Young Team

Despite having half a dozen or more albums on my MP3 player that I haven’t really played enough – the Antony and the Johnsons long player springs to mind – I have spent the last twenty minutes searching my favoured download site for something new and challenging to purchase. I’ve plumped for Mogwai’s debut album, ‘Young Team’ and, judging by the reviews on Amazon, it should be right up my street. ‘Beautiful, life-affirming music’ states one punter and that’ll do for me. The cover is lovely.

I must ask D what he thinks of the Kanye West album he bought recently. I wouldn’t mind checking out some intelligent hip-hop. It might make a change.

I was roaring Senegal on to defeat the hosts Egypt in yesterday’s African Cup of Nations semi-final. I would suggest that Egypt have been the best team in the whole competition while the Senegalese have struggled with form but I appreciated the underdogs’ valour and attacking zeal. A 2-1 score line saw Egypt home but they were fortunate as the referee ignored Senegal’s claims for the most blatant penalty ever in the last minute. Ivory Coast are the other finalists, a pragmatic, well-drilled side that I’m tempted to chuck an each-way wager on for the World Cup. Paddy Power have them at 100-1 for the tournament. I would fancy them to squeak a result against Serbia and Montenegro but would have to rely on either the Netherlands or Argentina slipping up too. It’s a tough group but stranger things have happened.