My World Cup Highlights

We all knew this day was coming, but nothing can really prepare you for the empty hollow feeling that engulfs your body when that day finally arrives. Today was the day, the first day in 2 and a half weeks without football on T.V. Like a junkie I have been looking for a fix on the internet, outside seedy bars, on the street, hell I even tried to watch an MLS game to ease the pain but alas I am left cold and unsatisfied.
I took this as a sign that it was time to reflect so here are my personal World Cup Highlights so far.

Katlin McGrath crying when USA lost to Ghana. It wasn’t seeing Katlin upset that was so exhilarating, more the fact that she would perhaps understand my own frustration with the England team now she had been let down by this beautiful sport. I tell you something if she wants to be a QPR fan she better get used to that feeling.

One slow day during the big match that was Paraguay versus Slovakia an elderly woman suantered into the restaurant and looked at the screen for about 2 minutes. She then asked me who was playing, I told her. She paused, thought for a second before enquiring ‘What was the Israel score yesterday?’ I had to explain to her that Israel wasn’t in the World Cup. She told me that she thought it was a World Cup and that surely Israel should therefore be involved, she then decided there lack of inclusion was a glowing beacon of racism. She was so entertaining I decided not to correct and agreed with her wholeheartedly.

Working at 7am is never fun. It’s even less fun if you make no money because FIFA arranged all the glamour games to be played later in the day. So when I awoke at 6:30 to serve (I assumed) no people whilst North Korea and Portugal battled it out I wasn’t happy. I ranted and raved to the manager that nobody was coming in because it’s not like any North Koreans are allowed to leave the country. In a huff I began setting up the restaurant. I heard a tapping at the window where a small, disheveled Korean looking woman was standing. I opened the doors and she climbed up on a bar stool, surely not!? Before I knew she was joined by more Korean women and there Portuguese friends to watch the game. Kim Jung-Il must have let a couple of devotees slip under the radar.

I have, over the last couple of weeks, bonded with the back of house staff at work. The Mexican cooks, the Nigerian delivery guy and many more. However Mamadou, the Senegalese line chef has become my personal favorite. He often predicts the wrong score and always tells me England should do better, but he just bloody loves football so I bloody well love him. One slow day I found a football in a drawer at work, pulled it out and started having a kick about in the empty restaurant. Mamadou emerged from the kitchen and asked me if I played. I told him I wasn’t great, Mamadou said he hadn’t ever really played 11 a side football. He then proceeded to nick the ball off me and produce 50 kick ups on his left foot before producing another 20 on his right. He then trapped the ball passed it to me and told me to try, I managed 7. I blame the FA.

So I await Friday morning with baited breath. I have the day off as I assumed England might make it the the Quarters and am ready for more football festivities. I am of course yet to miss a game and have perfected the art of napping through the sound of a vuvuzela during some of the more laborious fixtures. Football, bloody hell.

12 Musings on England Germany

- It seems not only England players freeze in tournaments but Managers too. Capello's tactics throught the tournament have been questionable to say the least. Every man and his dog knew Germany had two superb players in Muller and Ozil who play in the hole. The decision to not play an extra midfielder from Capello was a huge mistake, to then decide not to play King (a player who has played as a defensive midfielder and might... just might have closed the hole down) ahead of Upson was an even bigger one. The selection today smacked of arrogance, and this from a fan who has been a Capello supporter from day 1.

- To hide behind the ghost goal would be foolish, England were dire today. However at 2-2 having rallied back it might have been a different game, we will never know. It's in the past now and if the players and management think they can focus on that specific flashpoint as the game changer then they are seriously offending the intelligence of the average football fan, and that's saying something.

- In 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and now 2010 I have watched England drop out of a major international tournament with Mr. Dylan Viner by my side. The others were all a result of glorious failure, today was just failure.

- We can only but pray this brings the curtain down on 'The Golden Generation.' This group of players just doesn't have the psyche to win a tournament. They have risen to prominence in the era of the WAG and celebrity to the point where they don't need an England win. Yes they are hurting right now, I don't doubt that, but when that cheque comes through for thousands of pounds on monday morning it might ease the pain.

- And so what next for this team and manager? Does Capello stay on or resign? Does he persist with a group of players who freeze in tournaments? Does he change captains? Does anyone have the balls to make a change?

