Lisbon, Europe and the World Cup

In celebration of Portugal's less than convincing victory over Angola in the World Cup tonight; some evidence of my recent visit to Lisbon in Portugal. I was intrigued yet again by just how closely connected Europe is. I spent part of one evening speaking, as an Englishman, in French to a Spanish taxi-driver in the Portuguese capital in a car otherwise full of Germans! That, of course, is a reason for practical cooperation and respect rather than subordination to an overmighty European executive - a common theme of my time spent in Lisbon and a topic for more discussion in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile the Touchline Bawler has rediscovered its energy and should hold much more on the World Cup as the drama develops.