GIVE US ANOTHER TWO WEEKS
It was early June 2023. Rishi Sunak was prime minister of the UK, Dave and Central Cee were number one with Sprinter, the world was succumbing to Barbiemania, and Manchester City had just been crowned champions of Europe. Different times, different times. But here we are now, a whopping 55 days on, and football is at long last back, baby. This weekend, Manchester City prepare to lock horns with Arsenal, Roméo Lavia will pull on a Southampton shirt, and Chelsea are spending money like half-cut sailors on shore leave. It’s a whole new ball game! We’re alive and kicking!
Of course, that’s not what we’re trying to say here at all, is it. So to be clear: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CAN YOU ALL KEEP OFF THE STAGE FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AND LET US ENJOY OUR GLORIOUS SUMMER OF SPORT IN PEACE? Or in short: STOP FOOTBALL. Or more accurately: STOP MEN’S FOOTBALL. Because whose idea was it to schedule the biggest show in women’s football so it overlaps with the premature and frankly unwelcome return of the Championship, Scottish Premiership and Premier League, along with the ever-spirit-sappingly-tedious Community Shield, all of which will be afforded a much bigger slice of the attention pie than they strictly deserve? Are basic good manners too much to ask for? So in an attempt to level out the playing field a bit, Football Daily is going to ignore all of that. You’re welcome. Support the Guardian!
Then again, the Women’s World Cup doesn’t need any sort of artificial boost, because the 2023 edition is one hell of a tournament and it’s delivering in spades. Pity the poor sods who missed Morocco and Jamaica sorting the new-wave wheat from the old-school chaff for a start, but at least they’ll surely be tuning in this weekend as the tough top half of the draw unfolds. Spain and the Netherlands are expected to show their title credentials against the Swiss and South Africans; Japan have been the standout side so far and take on fellow former winners in Norway; and the underwhelming defending champs USA? USA?? USA??? have to come good at some point … but against a Sweden side ranked third in the world?
If Football Daily doesn’t have a few huge stories to tell when you see us again on Monday afternoon – by which time England and the co-hosts Australia will also have played their first knockout match – we’ll be very surprised. Excitement is pretty much guaranteed as a super weekend stretches out ahead. Wednesday v Saints? Killie v Rangers? Wrexham v MK Dons? City showing off at Wembley? No thanks, we’re busy. No thank you! No thanks!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Regarding Gvardiol – what a beautiful surname he has – he’s doing a medical test. Everybody knows he’s here.” Pre-season Pep Guardiola is a hack’s delight, handing out puns and transfer here-we-goes to assembled journos. Just wait until he’s back to fidgeting and scratching his bonce after a goalless draw at Burnley next week.
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FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
I’ve never understood the campaign by the USA USA USA women’s team for equal pay with the men. Why should a team that’s won four World Cups get paid only as much as a team that’s not got anywhere near?” – Paul Oakes.
Re: Auston Trusty signing for Sheffield United (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). Just wondering if there are any other Premier League players whose names sound like nice, reliable, old-school cars?” – Steve Bennett [we nominate Luton’s Carlton Morris – Football Daily Ed].
Re: Adam Smith’s recollection of a Britney Spears lyric (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). She was just a poor Graham Taylor tribute act: “Hit Les, Tony, one more time” – Antony Train.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Paul Oakes.
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