UEFA 2024 EUROs, Group C
Thursday 20 June 2024
Played at Frankfurt
England Away Game #156
German Beer Ticks up to #94
Inevitably, as we live through Day 11 of the trip, there has been an amount of Carrier Bag Firm contemplation about the nature of things. This is the third #BigTournament I've followed England in Germany. The 1988 EUROs, the 2006 World Cup, and here we are. England will have played in Frankfurt at all three of those tournaments.
Look, I'm coming to the end of my shelf life at tournaments. I already didn't do the Russia and Qatar World Cups anyway. I don't think I'm nostalgic for the old days. And I don't think I'm churlish about modern fans traveling to today's tournaments.
(Narrator - Phil, you're Nostalgic & Churlish)
But, I'm going to make the point that modern tournaments are too big, there are too many games, involving too many countries, placing too big a strain on infrastructure, and leading to stress, chaos and confusion for traveling fans.
Twenty Four teams play Thirty Six games. In order to send Eight teams home. With Four teams in Third fucking place in their groups qualifying for the Round of Sixteen knock outs. And, another Fifteen games to go until the winners of the bunfight can be confirmed.
I mean, truly, good luck to all fans involved. Countries who have traditionally had thousands of traveling fans - Netherlands, England. Countries who qualify infrequently and understandably want to get bang at it - Scotland. Countries where a vibrant football culture has only more recently blossomed. Countries who have circumstances in their country that make them want a visible, this is us, presence - Ukraine, Georgia.
And, of course, countries where populous nationalism has a more of a foothold - Serbia, Hungary.
All meaning ever more thousands of fans traveling. Including multitudes of ticketless fans. With that overbearing strain on infrastructure.
Earlier in the trip, we were waiting at Koblenz station on our way to Gelsenkirchen for England's first game. There's a train every hour at 16 past. The train stops at Cologne, where Hungary were playing Switzerland.
Before we got out of bed, we could see from “The Apps” that the 0816 had been cancelled. When we got to the platform for the 0916, there was a Vienna to Brussels sleeper parked up. Loads of Hungarians on that, coming from over there in MittelEurope. That was timetabled as 0547. That is - three and a half hours ago. The board had it rescheduled to 1005. So, there seemed little chance of our 0916.
Many of the people on that sleeper, still not due out at it's new time for an hour, were nipping to the shops in the station forecourt. Sarnies, brekkie bits, pop, coffee, might as well make the best of it.
Some Magyars nipped down for four beer tins each to soften the blow of their delay. I was stood at the top of the stairs at 0940, twenty five minutes before their retime. They were half way up the stairs with the Ale. When the sleeper train they had got on in Vienna just fucking pulled out of Koblenz. Without a word of warning. They'd got the Ale. But all their gear was on that train. Now sailing away into Sausage Land.
I couldn't offer any advice, as my 0916 was now on a faraway platform for 0954. And I had to get my own shufty on. The point I am making is - the trains have been a fucking farce. The tournament is too big for the number of carriages they've got!!!
This time around, there was 4.8% beer in the ground, which you could drink in your seats. Even though that's not my usual thing, it is a good bit of German Dividend.
Bitburger Brauerei, Premium Pils on Keg at 4.8%
What can I say? Long trek out to the ground. Usual Pfaff getting in. That beer hit the spot.
Earlier…
Alt-Oberurseler Brauhaus
Ackergasse 13, 61440 Oberursel (Taunus)
A lovely brauhaus on the U and S lines out of the ‘furt. The brew kit was actually behind one of the bars. Although, as it was the afts, we were sat in the biergarten. They had two of their own on. And they were bangers.
Alt-Oberurseler Brauhaus, Brauhaus Helles, Kellerbier at 5%
Alt-Oberurseler Brauhaus, Brauhaus Weizen at 5%
That was absolutely glorious. A Banana Plantation wrapped up in a Custard Factory.
The Serbia Slovenia draw meant that England would win the group with a win. So, the Carrier Bag Firm had all the contingencies mapped out for onward travel and hotels. Not that the fucking travel will work out as planned anyway. We were all ready to stay in the ground at the end and fire the logistical engines up.
Jinxed it of course. Always do. An unchanged team. With very much the second half against Serbia vibe. I ain't particularly paid attention to what's being said back home on Planet Polyester Replica Shirt. Poor. Not absolutely awful. Group game football. Top of the group. Qualification in our hands. Winning the group in our hands. Just not what we hoped for.
We gave the ball away too often and too easily. Including that fucking ludicrous blind pass by Kane which lead to the equaliser. That could have gone to any one of three Danes. That ball away sloppiness and an all round lack of incisiveness gave us a poor night.
What we do know is - England have to play their way into this tournament now. Giving the ball away like that, to the better teams, in knockout football, hhhmmm.
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