A new chapter

Well, last night’s game with Ghana was a harrowing experience, and I wasn’t even out on the field.

A depleted and sickened England side took to the pitch at the Ismailia Stadium, with the squad already reduced by four with Jason Steele, Matthew Briggs and Michael Woods all bedbound at the team’s base and then midfielder Adam Clayton was struck down in the hours leading to kick-off and subsequently ruled out.

As well as that, a number of the team which started the game had suffered in the 24 hours previously and continued overnight and into Wednesday, so it was hardly an ideal build-up to a game with one of the more energetic and powerful teams in the competition.

England made a bright start to the match though and were comfortably the best team in those opening stages, but once Ghana got into their stride they looked as though they would take some stopping.

They look comfortably the best African team in this World Cup ahead of Nigeria, hosts Egypt, Cameroon and South Africa and it would not be a surprise to see them challenging for honours in this competition.

Likewise for Uruguay, England’s other rival in Group D, whose performance against Uzbekistan last night oozed confidence, skill, ability and craft. It certainly appears that England were dealt a tough hand when the draw was made in Luxor earlier this year.

It’s never easy the day after a defeat, but perhaps moving away from Ismailia and into Suez will be a good thing. The coach left the Sport Support Resort, our base for the last nine days, at lunchtime and we reached the new hotel in mid-afternoon and were pleasantly surprised by the Stella Di Mare Hotel. This will be the base for the next three nights at least and is a distinct improvement on the previous accommodation.

Attached to a links golf course in a place called Ain Soukhna, just an hour’s drive from Cairo, the Stella Di Mare has been the base for the USA, German, Cameroon and Korea Republic squads since their arrival last week. Now, both England and Uzbekistan take the place of Germany and Cameroon, who trade with us and head to the Sport Support Resort for their final group game in Ismailia.

On our penultimate evening in Ismailia, during dinner the lights were dimmed before the staff brought out a huge cake, complete with candles, to congratulate goalkeeper Mark Oxley on his 19th birthday with all of the squad and staff in good voice. I think Mark thought he had got away without anyone realising it was his big day, but it just shows the spirit within the camp that such an effort was made for one of the squad’s newest members.

Back to business though and with the Ghana game now in the past and out of mind, focus turns to Friday’s game with Uzbekistan. With four of the best third placed teams progressing to the Second Round, England know they can still get through with a win in Suez and that’s what everyone is hoping to do…