- Let's not kid ourselves, Ghana would have beaten us too. They were fast, played 451 and worked as a team. This England group went out in exactly the fashion deserving of them, embarrassed by a better team.

- Oh for David James to have played against the US and maybe instilled some confidence from the start. His international career ends today one must think. He always did OK for England in the absence of a world class keeper. David Seaman he was not, but he was better than anyone else we tried after the mustachioed one retired.

- Wayne Rooney was so unfit it was hard to watch. I don't begrudge Man U for rushing him back from injury, they pay his wages. But had he not had blistering club and country form interrupted by injury then who knows what type of tournament he could have had. The stats speak for themselves now, 7 games in a World Cup 0 goals. Emile Heskey has scored 1.

- This is as much as a wake up call as the loss to Croatia. England played antiquated football, the kick and rush style mocked by Beckenbauer a few weeks ago. How right he was. How many times do we have to watch our centre backs hoof the ball aimlessly forward in hope rather than with a purpose. So few players looked comfortable on the ball it was embarrassing.

- Truth be told, when SWP and Heskey plodded onto the pitch we may as well have been watching a Sven led England side crash out the tournament. It's amazing to look back now and realize that the Swede managed to get the best out of this group of players far more than an Englishman or a decorated Italian could.

- Picking famous players over those that could do a job was a downfall. When Barry was obviously struggling with the pace there was nobody on the bench Capello could stick on to shore things up. Yes Scott Parker isn't a fancy name, but he might have just sat there and made some tackles. That being said the way West Ham players have performed at this World Cup you would worry.

- Joe Hart, Glen Johnson John Terry Chris Smalling Kieran Gibbs, James Milner Jack Rodwell Jack Wilshere, Adam Johnson Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney........ See you all in Brazil (assuming we qualify)

12 musings from England v Slovenia

There’s a phrase in football called ‘show me your medals’ and Fabio Capello quite simply has the most impressive collection in the England dressing room. Today we saw why. He didn’t pander to the press and the nation calling for Joe Cole’s inclusion and Rooney alone upfront, he instead put in Milner (who would offer more protection to Johnson) and Defoe. England scored one goal today, Milner set it up and Defoe scored. Fabio I’m sure can afford a wry smile at that.

Hello Wayne Rooney, nice of you to join us. Let’s continue this improvement please because believe it or not we have a tough route to the final now and you just may be important.

So we slip into the tough half of the draw, my opinion is so what. 4 years ago the last 16 match against Ecuador was dull and dreary and not exactly memorable bar Beckham throwing up on the pitch. This time round we might face Ze Germans. Imagine.... just imagine the feeling if we beat them as oppose to limping through with a 1-0 win over Ghana. My prediction, beat Ze Germans on penalties then watch Rooney punch in the winner v Argentina.

My god John Terry is a prick of a man, but let’s get one thing straight, he and Ashley Cole (also a prick) have been our best players of the tournament so far. His salmon like dive was not only hilarious but also demonstrated that he will put his body on the line.

A doff of the cap to David James. He looked comfortable every time he was called upon and obviously inspires confidence in his back 4. Should have played against the Yanks and who knows how different our tournament would have been if he had.

Joe Cole quite frankly did nothing. I know it was a cameo and I know we shouldn’t expect too much but after the clamouring for him from the press you would have thought he was Marradona, Pele and Bobby Moore all rolled into one.

There’s going to be a hell of a lot of England flags at USA’s next game. Let’s hope they can do the old ticket switcheroonie because I’m sure very few people predicted England to come 2nd in a relatively easy group. On the subject of the Yanks, well done. Today they felt the true thrill of the greatest sport in the world. Still the lead story on ESPN was some American Footballer charged with rape. Seems that being a scumbag transcends all sports.

As usual we save our best performances for a game on BBC. It’s like the players hate adverts and love Gary ‘golf course’ Lineker. Thank god the BBC have the rights to all of England’s knock out games, phew!

Stuart Pearce is the greatest glorified cheerleader ever. He just sits there and shouts ‘C’mon England’ before whipping out his book and telling a sub to copy what Fabio drew. It’s brilliant. It’s like they gave a special needs kid the chance to sit on the bench with Fabio.

We’ve read a lot about how poor England have been but the fats speak for themselves, we have conceded one goal all tournament, a freak goal at that. This defence, despite the changes is looking pretty solid so far. My only concern is a lack of a genuine holding midfielder when we come up against better teams, oh for a fit Hargreaves. Alas Fabio has some interesting decisions to make before the next game on Sunday.

If I have to read another Arsenal fan saying not taking Theo was a mistake I’ll shoot myself. I’m a QPR fan so I know about delusions of grandeur, but if you really think Walcott could have produced the cross Milner swung over for Defoe then you are out of your mind. With Lennon and Joe Cole as impact players there, quite rightly, is no place for Theo in the squad.

Let’s hope Gareth Barry returns to full fitness fast. He tired dramatically as the game drew on and the fact we have an extra days rest ahead of Sunday might be a godsend for the most boring man on the team.

Crisis, what crisis?

Judgement day had arrived. I was up early in order to do my first nerve poo of the day, this was going to be hell. The night before I had told Katlin I was too nervous to see her, she promised not to judge me. I had thought I would be watching England with Mr. Viner, however a meeting at midday crippled that idea so I could either watch alone or take myself off to a bar to watch the game. Bar it was.

Central bar was the arena where the drama would unfold. Of course 95% of New York was watching the USA game so the England fans were huddled away in an upstairs room with a projector which semi worked. I straight away found some ‘brothers’ 6 young Jewish boys with whispy beards and England flags. I decided now wasn’t the time to discuss Zionism, we sung Three Lions instead.

Sitting next to me was a drunk Dad on holiday who had managed to steal away from the wife for a couple of hours whilst she passed the time shopping in Bloomingdales, women are so predictable. It became clear early on that he was one of those annoying beasts, a fair weather England fan, one that only comes out for the World Cup and offers such insight to the game as ‘Defend Terry!’ or ‘Just shoot Rooney.’ Thankfully the Jews knew their stuff and so to did the Liverpool fan sitting on my right. His mate had come straight out of the ‘chundered everywhare’ video and his obvious preferance for Rugby was clear. He was game however and sang a rousing chorus of God Save The Queen.

Much had been made of England wearing all red, the thing was the projector was so bad that the colors all just merged together, it was as if the bar had been engulfed by a wave of color-blindness.

Just after the anthems a Mexican man decided to stand in front of the projector looking for someone who had ordered coffee, he was promptly told to fuck off.

And so onto the game, we all know what happened, and I’ll be doing 12 musings later this afternoon, needless to say get the fuck in!

As for the Yanks they are now well and truly hooked on this ‘soccerball’ thing. The noise when Landycakes scored the winner was deafening.

For those wondering why updates have been scarcer the reason is exhaustion. I have tuned my body to wake up at 7:30 for the first game so needless to say I am delighted thos pesky early games are done with. I won’t lie to you, Slovakia v Paraguay was very hard to stay awake through!

And so the Adventure continues. It looks like The Germans are coming.... don’t mention the war.

12 Musings on England 0-0 Algeria

- In 4 years nothing seems to have changed. The team are still slow, devoid of confidence and ideas. At least Sven's lot would nick a goal in the last few minutes and g out in the quarter finals. We still pander to stars (how did Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney all stay on the pitch!?) and believe the bullshit that comes out of the players mouths during press conferences.

- The Gerrard and Lampard debate will forever continue to rage on. My take on it is this.... If you have 2 world class Goalkeepers you wouldn't shoehorn one of them into the side, you would start one and leave one on the bench. England have 2 world class attacking central midfielders who play in the same position, therefore leave on the bench and one starting. Believe me bringing Gerrard/Lampard off the bench to win a game is better than Sean Wright-Phillips.

- Luckily I have been watching this World Cup from the USA, so the coverage provided by ESPN is fair and even. Reading the BBC and ITV websites makes me sick. The dismissal of 'lesser nations' such as Algeria is rooted in the English pysche of football when it has no right to be. When Gerrard declares that this was 'Algeria's cup final' he needs a slap. Why exactly Steve? What have we achieved in 40 years to make us feared?

- Sorry Wayne but fans that travel halfway across the world and pay thousands of pounds for a once in a lifetime oppertunity to watch a World Cup game have the right to let you know you played like a cold turd. I'm sure your millions of pounds will help ease those scars from booing.

- Capello must take some of the blame as well, for what I don't know.... none of us know. Bar Carragher this was the same team that ripped Croatia a new one in September. Something behind the scenes has changed. What, nobody knows. Has Terry's captaincy being taken away made a difference? Do the players resent Carragher making the squad? Was Walcott popular? Who knows. But one thing is for sure, something has changed and it has to be addressed.

- It's almost panic stations, but not yet. Win and we get out of the group. We managed it in '86 and '98 when it really mattered. The optimistic England fan in me believes we can still do it.

- The curse of the crap player who was shunned in England has struck again. Majid Bougherra, take a bow son, superb performance at the heart of defence.

- How telling was Heskey's face when he was subbed. What more could he have done? He won everything in the air but received absolutely no support. Wayne Rooney remaining on the pitch ahead of him was an embarrassment. He will continue to be lambasted for his international record but for me Heskey is asked to do a job and promptly does it.

- Does Fabio hate Joe Cole? Does Ian Wright have naked photos of the Don? regardless I can't for the life of me fathom the former Chelsea mans complete lack of game time.

- How costly that Robert Green error looks now. A tepid draw against the Algerians on the back of a 1-0 win over USA might have been acceptable, now advancing from the group will be an achievement.

- The lack of a young wildcard in the squad greatly depresses me. Despite Germanys failings today Ozil and co still look exciting, for England there is nothing new to look forward too. Adam Johnson was an unknown quantity that could have been considered over some of the failed members of this so called Golden Generation. How uninspiring did the England squad look today when it was all laid out? Fuck even a non playing Walcott offered some form of something to hope for.

- We didn't lose. It feels like it but we didn't. Qualification is still in our own hands. All we can do for now is hope and pray and thank God we don't have to watch the most boring team of the tournament again until Wednesday.

Factoids and Elephants

Opening night is always nervous and always eventful. The day started with one thing and one thing only, football. Holland v Denmark to be more precise, the plan was to watch the first half in bed at 7:30 then place my faith in the New York Subway to make it to a bar by the theatre for the second half before nipping off to a dress rehearsal.

The first half was easy to watch and as the whistle blew to finish the end of the 45 I rushed out with my bag packed and made it to the subway station in record time, then I waited for a train.... and waited and waited. The stupid fucking N train was making me miss the Oranje labor in the heat, grrrrrr. Once the train did arrive it was packed full of commuters and businessmen, I stood out like a ore thumb with my Shakespeare script and flip-flops.

The train pulled into Times Square I shoved past an old lady and pegged it to a bar called The Irish Rogue. I expected to be greeted by a wave of Orange Dutch fans, instead I saw 3 Englishmen in faded orange and a skinny waif like Irish bartender who looked like she needed a decent meal. I started to question why I was trying to watch all the games.

After another borefest at this World Cup I skipped off to my dress rehearsal. There was one problem, it looked like I would miss Cameroon v Japan (arguably the biggest game of the tournament) so I had to make a decision, did I miss the first half of the play to watch the game (all I do is a scene change, I’m not onstage until act 2) or do I stay and make my scene change. Well it turned out I was able to do both, I was able to employ members of the cast to text me when it was time for the scene change.

So I sat in the bar with an American man who was less knowledgeable about football than my Mum. The man was a fool/ Every single point he made was ridiculous and every ‘fact’ he wheeled out was so wide of the mark it made me feel sick. The football was shit too. Thank god my phone buzzed, I legged it upstairs and made the scene change. Alas the idiot and the useless football awaited me back in the bar, so with a heavy heart I trudged back to the bar for an assault on my eyes and ears from Cameroon, Japan and America’s favorite fact-finder.

The show itself went really well, yet funnier than some of Shakespeare’s finest work were the events that occurred at the theatre below me. There was a showcase for some high school kids who couldn’t grasp the concept of keeping quiet as our show was on. The kids were great comedy value though. After their first performance a slightly heavier teenager sat on the stage and started crying because she had messed up a song. Her friend (still in the closet) minced around her trying to make her feel better but her diva ways couldn’t be cured. She thumped up the stairs like a distressed Elephant and sulked in her dressing room. She then emerged and asked us what play we were doing ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ I replied, then with a knowing smile she looked at me and said ‘Shakespeare.’ Well of course it’s Shakespeare you tubby attention seeking whore!

