Only two months to go

Revenge, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

And this time.... it will be Holland's chance to take revenge on Argentina (for the World Cup final in 1978 in Buenos Aires).

England's revenge, you should know, had nothing to do with the Malvinas/Falklands conflict, but to do with the 3-2 they beat us with in France in 1998, the time David Beckham was sent off, after Michael Owen had scored that incredible goal for England.

I am not exactly sure why the Dutch so badly want revenge, but it might be because they are bad losers (but nothing like the Italians - the English generally being good losers, having so much experience - of losing!). Fred tells me that it was thought that Argentina had somehow cheaed to get into final by paying a massive bribe to the Peruvian team. Then there was a very bad atmosphere in the stadium which contributed to Holland losing their second World Cup final in four years, just when they seemed to be the best team in the world, with the brilliant Johann Cruyff playing so well. Four years later it would be the best Italian team ever, playing exciting football, for once, getting better and better and winning on their home soil.

The World Cup takes place in the summer. It still feels like winter here.