Wednesday 01 July 2026
Gary Lineker, Joe Cole, Millie Bright, Alan Shearer, Micah Richard, Rob Jones –The Rest Is Football
The Rest Is Football on Netflix has become like a striker who couldn’t score for love nor money.
I’m convinced that once Micah Richards and Alan Shearer are back together in the studio it’ll find its rhythm again, but for now it’s forty-five minutes of footballing drivel with precious little laughter and an awful lot of England.
Today’s episode went straight into England despite three matches having been played.
When they eventually dragged themselves away from Thomas Tuchel, they moved seamlessly onto Kylian Mbappé and how wonderful France are.
England’s likely next opponents, Mexico?
Barely a mention.
Come on lads.
You just need a goal.
I know it’ll come. A week ago the programme was one of my highlights of the day.
Truth be told, I’m probably not helping matters.
I’m tired.
Grumpy.
Still struggling to shake off this lingering fatigue despite finally managing eight hours’ sleep.
Staying up to watch Germany get knocked out and then heading into a late night shift hasn’t exactly helped my body clock.
Then there’s the medical trial.
I’ve injected myself with… something.
It might be a promising new weight-loss drug.
It might be a placebo.
Either way, my brain has decided to analyse absolutely everything.
Hungry.
Not hungry.
Slightly nauseous.
Not nauseous.
I genuinely have no idea what to believe.
Throw in rather too much alcohol at the weekend and it’s hardly surprising irritation levels are running high.
I’ve also been listening to TalkSport.
Which is generally entertaining.
I simply don’t need Jim White reminding me every five minutes that he’s broadcasting from New York.
We know, Jim.
Enjoy the working holiday.
Another thing.
Every football pundit in the country now seems incapable of describing a defensive team without uttering the words “low block”.
What exactly was wrong with “defending well” or “parking the bus”?
Whoever introduced that phrase deserves a strongly worded letter.
The BBC continue to stumble through their Salford-based coverage.
Their presentation of Ivory Coast versus Norway did little to change my mind.
Tonight they have England.
My expectations remain suitably modest.
I’ll be at work for kick-off, which is actually ideal.
Five o’clock is usually my quiet spell.
Which almost certainly means every telephone in the building will start ringing the moment England encounter the low block of DR Congo.
Life has an excellent sense of timing.
WORLD CUP LOG #6
Manchester, England
The Listening Log 