After the tedium and national disgrace of the Euros, it was refreshing to watch the first league football of the new season. Norwich City were playing Dukla Praha at 5pm on July 21. The home team were thoughtfully providing a video feed of the match which was accompanied by remarks from fans watching on line, and a passing abuser with a Turkish name.

Rather than commit the team’s main stadium, host to many thrilling matches of consequence, Dukla had chosen a training pitch outside Prague.  In the freeze-frames selected above please note ....

the sylvan surroundings with an ominous lushness last seen in Blow Out;
couples out pushing a pram or walking the dog oblivious to the proceedings;
passing cars appearing between bushes and tennis courts
unconvincing hoardings and an electric clock;
flourishing tufts of weeds at every junction;
spectators gathering at the gigantic fencing for brief moments
official photographers pointing their lenses in other ways;
long, strong shadows from the late afternoon sun;
the team coaches (to the left)
an ambulance provided in the event of a player making contact;
a team of ambulance personnel whose attention was more on passing girls. with a man was so corpulent that I had the visual evidence (see above) that he had to sit down after 15 minutes.

Admittedly the tempo of the game was sluggish to intermittent, and several key Norwich players were more eager in preserving themselves for the evening’s pleasure in back in Sin City. FCP won with 3-1. Consulting the team sheet I see that RVW was playing. Not the composer but Ricki Van Wolfswinkel, back from his period on loan at Taramasalata FC.

If this video feed lark catches on it will sweep the broadcast industries of the world, sans

commentator
crowd
pundit
replays

everything.