Posted on 30 June: “Are you planning to watch the World Cup’s “Napoleonic rematch” between Spain and France? :) Sean Storrs” Your reply: “This is terrible – your question didn’t reach me until after it was over. Sorry. But France won’t win the cup.”

Mr. Cornwell: You were right, but that was a close final match. Zidane’s carte rouge notwithstanding, did you see one of the French players take his second place medal off while he was still on camera and that Coach Domenech put his in his pocket? That, to me, is also inexcusable behavior. Sean Storrs