Flights Confirmed & Ballot Finalised

Well it is all happening now! I had previously booked flights on Cathay to fly out on June 10 and arrive in Frankfurt on June 11 (my wedding anniversary date, how romantic!). The return flights were to fly out on the 23rd of June and arrive home in Australia on the 25th of June. The total cost for two tickets was some $4,412.

However, my good mate Bernie put me onto some similar flights, with the same carrier at a much cheaper cost. So of course, I followed this up and changed my flight arrangements. The flights are now on Cathay CX 134 out of Melbourne on the 10th of June departing at 7.35am and arriving in Frankfurt on 11th June at 5.50am. The return flight departs Frankfurt on the 23rd of June at 7.40pm and gets me home in Melbourne at 6.15am (flights CX282/CX135). Total cost for two tickets, $4,058, a saving of $354. Not bad.

So myself and my wife are all sorted. Hopefully after today, Bernie will also have his tickets in hand after the FIFA ballot is concluded. As I mentioned in a previous post, Bernie missed out on the FFA allocation, however, I am hopeful he gets them today in the ballot. Fingers crossed, and good luck Bernie!! In any event, he is still booked to go over to Germany on the same flights as myself and my wife, and is hopeful to get tickets through other means. He is, however, going on the Australian Sports Tours tour, as opposed to the FFA one as it is slightly cheaper and a little more "touristy".

Stadium In Munich

I just got an email today which has photos of the Allianz Arena, and I have to say, it certainly is an exciting prospect. Have a look at some of these images. Simply breathtaking. Can you imagine how it is going to look when it is full to the rafters with Brazlian and Australian fans going nuts on June 18?

It will be a night to behold!!

Apparently, the stadium's lighting can be set to one of three colors and depending on who is playing at the stadium that night, the lights are set accordingly. Such as red for Bayern Munich, blue for 1860 and white for Germany. It costs 22,000 Euros a night to light up as well.

Aussie Guus To Depart After Finals?

After a big Australia Day lounging by the pool and watching the cricket, I am at work in a more tired state than I would otherwise be for a Friday.

However, the poster on the wall of my office of the Socceroos on stage after they had just beaten Uruguay is enough to bring a smile to my face.

I read today that Guus Hindick is also in talks with the Poms to replace Sven when he departs. All I can say is thank god we have him. The man is a legend and the salary he is asking (about $A9-10 million) for the job would be worth every penny I believe. Hopefully when he departs (which will no doubt happen as we can't afford that kind of coin) we are able to get a decent replacement. I would hate to see a "Frank Farina" take up the reigns again. Perhaps Gerrard Houllier could be a chance?

In any event, I don't think that Aussie Guus would leave us in the lurch and with his contacts, I believe a good replacement will be found.

Interesting times ahead!

Friends Still Trying

I got a lift into work today with a good mate of mine, Bernie, who is still trying to get tickets and we discussed his plans regarding what will happen if he misses out on the ballot on the 31st of Janurary.

He is the supreme optimist, and has said that regardless whether he gets the tickets this time around, he will still be booking his flights and tour. God bless him!! His determination should be an inspiration to everyone else who missed out in the FFA process.

He plans to pay a premium if he does miss out, and will go through th ticket broking avenues should the FIFA process fail. Worse case is just go over there and try your luck. I have said it in other forums that I have never, ever, known anyone to miss out on getting into a sold out event, even when they have missed out on tickets. You just have to do the hard yards, and eventually, you will get in. Just never give up. I think Bernie is like this, and he will ultimately get inside the venues. Good luck mate!!

By the way, he is also looking at either the Australian Sports Tours 15 day tour, or the FFA's 12 day guided or unguided tours. I reckon he will end up going with the guided tour as it is all done for you and you can just concentrate on one thing, partying! Oh, and also cheering the lads on to some famous victories.

World Cup Withdrawal

The papers have gone quiet on the Aussie World Cup campaign at the moment. What is it? Too much tennis, cricket or the Commonwealth Games to not even have a half a page in the Herald-Sun talking about the biggest event in Australian sporting history?

Don't get me wrong, I love all sport, but hey, lets not sacrifice Football for the sake of the Commonwealth Games!

Perhaps Peter Desira needs to pull his finger out and show some balls to the sports editor at the HS and get some more coverage? Not sure what the answer is, but no doubt as the day gets closer our great game will begin to take over the front and back pages of the paper, just like it did on that fateful day in November.

Boonie at the World Cup

I love my David Boon doll. For one, he is a symbol of the typical Australian. Known as the keg on legs, the guy is a legend, and the doll is a materialisation of the legend himself.

His quips during the current VB series have been sensational and he steals the show when people come over to watch the cricket. However, for most of Australia, the fund ends at the end of the VB series, and Boonie will again become a lifeless piece of plastic.

However, I have decided that my Boonie doll will take a different path to the millions of others around Australia. He will become my mascot at the 2006 World Cup. Young Boonie will come with me wherever I go in Germany. He will be visiting the pubs, the stadiums and every other place Germany has to offer.

Of course, all of this will be photographed. I am even thinking of starting up a "Boonie on Tour" website, with photos of his exploits. More of that to come, but until next time, Boonie you are a legend!

140 days to go!

I have a clock on my desk at work that counts down to a special day. Well of course it is now set to Day 1 of the World Cup, which as the title says, is only 140 days to go.

Forget the Commonwealth Games, or the Australia Cricket team's tour of South Africa (I am not playing these down, but they pale in comparision), this is going to be huge!

For those who read this who may be wondering how I secured my tickets to the big stage, I was one of the lucky ones in the FFA ballot as mentioned earlier, and I sent my application off at exactly 9.00 and 00 seconds from my work email address which luckily is a quick server.

I managed to get my internal Windows clock on my laptop coordinated with the FFA website at about 8am, before their server shat itself, so luck was on my side that day.

I noticed Frank Farina is throwing his hat into the ring as well regarding coaching an A-League team next season. I wonder where he will end up? Hopefully Melbourne, as Ernie Merrick is a moron! Well Frank and Robbie Slater will be hosting our tour, so hopefully there will be time for a chat amongst the many German beers and celebrations.

I am off to the World Cup

As one of the lucky ones to have already secured a ticket (and one for my wife as well), I am very pleased to be one of the lucky ones from Australia to get them through the FFA. Having had my cousin and best man play for the Socceroos in the late 90's, and seen him miss out on tickets has certainly drove home this fact.

Quite a few friends have also missed out, which is a little disappointing, however, they have certainly not given up hope as yet. They are in the FIFA ballot which results will be announced at the end of this month. I hope they get them, as one of my cousins has already booked his flights.

I will know quite a few people over there though already. A workmate is going and is best mates with the team physio. Another of my cousins is a player manager (he is Archie Thompson's manager), so he will be there. Plus a lot of friends will be there as well, even if they miss out on tickets.

I have also booked my flights, which fly into Frankfurt on the day of the FFA's Tour A, and will leave Stuttgart at the end of our preliminary rounds. I can't stay on as I have bugger all annual leave left after taking 6 weeks off to go to the Ashes. Here's hoping I bring better luck to the boys this time!!

I am now in the process of trying to get as many flags, shirts, caps etc with our national colors or flag on them. This is going to be huge, and I want to be a part of Australian sporting history!!