I was walking with my girlfriend last night when she commented, quite absurdly, that she had "forgotten" how to walk in flip flops as she hadn't done it since last Summer.
"How ridiculous" I mused, "How can you forget how to do something so simple in one year?"
Then it hit me. From next weekend, the Premier League comes grinding to a halt, leaving my once-filled Saturday as blank as Sven's summer diary. What am I meant to do on Football Day now?
It happens every year. I become so accustomed to the luxury of league football on the weekend, when it suddenly stops I don't know what to do with myself.
Shopping with the missus? Take up fishing? Press F5 on BBC Sport until the pain stops in mid-August?
Admittedly we have the bonus of Euro 2008 to look forward to. Unfortunately for me, this will be the first major tournament since I was but seven years old that England will play no part in, taking the shine off what would have been a glorious distraction until we went out on penalties in the quarter finals.
This still leaves the 29th of June until the provisional starting date of the 10th of August. That's a long five weeks to be dragged around shopping centres, dreaming wistfully of Stoke City away.
I don't know how I do it every year. It seems I forget how to cope with football-free summers. Maybe I'll actually get around to having a kick-about in the park on Saturdays.
Now there's an idea...
What do you do to cope with football withdrawal? Give your advice below.
Comments (7) Add a comment »
from 9 days ago
Yip it's playing time for me. The SA amateur season runs march till october here so I'll be keeping busy. The Scottish league always starts earlier to so that numbs the pain a bit.
But yeah ask a girl out, take the mrs shopping, you could even pretend your missing the football :P must be worth a try
from 9 days ago
I will be supporting Spain in the Euro's as they are the great 'underachievers' and I have always had a soft spot for them, added to the fact that a certain Fernando Torres will hopefully be extending his reputation. Obviously I am gutted that England are not in it, but I also have very fond memories of watching World Cup 1994 when we weren't in that and I was 13, cheering on the mighty Romania and Bulgaria.
There is also the Olympics, (though this clashes with the footy starting anyway) which is always worth watching, and is the only time in 4 years that people sit down and watch things like Modern Pentathlon and Table Tennis, why do they suddenly become interesting when the word Olympic is stuck in front of them?
from 9 days ago
haha great point simon. i for one can't wait for the Olympic flatwater canoeing.
from 9 days ago
Ah Letchkov, Stoichkov and Hagi....my introduction to football outside of Scotland couldn't have been any better.
from 9 days ago
And who will you be supporting this year Andrew?
I'm thinking Simon has a good point with Spain, but I've always had a soft spot for Holland.
from 8 days ago
I have always liked the Dutch too Jonathan, I thinks its the wall of orange that does it. I will be cheering for Romania in their group though, how unlucky to be drawn with France, Italy and Netherlands for your first tournament in a while! doh!
And Andrew, Bulgaria beating Germany in World Cup 1994 is definitely in my top ten of favourite matches of all time closely followed by Romania beating Argentina. I really thought Bulgaria were going to win the whole thing! Letchkov looked about 64 but was awesome, and who can forget Trifon Ivanov at the back, he looked like some kind of sasquatch.
from 9 days ago
I won't mind if France or Italy win as I'd feel better about Scotland not getting through. You wouldn't crucify me if I had a soft spot for Croatia would you? :P ;)
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