From Joe Kelly : Cheeky bet
I\’m not a gambling man Myles, and I don\’t have an informed greengrocer to encourage me.
I did, however, put a tenner on Italy before the tournament at 14/1.
Although on paper, perhaps, not as strong as the Dutch or the French, they always strike me as a very good outside bet; a football nation that knows how to win when it counts. They understand the importance of the collective; not for them the ideology and ego of Nasri and Robben.
They first captivated me in the 1982 World Cup – the Italy v Brazil game is one of the best games I have ever watched.
Almost surpassed, however, by Northern Ireland beating Spain earlier in the competition.
Will the final be as exciting as last night?
I hope a team that has sometimes played without a striker gets what it deserves.
Myles says:
As I walk to the paper shop to buy The Guardian for Jan to read every morning, John often looks up from grappling with his grapes & arranging his apples and says, “Come ‘ere – I’ll educate ya!”
He’s a half-Jewish comedian-grafter, straight out of a Charles Dickens novel.
But John’s outside bet was France, so you know more than him.
Please read ANR tomorrow, Joe.