John Helm: Surprises galore in Under 17 World Cup
I KNEW the Under 17 World Cup in Nigeria was going to be full of surprises from the moment our airport bus didn’t turn up and we had to hitch a ride with the Honduras team.
They were expecting a bit of Bob Marley or Eminem on the way to the hotel and we bemused them with “I Love You Because” from Jim Reeves!
My favourite sign was one at the stadium in Kaduna pointing the way to The Popular North Toilet.
Least favourite moment was jumping a mile-long queue for petrol – which is on rations – simply because we were regarded as VIPs who needed fuel more than the locals and our armed guards probably feared a riot.
Funniest moment came when the guards were desperate for a comfort break during a five-hour drive, and lined up for “a Paula Radcliffe” at the side of a road with guns slung over their shoulders.
They were in mid stream when a woman popped up out of the bushes to sell them bunches of carrots!
IT’S amazing what hypnotic powers a teleprinter can have, especially when you’re a million miles from home.
Bauchi, Nigeria, seems to be exactly that on a Saturday afternoon when you’re desperately trying to keep in touch with events back home.
Sneaking away from Turkey’s training session at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium – home to the Railways club – I managed to find a computer that actually worked, and miraculously came across an instant results service that kept me transfixed until the boys had exhausted themselves practising penalty kicks.
Up came Hartlepool 0 Kettering 1 – an FA Cup shock on the cards there then.
Next was Aston Villa 5 Bolton 1 – though according to the page that gave access to the scorers Elmander had netted two for Bolton.
