World Football Daily

Some kindly commenter once said he was looking forward to me discussing West Ham. Fact is, I’ve deliberately not done so for two reasons:

1. I’m suffering not only from a writer’s block, but from a life block. But as pressing life issues have diverted my attention away from this blog, I still make time to watch every Hammers game. Some things in life simply cannot be sacrificed.
2. I’m rather superstitious. I’ve found that the moment I talk about something good or share a bit of positive news, it’s immediately jinxed and summarily terminated. Needless to say if after today West Ham start playing like mentally challenged muppets and drop points not only to United but to all future opponents, you can blame me.

But as West Ham have finally given me something stimulating to talk about, I thought I should. So here goes. Fingers crossed I don’t stuff it up for our season.
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It’s my fault for not sending Santa a letter, but none of my deep-seated Christmas wishes came true this year. I guess the big guy’s not much of a mind reader. Then again, I’ve spent a lot of 2008 being naughty, so I may have a black mark in his Big Book of Greedy Girls. This year I got a new penicillin allergy instead of my greatest football desires, but at least he graced West Ham with good fortune for our last two matches. Scratching off half my face was a fair trade for having something other than bad news from Upton Park.

But I’m not so easily satisfied. So I’m getting an early start for 2009. Here’s my formal list of requests for the man with a belly like a bowl full of jelly. (And I don’t mean Ronaldo.) (more…)

Some of you may recall from my introductory post, and perhaps deduced from my analysis of the Beckham/Byrne situation, that one of the ways I pay my never-ending bills is writing about David Beckham. Becks is my beat, so to speak, and while I suspect most of you would be tired of him before you began, there actually are some interesting aspects of keeping up with the Beckhams.

I’m essentially a human news aggregator; I research headlines (and not-so-headlines) and buzz surrounding Becks and compile a daily summary of news, videos, and photographs. I’m up on everything from his life on the pitch (limited as it is these days) to what accents the Beckham boys have developed. As long as the press thinks it’s a story, it crosses my radar.

As 2008 comes to a close, I’ve looked back on the year since I got this gig and reflected on the good times and the bad times — the highs and lows of being, for lack of a better term, a “Beckham girl”. (more…)

I can’t believe I’m about to make a Four Weddings and a Funeral reference, but here it goes. In the film, Hugh Grant’s character is described as a “serial monogamist”. And I, friends, am a serial monogamist too.

Why talk about this? Well, it’s my blog and I’ll get personal if I want to. It’s about time we stripped down the layers of “football the sport” talk and talked about how football impacts us personally, as well. You heard him; Kenny wants us to get our collective hands dirty, so roll up your sleeves. Time to get to know each other better.

If you’re a passionate football fan, the whole of your personal life is inextricably intertwined with the phenomenon of supporting a club (or a country, etc. etc.). Lots of people struggle to reconcile their love lives with their love for their teams. You know who you are. Here’s looking at you, kid(s). (more…)