It must be time to write a football post! People ask where I watched THE Scotland game from. I answer Cardiff! After watching the BIG game of the day, our 2-2 draw with the Irish, we went into a Sky Sports viewing parlour to catch Scotland Italy and then Israel Russia. People will go on about the Italians winning goal, but surely Scotland lost it in Georgia, with poor selection and tactics, much like we lost it in Serbia despite getting to the playoffs against Russia for 2004 qualifying.

Norn Iron have done exceptionally well. My fear for them is that they follow our path. Sanchez leaving as Sparky did, may cause a slide down the rankings, a spiral of lower seeding pots which are ever harder to get out of! Having said that, the new bloke is continuing on getting everything and more out of his squad of players, with the results, particularly at home, showing this!

The future is looking pretty good for us too. A point away in Germany (against a lethargic opposition I admit) is excellent, considering the number of top players out, and the number of players who could be in the under 21s, who are also excellent just now! Hopefully, the players can push on, rather than fade into oblivion just as they show so much promise. Hopefully we won’t be in such a bad seeding that it’ll be impossible to get out of it!

Thought Joe Ledley was inspired against the Irish and the Germans. Our fans in Frankfurt sounded superb. 90 mins+ of singing and noise. What a night out they must have had! How can we translate that to Cardiff?

I guess one of the biggest news stories in the failure of England to qualify. In the rankings they are nearly 2nd seeds! McLaren was surprised at being sacked? Why? He should have been surprised at getting the job – that was an almight muck up! A top draw manager with vast international experience is obviously what they needed. The appointment of McLaren was short sighted.

But it’ll be great to (hopefully) watch the Euros without the bias of the media. Hopefully we can enjoy football, rather than talking about a team that is not playing! The host nations are however hoping they do not make a mockery of themselves… could be fun! South Africa 2010 draw takes place on Sunday… Kazhakstan anyone?

This was a fantastic gig. I love this sticky floored demodernised venue! Something about sheer simplicity, it does what it is meant to do. The keen Vampire Weekend provided, well, support, I guess. I liked about 15 seconds of their very similar sounding set. Had they played uptempo stuff like this 15 seconds of their last song, they’d have got my vote!

The Shins were fantastic. I really do think I haven’t heard live vocals with such clarity, strength and range, in ages, or ever! Credit to the sound guys and obviously James Mercer. At a live set like this, you realise just how many quality songs this band have. Like all real music fans I prefer the earlier stuff (lol)! Popular crowd pleaser New Slang was rolled out, I wonder if that is a song they despise playing – due to its incredible popularity and probably level of request – like Toto with their Africa? What a comparison…

Caring is Creepy, although in a similar Garden State hysteria vein, seems to have been given better treatment. I need to revisit Wincing, as I didn’t give it the air time it no doubt deserved. Met some folk on the underground on their way home from Foreigner, but I still think I made the correct choice. Can anyone name 2 Foreigner songs?

The one with the guitars, not the horses. [last year’s girl] has a nice photo stream and attends many of the same gigs as I do – or vice versa as her gig history is far superior!

I always enjoy this band. Last time was downstairs at Barfly! That seemed a more fitting venue for their particular blend of drunken melancholic indie americana!

To me the National are like Everton FC, they play some good stuff but they are not quite top draw or to everyone’s taste. The vocals are pretty distinctive and lend themselves to a particular style of song, while obviously the band want to play a variety of styles, so sometimes the combination doesn’t always work! But I do admire the fact that they don’t settle for a set formula for their songs, as many bands do! Big Scott missed St. Vincent, whom he likes, due to me waiting for ages for my change from the chinese, but that’s another story…

Not a fan of gigs in warehouses, but if a band is that popular, you have to make room for the masses! Not sure about the PA, but the visuals were fantastic. Yes, I may be a geek, but I love all things technical & visual. The round screens, though simple, made such a difference. As did the camera set ups and soft focus.

Courtesy of Flickr and an image search!

The energy of the band was astounding! With the 10 of them interchanging widely – making even the Decemberists look restricted! You could virtually smell the enthusiasm, the enjoyment, the energy such was its strength and purity. A great gig which brought home to me how fantastic Funeral really was as an album!

