World Cup is an essential to the local pub

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World Cup is an essential to the local pub Pub owners across England are hoping that the World Cup encourages a hangover for patrons that lasts the entire month, given the fact that pub patronage is not quite what it used to be. In fact, there has been a steady decrease in the amount of pub beer sales since the smoking ban went into effect in 2007.

Adding to the declining sales is the fact that now England’s supermarkets is able to offer much cheaper beer leading to Bloomberg News to report that only about 50% of all beer consumed in the UK is consumed in pubs which is a sharp difference from 88% back in 1979.

Punch Taverns Plc Operations stated that the World Cup without a question is the best way to get people back in the pubs, but in order to truly be effective England needs to make it to at least the quarterfinals so that people will continue to tune in at the pubs.

Directory of Punch Taverns, Kevin Georgel, stated that if England does not make it past the first round pub owners across England will be ‘cheesed off.’

Manager of Sun & Doves, Nicky Francey, stated that pub owners have a lot riding on the back of World Cup 2010 and after the horrible years in sales they are hopping for sales to pick up and help them survive just a little longer.

Watching football in a pub is the natural setting without debate, as British as eating fish and chips out of newspaper, of course that’s another tradition that has slipped away

Massive fight for the World Cup anthem

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Massive fight for the World Cup anthem The World Cup can set off some people’s equilibrium due to the fact that it only happens every four years and is usually a situation that sorts who are the current pop stars of the sporting worlds with the major celebrities, minor celebrities, and comedians heading off to the competition in hopes that they will get the nod of the fans official World Cup anthem as the event rolls along.

More annoying is that music critics that usually devote their time to accepted valuable music such as Arctic Monkeys and The Fall are forced to turn their attention to less esteemed music causing the entire music scene to drop an octave as the most serious veterans as all have to sit through Hollyaoks or Terry Venables.

While it is hard to debate that music and football do indeed fit together well given the fact that stadium sing alongs are a large part of the community of England fans, but watching footballers grab the microphone to attempt their own versions is enough to make everyone turn a little red for the stars that seem to lack shame.

Back in the day, unless a rock n roll star such as Elton John happened to be rich enough to purchase their own team; rockers could care less about football.  However, now with the passing of the nineties everyone from Oasis to Posh Spice to The Lightening Seeds has help entwine the two to the point that now the two are inseparable; for good or bad.

Personal safety in South Africa for World Cup

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Personal safety in South Africa for World Cup Three British students that died in a South African bus crash have brought to life just how important it is to know the risks of travelling outside of the country.

Nelspruit authorities in the location of the accident stated that the bus driver had lost control of the bus along a winding road that is notorious to the area.  With thousands of English fans excepted to travel to South Africa over the course of the World Cup, here is a guide to the top risks that visitors need to be aware of.

The first major problem is crime which is rampant throughout the entire country, but most violent offences take place in isolated areas and townships outside of the tourist spots.  With this in mind, passports in particular need to be watched, especially at travel terminals.

Over the last few years an increasing amount of cases have been noted in which criminals followed tourists via vehicle from the Johannesburg airport to their destination, which has prompted authorities to remind tourists to be careful while leaving the airport.

The next concern is driving since like the bus crash, South African driving results in many fatal accidents.  Tourists should know that the country is quite large so all trips should be properly planned beforehand.

On highways tourists should be vigilant of the fact that overtaking occurs on all lanes including the shoulder and at four way stops the first driver to arrive has the right to move.

The general roads of South Africa are decent quality in cities but in remote cities there are many potholes and sticking to the speed limit is a most.

Health care while abroad is also a concern with high standard care in developed areas that is costly and basic care in rural areas.  Visitors should be aware that rabies, TB, cholera, and malaria are all very common to South Africa and that they should seek care immediately if side effects such as diarrhoea are present.

Swearing ban for England players

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Swearing ban for England players Steven Gerrard, the England Skipper, has warned his teammates that they cannot swear at referees during any of the upcoming World Cup matches.

Wayne Rooney was booked for such action in England’s Monday 3-0 warm-up against the Platinum Stars prompting FIFA to clampdown on foul language during the largest event in club football.

Gerrard is aware of how important it is to keep the ref’s happy, as he wants to make sure that the team is able to keep all of its 11 players out on the pitch at all times.  He stated that it is not acceptable to swear at the refs since they demand and deserve respect.  He added that when one player gets booked the whole team suffers for the action thus everyone is responsible for keeping their tongues clean.

He went on to say that it is already hard enough to play with only 10 players and that the team has already had a few poor matches due to loosing people from the pitch for bad behaviour.

One of the incidents he was referring to was in the Portugal 2006 finals when Rooney was booked from the pitch causing Gerrard to instruct the quick lipped striker to talk back with his feet starting with England’s opening match against the United States this Saturday.

Gerrard refused to comment on the leave of Rafa Benitez the Liverpool coach or if he has a future with the Anfield club stating that at the moment his focus is solely on the World Cup and England.

Support England with iPhone England Football Rattle App

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Support England with iPhone England Football Rattle App A new England Football Rattle app for iPhone and iPod Touch is now available to download from Apple’s AppStore.  This new app means you can now support the England football team the way your dad and grandad used to…. but with an iphone.

It works just like a normal football rattle. You wave your iPhone or iPod Touch as if were a football rattle handle and the rattle sound is created. The rattle will speed up or slow down according to the speed and vigour with which you wave your device. It really is great fun.

England Football Rattle App can be found here.