blog

You would have to say, in a cliche, the best team won. But the beautiful game it wasn't. Apart from a few flashes of brilliance from Spain the final encounter of a thoroughly enjoyable Euro 2008 was a dogged affair, decided albeit, by a superbly finished goal from Liverpool darling Torres.

The tournament provided more exciting games than this, cliffhangers aplenty, but in the end Spain reaped their just rewards in a mostly unimpressive manner and the game, but ordinary German team, never really looked like they were capable of posing a real threat. So a great few weeks of football, and now I have to stow away the complaints department TV until the Olympic Games start later in the year.

Interesting complaint from an Applegreen motorcyclist customer who was upset because he was asked to take off his helmet in an Applegreen shop while paying for his petrol. Apparently he got less than perfect service for which we apologized but our policy on removing helmets inside the shop will remain, for what are pretty obvious reasons. However, he also raised some points indicating that tanking up is a major chore for motorcyclists and they often are made to feel (by motorists) that they are a nuisance because they hold up the queue removing gloves, putting the bike on a stand and so on.
I was wondering what other motorcyclists think?

If you are a motorcyclist with an idea on how to improve the motorcyclists lot on the forecourt, let us know. Is there some practical way to enhance the motorcyclists tanking up experience? Drop us a line and let us know.

OK, I guess I should give up on this football pundit lark. Still it was extra close as Spain squeezed past a depleted Italian team on penalties. Despite the best efforts of their coach who surprisingly took off three of his best players, and probably stopped them from winning in normal time, they eventually came through in the penalty shoot out. The Spaniards deserved to win, but only just.

One has to admire the Italians who despite being without Canavarro, Pirlo and Gatusso, were defensively superb. Pretty it ain't, but if you can't defend you are eventually doomed to failure and it was only the lack of a decent partner for Luca Toni up front that left the Italians depending on penalties. So on to the semi finals next week and it promises to be an exciting climax to a tremendous tournament. No tips from me I'm afraid, but quietly, I will be hoping Germany go all the way.

On the Applegreen front our customers are celebrating the return of The Water. After flying off the shelves following the launch in May, supplies had run out in some stores but you will be glad to know that the, one liter one euro thirst quencher is now back in stock in all stores.

Our coffee survey is also turning up some interesting facts and helping us to continue serving the best coffee on the road. If you haven't done it already, it just takes minutes to fill in and you could win a prize.

Well I have to put my hands up and say i didn't see that coming, Russia beating Holland that is. Funny thing is the RTE pundits did. All three of them at that!

In what must have been one of the most boring games since the tournament began Holland played like a bunch of scared kids while the Russians probed and tested the water. Cagey game the pundits called it, passionless tip tap I say. Then Russia scored and Holland equalized, great I thought at last a bit of excitement, but no it wasn't to be. The Dutch gave up the ghost and Russia cruised home, the only glimmer of light being a great performance from the new buzz player of the tournament Arshevan.

So Russia deservedly progress to the semi final against either Italy or Spain and as all the group winners up to now have been sent home I still tip Italy to send Spain packing, but as has been proven almost on a game by game basis in this tournament, anything could happen. One thing we can be sure of as long as Russia remain in the tournament we will be subjected to the aesthetic nightmare of shirtless Russian male fans. Be proud of your shirts for God sake, put them on!

Far be it from me to gloat or resort to that most detestable form of self flattery " I told you so" but you have got to admit I called it right for the first two semi finals of Euro 2000. Which is more than the RTE analysis team can say.

Tipping Portugal to beat Germany and indeed writing off the Germans as being ordinary and lacking in imagination while raving about the Croatians and fancying them to beat Turkey was proved, well.., wrong, in a word. Only the venerable Liam Brady prudently remarked that the Germans generally improve as tournaments progress and was not totally taken in by the aberration that was Croatias defeat of an overconfident Germany in their second game.

As for Turkey's sensational last minute demolition of a valiant Croatia, surely they had given notice in their previous games that they can fight to the bitter end, even when they are being decimated like an outnumbered army in battle by injury and yellow cards. One can only wonder where they will find a team to face Germany in the semi final.

I am prepared to really go out on a limb here and declare Euro 2008 as the best tournament we have had the pleasure of enjoying, ever! Truly top class. What do you think? Am I wrong? For the second two quarter finals I'm going for Netherlands to take Russia, and Italy to send Spain home. Of course I could be wrong, but that's part of the excitement.
Oh and by the way, the price of the barrel of oil rose again today to $135. and the weather forecast for the weekend is dismal. At least we've got more football to distract and delight us.

Wow, they must really love us on the Euro mainland. First we don't take part in their Euro 2008 football championship, then we send a crude foul mouthed excuse for a turkey to the Eurovision and now we say no to a treaty negotiated by our elected representatives, presumably because we don't trust them.(the representatives that is)

The boss say's I should not get involved in politics, he even expressed the view that football doesn't belong in this blog. In truth he would prefer if I wrote about the price of fuel and the state of the economy. Well I tried to explain to him that the only thing people are interested in fuel wise is who is the cheapest and as we have low fuel prices, always we have already dealt with the fuel issue. Applegreen has made it's mark all over Ireland and indeed now in the UK as a good deal zone for motorists. This enables the beleaguered transumer to enjoy the other good things in life.

Even though Ireland and England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 you can't deny that it is ueberexciting and the best entertainment around at the moment. Therefore it keeps our mind off the downturn in the economy. So at the risk of getting the sack here are my predictions.

Don't write off the Germans. The Turks will fight to the bitter end. Croatia are not as good as Eamon Dunphy thinks. Italy to beat France. Last nights game between Turkey and the Czech Rep. was a cracker. I fancy Germany and Holland. What about you? What do you think about Euro 2008? oh...and ...fuel prices and the economy of course?

The thing that gets me about football is that it's just like life. It should be about skill and creativity and be fair, but it's not fair at all. The poor Schweizer, Alexander Frei was having a good game on a comeback after injury, when quick as you can say Euro 2008, the tournament was over for him. Nothing fair about that and I couldn't help thinking Switzerland had also been robbed of at least a point against a very lucky Czech side.
As you can see the boss let me have a TV, albeit an old black and white. The window of opportunity allowed by the 17.00 and 19.45 kick-off gives me about 50 minutes to cycle like crazy and watch the second game in the comfort of my own home. In this case it was Portugal v Turkey and as expected Portugal were superior and ran out easy 2-0 winners. Turkey were very disappointing. Ronaldo will have to step up a notch if Portugal want to go all the way. We also really need to see if he is worth all that money.

What a bloomin' great weekend. Super weather from Donegal to Cork, Galway to Dublin. The Phoenix Park was jam packed with green fingered gardeners. On Thursday, Press Day, it was pleasantly full.
The Applegreen / Lavazza garden once again designed by Brian O Hara took Silver again for the second year running and impressed the visitors and judges with it's wonderfully natural brook which flowed effortlessly into a pool dividing the garden in two.
The peace and tranquility of the Thursday didn't last long as thousands of visitors beat a path to the show on the following four days. Resplendent in the beautiful weather the shrubs, plants, flowers and general greenery provided a tropical background to what has definitely been a successful 2008 show for the Bloomers,
Don't forget to fill in the coffee survey.
I'm off to ask the boss if I can install a TV in the complaints department for the Euro football feast.
I like to work late and all the games are evening games (17.00 and 19.45).