National & The Shins coming up, plus a bit of Rilo Kiley if we can get tickets! The Shins however, clash with Okkervil River and the mighty, yet age-d rockers Foreigner… decisions decisions!

This was international football – allegedly, but not exactly of the highest calibre! To be honest, on these trips, the match is becoming less of a priority! Enjoying local culture and playing in the supporters game is more important!

On that note, we ground out a disciplined 1-1 draw with a local Italian side. This is all the more impressive when you take into account a high percentage of players not at their physical peak due to sampling local brew and the fact we don’t play together much! It was a shame that even at this “level”, Italians dive and roll about pole-axed… I got the ball honest ref!

The game itself was something of a non-event. Wales were comfortable in the first half, playing some neat stuff, especially down the right, going in 2-0 up at the break. There was a strange don’t shoot rule going on, with the team trying to pass everything in to the net from 3 yards. Plus all corners and free kicks were taken short? Plus San Marino have no supporters, well only about 100 – most of whom were obviously their under 13, 17, and 21 squads! A streaker added some fun to the night, especially when the generously proportioned policemen couldn’t catch him for ages! He also made the local paper, which he was proudly showing us at the airport!

The second half will be remembered, just! – not really for anything on the pitch. The fans were branded vicious after the game by the captain, in his interview. There was quite a bit of negative chanting and disgruntlement in the stand. But for every negative chant, there was encouragement and support… where else do fans get to have their say? Those who are not committed say it by not buying tickets! Those who will follow through thick and thin do have a right to be heard… is there another forum?

Only a couple of players bothered applauding the fans after. Thanks Earnie! (Who also interacted well on the flight home!). Some of the fans had sailed from Greece after the Cyprus game… showing a high level of commitment/stupidity. Some had got trains, buses, connecting flights, spending nights sleeping on benches at random airports… (yes, me!). I think we could have at least a clap from the team. Especially as we spend the whole game making noise in a mountain wilderness, with no locals for atmosphere, apart from a single ball boy who was made to fetch many items that left the stand!

San Marino itself is quite an intriguing place. It’s a mountain top citadel, come tax haven! The place looks like it has some amount of history. I was quite impressed with the amount of Wales fans who managed to get beyond the bars at the bus stop to spend some time exploring the little stone stepped streets of the old town.

Rimini is a beach resort, so obviously in October it was dead! Save for the invading Celts. The resort could offer much more, but they either don’t want to or can’t be bothered. At some point if was a walled city, but it is just in ruins.

This photo set shows some examples. These were taken from my phone, so aren’t exactly the best!

What’s with smoking in Italy? Everyone does it, subsequently there is litter everywhere! Why is that cool, giving you a great image? I just don’t get it!

I’m also wondering why all the little tourist shops in San Marino are full of crossbows, swords, machine guns and suits of armour. The chainmail I purchased wouldn’t fit in my hand luggage and it kept setting the metal detector off… so I had to bin it… could hardly move in it anyway!

Airports are quite different places at night. Gone is the hustle, bustle and stress. Instead we have the depressed, whose flight is delayed; the tired, who have a ridiculously early departure; or the buoyant! A charter flight for the Tartan Army, 00:55!

As expected, they are predominately male, but with a generous helping of females and families. Bonus – half term break, not to Tenerife, but to Georgia. Majority are 40+ judging by the baldies I can spot from above. I guess they are really the only ones who can afford an SFA package deal. Will there be another batch tomorrow? Am sure. How much is it anyhow? Can you DIY to Tbilisi? These are happy days much like the 2004 campaign for Wales.

