking. Though these days I do hedge my bets (perhaps wisely) and also support Spain. Thus in the probable event England are knocked out I can still have some lasting interest in the tournament. I feel, as we pay our taxes here I have earned the right to support a potentially winning team once ‘our boys’ have boarded their EasyJet flight home to Cheshire, their Ferraris, mansions and trophy wives.

Elle, on the other hand, like a child drawn to Manchester Untied (pre-Moyes), supports only Spain. Perhaps it the swarthy good looks of the Spanish players, perhaps she still secretly dreams of being a football WAG (sorry Elle – Roy Hodgson’s bit on the side is your best shot these days), perhaps she just likes winners. Hey what can I say – Alan takes a bow! :)

Whatever it is, it causes no end of debate in our house. Like it or not – purely by accident (or is it?) of birth we were born English. However long I live away I am and will always feel and be English. I just can’t understand where she comes from. Whilst if we don’t win (which we won’t), I want Spain to win I struggle with Elle is not supporting the national team at all. Dismissing England like this feels like going to war and supporting the other side, whereas I’m a bit more Italian in my attitude, once we’re beaten I’ll try and pick the winning side then…

Right – enough of this. Off to William Hill to put a tenner on Spain to win. Hell, it’s only football isn’t it?

Alan Gandy

Alan, along with Elle, is the owner of Spain Buddy. He was born in the North of England (Lancashire) and travelled extensively before eventually settling in Almería. Alan has 3 sons from the first of his 18 marriages, (Sam, Joe & Ben) who are all now adults. You can read more articles by Alan on his personal blog at AlanGandy.com and see more of his photography on his photography website as well as on Instagram.