Lights, Camera, Action...

...Which , as every parent should know, is a particularly catchy tune by Ocker supergroup The Wiggles.

But the phrase has been misappropriated by that other World Media Super Power FIFA to describe the lighting of lamps along Adderley Street in Downtown Capetown, as they gear up towards the wiggly circus that is the FIFA World Cup draw.

Ah! I'm salivating at the merest thought of the hooplah, the pageantry, and the orchestrated litany of pre-ordained catastrophe that is a World Cup Draw.

Meanwhile the bunfighting over the yet to be divvied up 2018 World Cup has begun. As evidenced by this article in the Sunday Star Times. Quite apart from generating some predictably negative and parochial in-fighting based around which region has the better stadium (Auckland or Wellington), or the massive questions around inter-confederational co-hosting, this story has all the hall marks of a 'counting chickens before they fully cross the goal line' scenario. Yes it would be a dream come true to host a group, or even a game, in Aotearoa but Aussie has to win the bid first and most likely won't be using the co-hosting angle as a point of difference.

My personal view is that actual competition games would be a long shot, but the more likely hosting of pre-tournament trainings, friendlies and the associated media junkets means that NZ would be likely to get a piece of the action.

Meanwhile I keep telling my son that next year he will be sitting on daddy's lap while we both enjoy the spectacle of the world's best entertainers in action, resplendent in their traditional, representative colours.

Unfortunately, I think he thinks I mean this.

Ah well, if you can't beat em- join em. Enjoy: