Thought for the Week

Amid a week of football frenzy and excitement, there has been a focus of attention on a team, unknown until now, called the Wild Boars.

The eyes of the world are on these 12 young footballers and their coach trapped in a cave in Thailand.

Their predicament is life-threatening, but a rescue operation is in place.

To the delight of everyone and against all the odds, as I write this, the young boys have all been brought to safety and it is hoped they will get out of hospital soon.

They have been incredibly brave as they endured darkness, cold and hunger, trapped by the threat of rising water if the rains come.

The weakest is their coach as he ensured the boys had what little food was available and took nothing for himself.

Sadly, one of the first divers to go in lost his own life in an attempt to save them, but his skill led the way forward for the rescue plan.

I hope and pray that by the time you read this, they are all home and safe and ready to play football again.

They will never forget the courage and the ingenuity of the international team effort to save them and I’m sure the only reward their brave rescuers will want is to know the boys are well.

Evidently, the boys will be invited to the final of the World Cup itself and maybe they can dream that one day they might play in this famous tournament themselves.

I hope the teams in the final will include England as I wish all my English friends a truly successful end to a brilliantly played World Cup.