The FAW seem to have missed out somewhere. The Scottish and 2 Irish FAs seem to have a much better image and provide a better service. I guess being a smaller nation – where this isn’t your 1^st sport – and not exactly being successful – doesn’t help. But 2004 showed the potential. Sell outs at home, 1000s away. World in Motion and Gôl are superb initiatives – could the FAW have just a fraction of their drive? Hampden can teach them a lot, with a vibrant atmosphere, fuelled by the organisers, actively encouraged. Now, where’s my kilt…

Rugby. Thought I’d better mention it, show how relevant I am! Did England win a game recently? You’d never have guessed! ITV excelled themselves in fuelling the fire, by piling on the wood of bias, which is why everyone can’t stand them! Do you have to mention England in every other game that is taking place? They were referred to as The World Champions – when losing, who then became splendid Underdogs – when winning… World Champions who are underdogs? Who’d have thought. Hopefully a resurgent France will gub them! The monster who is Sebastian Chabal is bringing many neutrals into their fan base. About time we had a few cult heroes!

Why is everyone so surprised that some of the lesser teams have done well, i.e. Argentina! They’ve had one of the best packs in the world for a while now. Virtually all their players play at a top level in Europe or Australia, as do Fuji and other pacific islanders… they are no longer wild men from the woods who have no professionalism and discipline!

Could the final be a repeat of the opening match with France taking on Argentina? But with different results? It’s been a great month for sports, the UEFA 2008 qualifiers are getting to the very interesting point… even if the team cannot qualify, they can still earn themselves an improved seeding for South Africa 2010! Talking of South Africa, they may have something to say about the rugby too! Powerful and efficient – as Germany are to football – they are to rugby?

I might have to go to Dundee!  That’s not something many people say… lol.  Only joking.  I want to pay the consolairum, and the man with the best job in Scottish Education, a visit.

But, first of all, he did us the honour of coming to Falkirk. Read all about it.  Unfortunately, our PS2 seems to cut out after about 20mins, poor fan action or  something… this has been so frustrating for both me and the class, as we will have set up our characters and started playing only for the thing to die on us… good learning in that too!  We have a new unit on the way though…

The Wii seems to have completely turned games playing on its head.  The active way of controlling everything is just so much more attractive.  I love it.  The Eye Toy too, proved very appealing.  I guess there is something in being active, especially when playing sports.  Armchair football kind of defeats the point, but if you are bouncing around your classroom or living room, then that just adds something more to it…

Resources are obviously key.  Integrating them into what you are doing in the classroom doesn’t seem to be a stumbling point.  There is just so much scope.  The pupils really respond to them too, and are so motivated by them.

Currency.  Currency, currency, currency.

Buzz!: The School Quiz looks like it has a lot of scope.  I think we will have it until Christmas.   I need to manage it in a way to make sure everybody has a good experience with it, plus other classes get to use it too…

Could it work in groups?  As one of the tasks reading groups would rotate around in a week say?  8 controllers, 3 groups.  Once all the names etc. are set up, then groups could access the games quickly.  I’ll have to have a look at the save settings.

I had to give myself some time to check if I was dreaming, but it seems that Scottish football really has gone mad and is now the best in FIFAs rankings of leagues in the north beginning with S. Following up the national teams whopping of FrenchFrance, Glasgow’s finest and the mighty Aberdeen are all taking Europe by storm.

The Celtic game will however be remembered for that moment of comic genius from Dida, or Diddy as he now will be known. Even Chick Young tried to be funny about it. Celtic have of course taken immediate action and banned the fan for life, like he was going to come back and take a beating anyhow… but UEFA surely must do something and ban Dida for such nonsense. Clearly he was trying to cheat his way out of losing the game, hoping UEFA would award a win and ban Celtic or make them play behind closed doors. There really does need to be more done about these people who basically cheat, its PC form being simulation. The magic sponge has become so magic recently, healing people who have collapsed like they are under a heavy barrage of shells! Do Serie-A clubs have simulation training, maybe on a Friday afternoon when the British clubs are team building down the local?

Interesting to note that there was no mention of that Cup Winners Cup victory against Real Madrid during the Aberdeen game. Such a relief! Usually it takes 3 minutes before there is a reference to 66 or Jonny when watching a nation play in white… very refreshing!

So, well done the Jocks. National team success goes hand in hand with having home grown players playing in the champions league… Hibs must be gutted! If they kept all the talent they have had to sell over the last few years they would have some team…