Football Poets

Italian job done

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 So there it was
Italian job complete
The doors have been
Emphatically blown up
Not a sight or sound
Of Benny Hill or
Michael Caine
Trattorias and pizzerias
Have served their customers
And football’s Neopolitan
Restaurant replete
With its mouth watering concoction
Italy at its most temperamental
But now mellowing with age
No longer the grizzly bears
Or the gesticulating actors
Finger pointing at referees
Rather like those spoilt children
Who only mature
When their parents lavish
Them with abundant platefuls
Of spaghetti bolognaise
And then Gareth Southgate
With his merry men
Of England
Are Germany bound
For yet more Euro 2024
Revels and celebrations
Of football’s most revered
Europeans
And yet revenge
Is sweeter than
46 years ago
When Sir Trevor and KK
Kevin Keegan
Performed the most
Artistic collaboration
In 1977 Wembley anti climax
Dancing then the heartbreak
Denouement
Denied World Cup place
In spectacular Buenos Aires
During confetti splashed summertime
Then exactly 50 years ago
Poland rocked up to England’s
Stately home
With acrobatic goalkeepers
And then the sadly cumbersome
Bite Yer Legs surely
Sir Norman Hunter
Although without the sword
Poland take the lead
Sniffer Clarke Alan that is
Predator yet not on this occasion
Just a token equalising penalty
No more World Cups before the age
Of the Seventies descended into
Woe and the argumentative voices
Who were just consumed with sorrow
Just emptiness and late night questions
Before night fell in October 1973
But last night
The united forces were bound together
The eateries were open for business
A table for two or maybe more
For Gareth Southgate
Next to the well lit window
Champagne on ice
But reserve that for the
Bavarian foothills
Where those wearing lederhosen
Will be waiting for England again
England calling Germany
Now where have we heard that one before?
But against Italy in Euro sparring
Arenas of qualifying preludes
Citizen Kane, Harry of Bayern
Munich
Now he must have had a premonition
Drives home a conclusive second goal
After the superlative Marcus Rashford
Had levelled the game
With a rocket that almost broke the net
For England
How distant that Italy opener
Must have seemed
Scamacca, a sparkler who
Fizzled out at West Ham
On the spot
Once again though Jude Belligham
Reminded us of world class
Ball control, toying with
The ball and the opposition
Like a rag doll
Here’s the menu Gareth Southgate
Would sir like a beer from Munich?
It seems so apt
Give that man the best steak
In the house
And a Euro trophy
During summertime football
Lull ready to party
We must hope

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