sporting memories 1 - 'arry, 'aris, jim callaghan, looking for a new ingerland

molière and the fat lad

when ingerland took on italy at wemberley a short while ago in the final of euro 2020, most people believed (well, the lucky few who managed to avoid the traditional gomorrah of pre match festivities that ingerland fans had so thoughtfully provided for everyone outside) that such spectacle would not be surpassed this year. how wrong they were! for you have in your possession here a precious artefact so dangerously full to bursting with passion, insight and wisdom that you should really don medical grade masks and darkened safety visors for any encounter with the many dangerous thrills and sizzling insights of its host, moliere. the great man has exclusively recorded a full commentary of the match, live from his chateau in seventeenth century france. he is the round ball guru that everyone has been seeking to lure away with promises of earthly delights galore. but the poet is not for turning. here he delivers a punditry and commentating masterclass, blessing us with his unparalleled vision, his renowned perspicacity, his ever-alert ear for the cadenced and mellifluous words of strategy that surround us all and yet trouble us but rarely. his reading of the game is both thorough and delightfully nuanced, but also almost spiritual. his encyclopaedic and formidable knowledge of association football informs his every remark and aside. his willingness to share his genius, meanwhile, is yet another sign of his altruism. and then there is his moving bravery - for which, typically, he will claim no credit. indeed, observant listeners will realise that this broadcast represents his first foray back into the arena of contact sport since a serf caused such unnecessary and unfortunate damage to the very digit with which he makes his glorious living (a moment caught in all its bloody goriness live on the pod many moons ago). fearless, incisive, he possesses a deep understanding of the beautiful game, and may even have played a pivotal role in its inception. truly, we are not worthy. but what a time to be alive. here, moliere gifts us with the definitive souvenir of such an epochal tournament final. without superfluity. devoid of bombast ... it has come to our attention that some other bloke also muscled in to this podcast, and for this we can only unreservedly and most sincerely apologise - we share your pain ... inscribe to us at moliereandthefatladATgmail.com (replacing AT with @) ... for full derivation of the word thumb in this context, please see the excellent - but admittedly rival - podcast work of barry glendenning esquire ... and a big shout out to 'aris.