Another Amazing Football Prediction?

But what a shame I haven't got the confidence to bet on it…. Four years ago writing this magazine I felt very smug when I predicted that England would get knocked out of the '98 world cup by Argentina on penalties. This year I predicted that Japan and/or Korea would qualify for the second round and that one of the favourites would fail to qualify, and as I write this looks like a good bet, though by the time you read it it's probably worked out to be hopelessly wrong.

Now to be honest I actually predicted that Brazil wouldn't make it through too, following a conversation with a Brazilian friend so that looks to have been where my "spread bet" would have let me down. Now all these prediction came at a meeting I was at in the USA a couple of weeks ago with people from all over the world. Though we were supposed to be discussing the various merits and demerits of various computer software and hardware thing-a-me-bobs, it was amazing how conversation outside the meetings kept coming back to football. Now with all of these representatives from all over the globe there was a common theme that came out in many of the conversations. As you would expect from the Brits, we were bemoaning our chances with some many injuries. However I was surprised to hear Germans very downbeat pointing to poor recent results (one in particular going without mention). The French were highlighting lack of competitive football leaving them ill prepared. The Swedes and Danes were saying they had tough groups and doubted progress and I was amazed that even the Brazilians thought that their team's recent form being beaten by Costa Rica and Ecuador recently didn't bode them well (hence my prediction).

Following each country's decrying of it own team's ability there would be a unqualified response from all observers of; "but with those players, and such a great team, and all that flair". There definitely seemed to be a sort of "grass is greener" kind of thing going on where everyone was able to appreciate the abilities of the others' teams whilst being blind to the abilities of their own- and I thought this was and exclusively English disease. Though it's funny that I was a lone voice in predicting the success of the host nations, the French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilians and Brits alike all pooh-poohed the idea that either Japan or Korea had the ability, strength or resolve to so much as get a draw from their matches. Well I was surprised that they thought that way, because I've been to Japan at least- and so had most of them- and I know it's hot, humid and -most of all- altogether unfamiliar. So one thing's for sure, whoever plays Japan or Korea, they will feel an awfully long way from home, playing in front of home crowds that are certain to be nothing short of fanatical.

Sometimes in our lives we fell like we are playing an awfully long way from home, with the whole world massed against us. When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, Matthew tells us he had these words for them:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

….and these words can be a comfort for us too because we know that Jesus is with us, on our side and cheering us on to the very end of the age.

Simon Nicholls