This will be my last post for a short while, as I trade tube for plane and office for beach.
Just to be clear, this isn’t any old summer jaunt, oh no! Bulgaria is the destination and my mission: to track down Yordan Letchkov, the lynch-pin of Bulgaria’s awe-inspiring team from the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
OK, so there is one potential flaw in my plan. Crucially it requires ‘The Magician’ to also be eloping to the Bourgas region at the same time as myself.
In the unlikely event that I don’t manage catch up with Yordan, here’s a review of his finest moment, courtesy of (a very young looking) Baddiel and Skinner.
I’ll always have fond memories of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The tournament had a great mix of characters, world-class players, decent kick-off times, and most importantly no England to ruin a perfectly good summer kickabout.
Bulgaria’s very own ‘golden generation’ - which included Stoichkov, Letchkov, Balakov, Kostadinov, Ivanov and Mihaylov - exceeded all expectations, particularly after being thrashed by Nigeria in their opening group match.
Thankfully they recovered and embarked on a remarkable run, all the way to the semi-final, only to be met by Italy and Roberto Baggio - who grabbed a brace in a 2-1 victory. Had the Bulgarian team not come up against Baggio at the peak of his powers, they probably would have gone on to win the damn thing.
Undoubtedly, Bulgaria’s performance of the tournament was their stunning win over holders Germany, who were playing in their first World Cup as a unified nation.
Stoichkov - who would go on to (jointly) claim the Golden Boot - laid the foundations for the victory with an exquisite equalising free kick.
Letchkov wrapped up the tie with a wonderful diving header past a floundering Illgner, instantly earning himself World Cup cult-status.
I couldn’t sign-off an article about Bulgaria’s Class of ‘94 without giving a special mention to Trifon ‘The Wolf’ Inanov and ‘Bobby’ Mikhailov for their truly appalling crimes against hair-styling. Enjoy.
101 Thai Kitchen, Hammersmith. Definitely more cafe than upmarket bistro, but that’s no bad thing.
101 has a great vibe and the number of Thai locals eating was another welcome sign. The Pad Thai (which is always a good barometer of Thai culinary quality) was very commendable.
At £6-7 for a main, you really can’t go far wrong.
USA! A-OK. Just outstanding.
via gq:
On this day, we remember what we fought for.
[Photograph by Ellen von Unwerth]
Women referees in football? Do me a favour, love!*
Has anyone shown this to Keys and Gray yet?
*Just for clarification, let’s be absolutely clear that this is my satirical take on the incident. I have no axe to grind with women’s football, quite the contrary.
How apt that a word with German origins, adopted into the English psyche, was once again on the minds of sports fans watching the boxing in Hamburg on Saturday night.
In the minutes prior to, and the hours after Wladimir Klitshko was awarded a points decision in his heavyweight unification clash against David Haye, Twitter and Facebook were awash with armchair pundits decrying Haye as “awful”, “wank”, and “an embaressment (sic)”. Choice sentiments, indeed.
The Mirror’s delightful Oliver Holt whined: “So British sport gets two massive disappointments in two days.”
TalkSh**’s Ian Abrahams blustered: “[Haye] got what he deserved after his trash & disrespectful talking ahead of the fight.”
Why do we, as a nation, keep on doing this?
I know for a fact that had Haye done the business in Germany, the very same people would have broken out the confetti and lavished him with slavering praise.
It’s true that David Haye polarises opinion, but I have always found his supreme self-belief, outspoken comments and over the top confidence massively refreshing. Particularly when his sporting peers show little emotion and are fond of trotting out the same old garbage before and after each and every performance.
The crass persona Haye has developed has served him well thoughout his career. From a sporting perspective it has given him the mental edge in fights; unsettling and aggravating his opponents, and it has ensured that when his team reach the negotiating table, they win. Big.
Ok, so Haye’s strategy didn’t quite go to plan and he was beaten by the better fighter on the night, but all credit to him for going the distance. Many haven’t.
Haye has been roundly criticised for his post-fight comments regarding that toe, but once again he’s grabbed the press’ attention, going to show (for possibly the last time), that win, lose or draw, he has the uncanny knack of writing his own headlines.
In an open question to the media (if you’re reading?): Why do you persist in biting the hand that feeds you? Haye has given great copy, outstanding photo opportunities and unbelievably frank soundbites, without which you’d probably be filling the back pages with entirely fictional transfer news… Oh!
I for one think boxing’s heavyweight division will be all the duller without ‘The Hayemaker’, and that will be his legacy.
Separating the Fresh Princes from your Mos Defs. Inspired.
(Via Pop Chart Lab)
![USA! A-OK. Just outstanding.
via gq:
On this day, we remember what we fought for.
[Photograph by Ellen von Unwerth]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnttezQNjx1qe6vsbo1_400.jpg)
