Thoughts today have been dominated by Englands victory over Argentina. The euphoria has gone, just about. It has been replaced by a warm glow and queer feeling in the pit of the stomach, most unusual. How will I feel if we go on and win the thing? It doesnt bear thinking about. Beckham made the front, back and inside pages. Quite right too.
Sven of course is now a hero, whereas ony a couple of days ago the tabloids were preparing their vegetable metaphors. Nothing now can prevent him becoming a deity in the eyes of the fickle press. What he has achieved with a team who could not string even one simple pass together under Keegan is remarkable, but others must take some credit. Peter Taylor for the inspirational move of making Beckham captain. The much mocked Howard Wilkinson, who only days after Keegans walkout, took a completely demoralised team to Finland and got a point, without which we would not be in Japan.
But the credit has to go to Sven, and to Beckham who has provided an object lesson in how to behave with dignity.