Right again, and shock of Germany in defeat was so absolutely typical

A MULTITUDE of ‘I told you so’s’ this week. 

High street bankers have been shown to be no better than common criminals. 

Egypt has become the first ‘Arab spring’ country to enter the summer as an Islamic state. (More to follow!)

The Euro and EEC are still floundering.

And finally Sharapova is screaming even louder. 

But it was the Germans going out of the Euro 2012 soccer championships that really tickled me. The utterly stunned shock on the faces of both players and fans alike was absolutely typical. 

The problem with the Germans (I do have German friends – or did!) is that they are always utterly convinced they are in the right, and assuredly always going to win. It’s a sort of naive arrogance and is actually the flaw in their character that Margaret Thatcher spoke of. 

It makes their every defeat, right across the board, absolutely crushing. 

People who believe they are invincible are totally soul destroyed when they discover they are not.

The odd thing about our Alemania’n allies is they never seem to learn the lessons of their own history. I was in Germany in 1966. Believe me; they had won the World Cup long before that historical final against England. 

Parades had been organised. Every petrol station had an enormous football in a net strung up on the forecourt. Celebration parties had been arranged and the country was on a complete high of World Cup winner’s euphoria. 

In true Leapy’s law fashion, I watched the game in the basement staff quarters of a large hotel in Wiesbaden! As the commentary was in German, I didn’t actually hear the time honoured phrase. ‘They think it’s all over – it is now’. But the shock in that basement was sliceable. There was complete silence. Even the commentator couldn’t speak. 

You can imagine this ol’ boy in the midst of all that! With YEESSS battling to burst forth from tortured lungs, I managed to slip quietly (and quickly) out. I left the following day. Till then I was surrounded by blank faces and subdued conversations. The whole country went into disbelief and shock that they had lost. 

I suppose you have to hand it to them that once over it they bounce back. 

The problem is their arrogant attitude prevents them actually learning anything from their mistakes. Mistakes like thinking they could win World War 111 on the economic battlefield. What a farce that is turning into. 

But they won’t concede. 

They’ll not admit defeat until it has cost them all they have and the whole thing lies in tatters around their feet. 

Sound familiar?

My birthday this week. 

All commiserations through the normal channels.

Thanks for all your missives. Even if I don’t reply I do read em all. Keep ‘em coming.

Try to do someone a good turn and whatever ya do always.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy    leapylee2002@gmail.com