Brummie Games on a budget
Crafty Cockney backs crowd’s love-in with German giant-killer
ERIC BRISTOW has no problem with English fans swinging behind a German underdog...because it’s not a “normal” crowd.
DIOGO PORTELA used to teach algebra in Peckham.
Tonight the Brazilian (left) hopes to find a winning formula to upset Peter Wright.
Portela, a 2,500-1 outsider, will be the first boy from Brazil to play at the world championship, wearing No.10 on his shirt as a tribute to Pele, Zico and Neymar.
And in a week of huge upsets at Alexandra Palace, he has not ruled out a special piece of algebra for No.2 seed Wright: Defeat = Exit.
Portela, 29, said: “I moved to London in 2014 to pursue my dream of playing darts and my last job was as a maths teacher.
“I try not to think about the history I could make, but my dad keeps telling me that in 500 years of history, nobody from Brazil has ever done Cristo Reyes v Toni Alcinas Kim Huybrechts v James Richardson Darren Webster v Devon Petersen Peter Wright v Diogo Portela what I am about to do – play at the world championship.
“I have finally found a job I like, not doing what other people tell me to do, and I am paying the bills.
“I wear the yellow shirt of Brazil and the No.10 to remind myself of home.” BIRMINGHAM’S proposed 40,000-capacity Commonwealth Games stadium is being designed to prevent a repeat of London 2012’s mistakes.
The city will today be announced as the Commonwealth Games host for 2022.
It is the first time England has staged the Games since Manchester in 2002. The focal point is a new home for UK Athletics at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr.
Mirror Sport understands organisers are conscious that London 2012 left a £752million stadium saddled with annual losses of about £20m.
Instead, Birmingham will redevelop the current UK Athletics HQ at Alexander Stadium into a new 25,000 venue.
The capacity will then be increased to 40,000 for 2022 with additional temporary seating before reverting back to a sustainable level after the Games to save costs.
The athletes’ village will leave a legacy of 1,000 social homes.