World Cup’s over - now for soaps and cricket
Football’s tournament is finished and thoughts turn to more traditional TV entertainment
THE World Cup is over, and the Germans won it.
After four weeks of thrills and spills in Brazil, the football-mad public across the News & Mail area are faced with the reality of watching The Alan Titchmarsh Show or Newsnight instead of sporting action.
For some, the prospect of being brought back to earth with a bump is difficult to come to terms with while others are rejoicing at finally being reunited with partners who have been glued to the television for a month.
Sainsbury’s employee Tom Graham, 59, from Aldershot, had watched every game of the tournament after being off work due to ill health but will now have to get back to business while he waits to the new Premier League season to begin.
“All the games were good, but Germany giving Brazil a good hiding was the best,” he said.
“When England played I used to meet up with friends. The atmosphere was good while England were in it. There were a lot of flags around.”
Colin Blackburn, 79, from Reading, was visiting Aldershot’s military shop with his friend while their wives went shopping.
He said: “I watched it but I’ve been disappointed in it. England didn’t deserve to be in it. I’ve watched nearly all the teams, though.”
A former member of the armed forces, he had served in Germany in the infantry, but would have been disappointed to see the Germans triumph as he had admired the exploits of Costa Rica.
Now that it was all over, sports fan Mr Blackburn had other plans to fill his time. “I’ll be watching the cricket,” he said.
Friend and Welshman Gareth Williams, also 79, preferred the oval ball and so was not sorry to see the back of the World Cup.
“I’ll get back to sleeping, gardening and taking my wife around town,” he said. “I watched the occasional game but it doesn’t do to me what it should. When I think of summer I think cricket.”
Andrea Playle, 42, from Aldershot, a mother and receptionist, said: “I didn’t watch it.
“My husband has been watching but we’ve been visiting friends who aren’t local. We’ve spent a lot of weekends travelling back and forth to London and Essex.
“The World Cup hasn’t made a difference. Summer is a chance to get out with the little one in the park or the beach.”
Chanese Miller, 21, a housewife from Aldershot, said: “I’ve been watching it. I only missed about four games. My favourite was definitely the Germany-Brazil game.
“But won’t miss missed Emmerdale a times because of it.”
Aldershot-born Viv Collins,
Iit. I few 49, who is a carer Camberley, concurred.
Although she admitted she had enjoyed some of the sport on offer this summer – namely Wimbledon – she was pleased to see the back of the football tournament.
“My soaps are back on once it’s over,” she said.
Asked what was the best thing about summer, she said: “The sun always knocks me out, I’m always sleeping.
“I’ve not noticed much difference in the atmosphere during the World Cup.
“You see the England flags but they came down so quickly, didn’t they?”
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