Worldvision

Whilst skulking from the sodding X Factor in the other room, I'm tuned into 5 Live and the Ireland/France game. There's nothing quite like the frisson of those international scores coming through, even with the oddity of England (unfortunately - at kick-off at least - well represented by City squad members) playing Brazil in Doha. Interesting that Nilmar is almost a palindrome of Milner, and I have to nominate Alan Davies for best tweet on the match.

Good to hear (I think) that the Kiwis are going to be at the finals, though the only one of their players I know is that bloke who plays for Blackburn. Odd that they're called the All Whites as well. Along with North Korea, one of the more notable teams in the tournament.

Cameroon and Nigeria will always be welcome. Still to be decided, apart from the great frogs' legs versus spuds battle currently underway, are the Pharaohs or Algeria. Provided there are no killings, this should go Egypt's way, I would guess. As well as that, we have the Portuguese and Russkies sort of in the box seat, and not much to separate the Slovenes, Bozzies, Greeks, Ukrainians, Costa Ricans and Uruguayans.

it struck me that a global version of the Eurovision Song Contest would be a great idea. Much like the programming around the dawn of the new Millennium, we could make it an all-day event, spanning the timezones of the world. We could even make it a two-legged affair.