Anyways by all accounts she seemed happier by the end of her second performance.

Back to the football now and Katlin has taken a shine to North Korea. Maybe it’s because I forced her to watch a documentary about the country at 2 in the morning when she wanted to sleep, maybe it’s their fake Chinese fans or maybe she has a thing for Asians, time will tell.

Sir Doctor Henry Mitchell (aka Jake Wiseman) arrives in a few hours to further help me with the challenge, some medical advice will be appreciated.

Isn't this Soccerball thing a lark

And so the story continues with silence. Saturday morning saw the two heavyweights of the competition battle it out, Greece and South Korea. My plan was to wake up and watch the game in bed, lovely. Once turning on the TV was met not with the sound of a thousand vuzuvela’s but the sound of silence. My cable provider had decided that the start of my World Cup adventure was a good time to fuck about with sound testing.

I rang technical support and was directed to an answerphone message where I yelled profanities that would have made Wayne Rooney blush to the automated machine. Ten minutes later the sound reappeared, thank you very much.

I won’t lie to you I may or may have dropped off a little for a schluf during the game, it was 7:30 am here after all. As my father so eloquently put it though ‘it’s hard to sleep with those horns’ quite.

A quick breakfast was followed by sitting down to watch Argentina v Nigeria and Diego Maradonna look like her just came from a funeral. I won’t talk about the game just that I watched it infront of my TV.

Katlin and I then went out for lunch. I refused to speak to her or hold her hand as I didn’t want to fraternize with the enemy, the word ‘unimpressed’ should probably be used to describe her mood.

I had invited a few people round to mine to watch the game and a couple had asked to bring mates along, no problem. I stocked the fridge with beers and filled side dishes with dips and snacks creating a spread that my Mother would have been proud of.

As the game got going slowly but surely the numbers grew and so did the amount of beer. By the end of the game my living room had 40 people in it and there wasn’t enough room in the fridge for any more beers.

After the game I needed to unwind so saw this as an oppertunity to drink the leftover beer with a few stragglers on the rooftop, needless to say by 8 I was shitfaced.

A quick deviation from my story to bring you the story of New York which was absolutely buzzing about the game. Ladies and gents, I think the Yanks just fell in love with football. The streets were full of England and USA fans singing, bars were packed out and our BBQ restaurant was the fullest it has ever been. Busier than the Superbowl, busier than the Kentucky Derby and busier than the Stanley Cup. Clint Dempsey adorns the front page of every single newspaper as their new hero.

That was Saturday, Sunday was my first World Cup day at work. I had to be there for 6:45 am as they showed the big one live, Algeria v Slovenia. I predicted that it wouldn’t be a big draw for the public, hell even I didn’t want to watch it. So the game kicked off and the TV’s blared out the pictures to an empty restaurant which I slowly set up. Half time still no goals, still no customers. At 9 the next waiter came in, but still no guests. The game finished without a soul in the restaurant.

Suddenly a flurry of activity..... guests!? No, other servers turning up for their shift. A couple of people then sat at the bar for Serbia V Ghana, I just watched the game with Mamadou our Senegalese line cook.

And so the clock ticked over to 12 and the regular brunch shift started, I had served not a soul for the football. A decision was made to send me home if no one turned up for the Aussie’s v Krauts. The omens were good as the books were low. My section sat empty until 10 minutes before the game when Americans, with a new found love for the game, decided that they had had such a good time watching yesterday at the restaurant that they would come back for more. I was sat 8 tables at once and walked out of their 11 hours after starting and having watched those fucking Germans score 4 times. Americans with a new found love of ‘soccer’...... fuck you Rob Green!

12 Musings on England 1 -1 USA

- Welcome to Football America. That heart in your chest, edge of your seat back's to the wall, immense pride for your team and the bliss at watching a pure sport thing you felt for 90 minutes.... I've been feeling it for 24 years. It's the greatest sport in the world. You guys were just late to the party.

- I'm not panicking.... yet. The old addage that starting a tournament slowly isn't bad is there for a reason. Remember we drew with the Swiss in '96 and Italy also drew 1-1 with USA 4 years ago before they went on to win the whole thing. the second half saw Rooney and Lampard grow in confidence, their performance wasn't great but perhaps this is a sign of better things to come.

