There Or Thereabouts

Ah, we've started taking a sideways look at football again. New name. Little bit of fun.

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

I've said it before, Portugal need to organise a fake World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo during the real thing so he believes he's playing against DR Congo when all the players are actors. Genuinely think he'd fall for it, not sure he knows who any of his teammates are anyway.

[There Or Thereabouts @Back_of_the_Net]

Oh, well done referee denying us a moment of pure football joy just because Curacao's player is 15 yards offside. Hope you're proud of yourself.

[There Or Thereabouts @Back_of_the_Net]

If we must have hydration breaks, at least make them competitive. There's only so many bottles of water and the players have to race to get them.

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

The first Curaçao game I ever watched back in 2021 the live stream was insanely shaky and after about 25 minutes some guy's head just knocked the camera off its perch. Stayed like that for a full 5 minutes. So safe to say they've come a fair way.

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

Floranus of Curaçao really does have a name of two halves.

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

Twitter’s auto-translate may need to rethink this one, but from now on we’ll definitely be using the phrase: ‘chasing the dream without soup’.

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

There's a World Cup sweepstake for teachers at my kids' school. At pick-up people kept coming up and asking things like: "I got DR Congo, be honest with me, is that bad?" and 'They said I've got South Korea, what's my chances?" Imagine this is what being a doctor is like.

[Lost Boyos: A Football Travel Podcast @LostBoyosPod]

NEW EPISODE

@paul_c_watson joined us to talk about his various intrepid football adventures around the world - from Mircronesia to San Marino and everything in between. Plus, we of course chatted all things @SweeperPod.

https://t.co/qdEwINoKUx

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

🇸🇿 The 'Old Firm Derby' takes place today - but not as you know it: it's Rangers Shiselweni versus Tabankulu Celtics in Eswatini's Premier League!

But neither team is expected to win the league as they don't have animals in their name; all but one of the last 21 seasons has been won by a team whose name features an animal!

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

At this point Vanuatu United have had more coach resignations (1) than league games (0) in the club’s history.

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

🏆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴...𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲! 🟡

Featuring clubs Europe-wide who are nicknamed the Canaries in their various languages.

🇧🇪 Sint-Truiden, 🇧🇬 Botev Plovdiv,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Norwich City, 🇫🇷 Nantes, 🇮🇹 Modena, 🇳🇴 Lillestrøm, 🇵🇹 Estoril Praia, 🇸🇮 Koper, 🇹🇷 Fenerbahçe, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Caenarfon Town

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

Had an amazing time in Palermo for the @paladinodoro festival where @thesoccermen was on.

Paladino d'Oro is the oldest sports film festival in the world, running since 1979.

Saw loads of great films, met wonderful people, and Palermo is an incredible city. A special experience!

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

That may have been the best international break ever.

For @SweeperPod's Patreon (free to read), I wrote about Curaçao, Haiti, Suriname, Iraq, Bangladesh, Singapore, Senegal, Paraguay, Somalia and the British Virgin Islands.

I love international football!
https://t.co/3gQhxohBuA

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

🇸🇪 WHAT A FAIRYTALE! SWEDISH UNDERDOGS MJÄLLBY, WHO COME FROM A FISHING VILLAGE OF 1,485 PEOPLE, HAVE WON THE ALLSVENSKAN!

How have they achieved this feat? What records have they broken along the way? Here are 10 things you need to know about Sweden’s new champions!

THREAD 🧵

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

It's hard to explain to people on a seemingly normal October day in Gloucestershire that I can't really do things because I'm too nervous about a game in Cape Verde at 5pm.

[Tristan Cork Post @TristanCorkPost]

The amazing story of Bristol City fan @paul_c_watson & his adventure of managing the ‘world’s worst international football team’ is winning awards at film festivals around the world.
Read more here👇🏼
https://t.co/m7Kh8v3iUf

[Paul Watson @paul_c_watson]

Good to see that a thing having happened before absolutely won’t be a precedent when it comes to other games being played overseas.

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

🚨 Are you tired of the endless Premier League chat? Looking to fall back in love with football? Searching for something refreshing & different?

Then join us at The Sweeper - the only football pod that covers the entire planet. Try our new episode via the link in our profile 🤩

[Nauru Soccer @nauru_soccer]

Our plans are ongoing! We will be launching a campaign later this year. We still have shirts available to help support our cause.
https://t.co/zmHNdsON1k
#naurusoccerfederation #sweeperpod #ofc #nauru

[The Sweeper @SweeperPod]

🇳🇷🏝️ The world's smallest island nation Nauru is now the last country on earth to have never played a senior 11v11 official international football match.

The Marshall Islands had previously been in the same boat but played their first game against US Virgin Islands yesterday.