LONDON -- All over England, on houses, cars and vans, you will see the cross of St. George waving in the wind. Prime Minister Tony Blair has been persuaded that the English flag should be flown at his residence on days when the English team are playing in the World Cup.
The British media every day carry numerous stories about the British team and its chances. Retailers of soccer memorabilia, more often than not made in China, are profiting. The recovery of the fractured metatarsal bone of Wayne Rooney, one of the leading players in the English team, has been the subject of daily speculation, although most people had probably never heard of this foot bone in the spring of this year. The activities and the affairs of the Swedish coach of the English team are always in the news.
This is all good fun, and the current soccer mania means that when the matches are being played, the roads will be relatively empty as fans are glued to their television screens. Pubs with wide screens will do a roaring trade.