- 6 years on and Lampard and Gerrard still don't function as a midfield unit. Gareth Barry's return to fitness can't come soon enough. His discipline, left foot and natural inclination to sit back might just free up our midfield and let them dominate.

- Wright-Phillips did nothing more or less Walcott would or wouldn't have done. His inclusion in the 23 man squad shouldn't have prompted the media outcry it did. Capello's decision not to introduce Joe Cole was a much bigger (and in my opinion incorrect) call than omitting Walcott. Cole has the ability to think outside the box, and in a game against a decent defensive outfit such as USA he would have had more impact.

- Emile Ivanhoe Heskey. Some will say Defoe would have burried that one on one, others will say Defoe wouldn't have set Gerrard up for the goal. He will continue to divide opinion. For me this is an England side that lacks the technical prowess of Spain and Brazil so the inclusion of a big lump is vital in order to play a more basic game. That's how England play best and Heskey is the best man for that job.

- USA were very good defensively and in the middle of the park. Their real test comes on Friday when they have to go out and win a game against Slovenia. Donovan and Dempsey are definite weapons but they were a little blunt today, they have the ability to qualify from this group now, they just need to show more ambition going forward.

- We knock him when he's down but let's praise him when he's good, John Terry was superb for England. I hardly noticed him, the hallmarks of a good game for a centre back.

- When it came down to it the difference was the Goalkeepers. Tim Howard is world class, Robert Green is not. Fumble aside, I never felt confident in Green on the flipside I never expected Tim Howard to drop a clanger.

- From what I've seen so far England are rightly classed in a group of maybe's alongside France, Argentina and Germany. Teams that might explode into life, but in reality will stumble through to the Quarters and drop out. This is nothing to be ashamed of, we just don't have a generation of players as talented as Spain and Brazil.

- Glen Johnson's ability to attack is perceived by many to be a weakness, today he showed that actually his natural inclination to bomb forward will probably cause opponents more damage than it will England.

- Pray for Ledley. If Carragher is our number 3 centre back then we are in trouble because whilst he is decent enough he has the turning circle of a cruise ship and the pace of steamroller.

- Steven Gerrard actually played like a captain for a large portion of the game. Let's hope Fabio can extract the best of him and keep his form and goalscoring going.

And Here We Go.....

The familiar chimes of my Blackberry alarm rung out this morning. This was no ordinary day though. Katlin rolled over ‘Happy World Cup Day’ she said, she thought that was enough. I was up and out of bed in a flash, Katlin looked at me surprised... you’re leaving already? ‘Yes, I have to set up. You can stay here until work.’ Bemused Katlin snuggled back under the covers, I had bigger fish to fry.

I listened to the Coca Cola World Cup song on repeat to psych myself up as I walked through New York. The city was awash with green as Mexicans everywhere bunked off of work to watch their side’s opener. Lord knows who was cooking the food in restaurants throughout the city.

Of course game 1 of the World Cup coincided with the penultimate rehearsal I have before Much Ado About Nothing opens on Monday. I needed to be at the rehearsal early to access the Wireless network and load up ESPN3.com which is streaming every single game.

First at the theatre I whipped out my Mac and began to search. Damn, password protected. I needed to go on a quest to seek out the maintenance man. He was nowhere to be found, was this it? Was my mission to watch every game going to fail at the first attempt!? Luckily at 9:45 in walked the Albanian man I seeked, I ensured him I wouldn’t download any porn and he gave me the password.

Website up and it was time to start streaming the game. Slow at first but manageable I was going to be alright. However just as Sepp Blatter started to speak the stream went dead and a message came up saying that the internet provider did not host the stream.... Noooooooo!

I felt like giving up, and just to make it worse they were rehearsing my scenes so I couldn’t watch anyway.

After a faultless performance, if I may say so myself, it was going to be a while before I was needed again yet the director didn’t want me running off. This was turning into a disaster.

I stepped outside for a coffee and heard the familiar buzz of vuzuvela’s. I peered into the theatre bar and there was a sight for sore eyes. Mexico v South Africa live and in glorious HD. I perched myself down and watched the remainder of the first half and all of the second.

As the game finished I headed over to the deli and discussed the game with the Mexican who made my sandwich, and what a delicious sandwich it was.

I’m settled at home now sitting in front of France v Uruguay. With regards to tomorrow, the nerves are setting in already.