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.

Thursday 19 June 2014

They Finished 30th: CAMEROON

Failing to make it through the Group Stage for four World Cups in a row is looking like a curse. And qualifying for any African nation is no walk in the park. So to come through a tough continental qualifier and to fall at the first hurdle so often has to hurt.

Were the seeds sown by player power seeming to over-rule the management? Eto'o gathering the squad into a circle and conducting the team talk while the greying manager forlornly looked on before their opener suggested something amiss. And so it proved on the pitch, one of the best sides in Africa flying home with the early birds. Shame.