Don't Be Fooled By Randomness

To be happy in our sport, you have to embrace the unpredictable, explains Peter Hart.

- Peter Hart

It was always going to be tricky to write the back page this month without some small reference to the football World Cup. There we are, that’s done then. Seriously it is astonishing how for a month every four years, the spectacle of a bunch of millionaires kicking a bag of wind about transcends its tribal audience and drives normally sedentary folk to behave like teenagers after three too many alcopops. Things I thought I’d never see – my wife, who thinks ‘offside’ is a team who isn’t playing very well jumping up and down on the sofa screaming for her adopted country – at the same time offering technically sound punditry like: “Kick it harder next time Harry!” I hope you’re taking this in Mr Southgate.

I’m no hardened footy fan, but I couldn’t help but marvel at the skill, the drama – and the hilariously awful play-acting as another Columbian fell to the ground writhing in terminal agony after someone had brushed past his shorts. At the same time I loved how sport has the power to bridge international voids. I was in Rhodes for much of it. Suddenly you had an excuse to greet complete strangers in the street – and even put a comforting arm around a sobbing German after they were taken out by minnows S. Korea – “welcome to our world Hans!”

INGERLAND!