Brazil, you say? They know how to play football over there, don't they? But it's a long way for one so middle aged as I to travel.

So instead, I shall slouch into my leather armchair and view the tournament from this side of the Atlantic. I shall try and watch every game and will definitely make wildly inaccurate predictions too.

I do solemnly vow to give you a real sense of what it's like to not be at the World Cup. This is the blog where all the colour and atmosphere and passion of watching the world's greatest sporting tournament on a wall mounted widescreen really comes to life.

Monday 7 July 2014

Q-FINAL: Holland 0-0 Costa Rica (Holland win 4-3 on penalties)

They say you have to be Krul to be kind. And van Gaal wasn't shy in making a tough, seemingly cruel substitution, saying his starting keeper wasn't his man when it came to spot kicks.  Krul was the man, a little arrogant in his preamble face offs with the kick takers. But he backed up the arrogance with two saves stretching to his left, allowing Holland to reach their second consecutive World Cup semi.  This one could have gone either way, a hatful of chances for both, but it was the Dutch who prevailed.