Donetsk here we come!

Well the title of this post may give the impression that we are enthusiastically counting down the hours and days until we head out for another European venture. But to be honest this trip has not had a lot to recommend it at the moment. Booking flights and hotels has been a nightmare, and its no surprise that very few England fans will be making this trip. We leave from Birmingham on the 8th, flying into Istanbul where we catch our connection and head out to Donetsk.

The hotel prices have beaten me I'm afraid, quotes of £500 and £600 a night for a single room have been common in this area and despite the warnings that people wouldn't pay those figures they have been ignored by our hosts. Reluctantly I recruited the help of a friend of mine who lives in Kyiv and through him we've managed to secure a rental house 10 minutes from down-town Donetsk. My fingers are well and truly crossed that this turns out OK. We are being collected from the airport by a work colleague, which is a small but significant positive in what has so far been anything but. I hope that sets the trend. The arrangements have been painful, a million miles from what we would normally accept, but sometimes you have to make the most of it and do what you can.

Fingers and toes are well and truly crossed!!

Apologies for the lack of content

I've been rather busy on other 'stuff' over the last 6 months or so, but to be honest the England scene has lacked in its excitement level. Once we had qualified and then Fabio took his long walk there didn't seem to be much to raise the interest level. A period of reflection perhaps? A period of intense negativity even? It could well be. However we are on the eve of another tournament so perhaps, just perhaps, we might find something to cheer about. Here goes!