while I know the blog is not technically (most definately) the place for me to emphasise my football (religious) beliefs, I can't help but rise to the bait.

For me the only important European football match takes place on 21st May in Moscow. I, like most other United fans, live in the knowledge that United > England. As a pure football fan I can say Croatia did me a favour, it means this summer I can enjoy the games for what they are without distraction.

For the record my money is on Holland, but then again it has been since about Euro 2000. Yet again they have the sheer weight of individual talent (much like England and Spain I suppose, none of us ever win). Smart money is back on Germany, but the boy Ronaldo might be enough for Portugal.

back to matters at hand, the city centre is swelling at the seams. It appears to me that there is well in excess of the 100,000 predicted Rangers fans. So far it is good natured with only a hand full of arrests for being shit faced drunk (I assume).

It will be interesting to compare the scenes here in Manchester today and tonight to those in Moscow next week with very few fans without tickets even being able to get into the country through lack of a visa, and reports are Chelsea haven't sold thier allocation because of excessive cost of travel and accomodation.

couldn't help it, but i trust in your ability to forgive me for the small little stab at ye ;)
i also am looking forward to a couple of weeks of nice
entertainment and sportsmanship and may the better team win,
both tonight and at the tournament and while i am not much of an UEFA fan, i do look forward for the CL final next week.
enjoy the night!

it's only a question of doing the math right i'd say:

- 100.000 plus scotsmen (not the most sensible people in the world) supporting a team that was the lesser of the two
- 9.000 russians (also not widely known for their sensitivity when intoxicated) supporting the better team

- packed in a already overcrowded city center

- the team with 100.000 fans - by then fucked out of their heads on what not - losing...

anyway, next time something like this might happen i would put up some big screens somewhere on a pasture way outside of the city.

M

ps. how can your money be on the dutch Chris?? have you seen who we're up against?

It was very small number involved in trouble, but you know that's the 'story' so that's what gets media coverage. 41 arrests is what you'd expect even without all the escapades.

There was no chance of keeping the Scots out of the centre, as with any football match ticket-less fans are told not to travel, the Glaswegian's just did as they pleased.

All in all I thought it went smoothly for what was the largest sports migration ever seen, the UEFA spokesman William Gaillard was quoted "I can't believe that any other city would have done anything better"

For me it was delight to see the city in such life like that, all for an event that lasted a mere 90mins. I don't think I will see quite such a conentration of people having such revelry again in my life. What the pictures don't show is the extent of the crowds that went off in all directions. All trams and most bus routes were cancled due to the volume of foot traffic in the centre, early in the day there was a 20 mile queue of traffic from Manchester stretching past Chorley (towards Glasgow). I live a 10 minute train ride out of the centre and there were Rangers fans on my train heading out looking for a pub they could fit through the door.

As for the Orange, I fancy them (that should be want to see them win) due to the likes of Huntelaar, who I sorely want United to sign this summer, Wesley Sneijder and the boy Nistelrooy who I still think is underrated. I know Portugal can bost some decent talent as can Italy and Spain, but after so many years having such truely great talent (maybe it reminds me of England the last 7 years) it would be great to see your boys do it.