The England Fan Road Diaries | Ep 4: Inside Miami’s Heatwave, Extra-Time Drama & Squeezing Past Norway

England are in the semi-finals! After a grueling, extra-time 2-1 victory over Norway, Harvey checks in with Pledgeball's Katie Cross from their new base in Atlanta as the anticipation for a historic clash with Argentina reaches fever pitch.

In this episode, Katie catches up with Harvey to dissect a tense, sweaty, and ultimately triumphant night in Miami. Harvey describes what it was like surviving the absolute hottest football match of his life, where fans only survived the humidity thanks to the occasional, highly celebrated breeze, and how the extreme weather clearly took its toll on the players on the pitch.

Looking ahead to Wednesday's massive semi-final, Harvey previews the classic rivalry against an aggressive Argentina side, shares his prediction, and explains why he thinks England have the bottle if it goes all the way to penalties.

Plus, Harvey doesn't hold back on FIFA’s "scandalous" ticket pricing, calling out the corporate greed that is actively pricing out the game's most loyal, lifelong fans right when they want to support their country the most.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I'm really looking forward to the game um against Argentina. It's gonna be a big game. It's gonna be there's gonna be a lot of nerves surrounding that fixture. Um so I'm looking forward to it. But uh I'd imagine well while I'm actually watching the game, I'm gonna be nervous as hell.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Hello, Harvey, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Good, thank you. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:18

I'm good, thank you. Where are you checking from today?

SPEAKER_00 0:21

We are in Atlanta today, so we're in a hotel just near the airport, um, which we just stayed in for one night, and then we're driving closer uh towards uh the actual city um and stuff today, um, in a better location.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

Okay, and so how close how far is that drive?

SPEAKER_00 0:37

It's only about half an hour, um, so it's not too bad. Uh, we've had worse.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

Nice. And how how are you feeling after a crazy few days?

SPEAKER_00 0:47

I'm quite optimistic, you know. I I uh I'm really looking forward to the game um against Argentina. It's the first time in my lifetime where we've played them in a um maybe at all, but I was gonna say in a major tournament. Um so it's gonna be a big game. It's gonna be it's gonna be a lot of nerves surrounding that fixture. Um so I'm looking forward to it, but uh, I'd imagine well, while I'm actually watching the game, I'm gonna be nervous as hell.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

And how how was it at the Norway again?

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Yeah, it was it was really good to be fair. The um I I quite liked the stadium, so the uh almost the away end as such is where where we were um with all the fans was again one of those kind of steeper grounds. It it felt like a proper felt more like an away away end than uh other stadiums have felt. Um the only problem though was um the pitch was was too close to the the side to the end of the like the grass, if that makes sense. That from our seat, most of I think everyone around us could own couldn't really see the goal unless you're really like leading over in terms of the actual net and goal. Um so every time we're throwing goal no, we're we're heart, so we're hot really high up, but it was really like steep and goes far back. So then your angle of the goal was almost cut off by other people's heads. No way. So everyone's trying to like uh poke their head over when when we're throwing goal, but um luckily I managed to get a good view of all the goals. So um I was all right.

SPEAKER_02 2:16

And so how last time you're in Mexico, you got there four hours before the game. How how long did you get there this time before?

SPEAKER_00 2:23

Yeah, we got there quite early again just because of traffic, and everyone was kind of advised to get there early. Um, especially Scotland fans have been there earlier on in the tournament um and kind of had to ditch their Ubers because they were just in standstill. So we took that advice and just kind of went really early. There's actually like uh loads of almost like benches and bars and stuff in the ground in the concourse area because it's quite big. So we got there early. Some of us got a bit of food, and uh we just sat down on one of the benches for an hour or so um and then went to our seat for another hour, and then all of a sudden it was time for kickoff. So not as early as Mexico, but a lot earlier than I would for a normal football game.

SPEAKER_02 3:04

And how was how was the atmosphere of Mexico?

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Uh yeah, Mexico was obviously a lot better. Um, like the that in terms of everything, in terms of the Mexican fans, everything combined, but the atmosphere was still great. I think everyone's uh getting a bit of World Cup fever now. Um really like you can you can feel it in the away ends. People are really, really uh excited watching this team um compared to maybe the group stages where there's still just a little bit of like ex expectation to win.

SPEAKER_02 3:35

Yeah, and uh and the ground itself, like you said it's really nice, you've got benches there, not an air conditioned stadium. So, how how was that no good one?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

No god, it was hard. I I um I feel bad for the players. Um I because we had been ill the last few days as well, so I was knackered anyway, and I was just stood in the ground, just like absolutely dying from the heat, the humidity, like not nowhere, air conditioned, not like the concourse was open air as well. So um there's no way of escaping it. Um it was like being back in England when there's a heat wave.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

And how was it all right in the seats? Like when you were sat there watching it, was it more of a breeze or was it just trying to get through it?

SPEAKER_00 4:20

Yeah, every now and then you'd get a breeze come through and you'd hear everyone around you go, ooh. So um other than that, it was pretty unbearable. It was well, I would say it's the the hottest football game I've ever been to, but Tampa, uh, the friendly against um New Zealand was uh before the tournament was was hotter because that was yeah, that was like the no roof, like right in the sun. At least we were in the the shade kind of um in this game.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

And do you think you could see that on the pitch? That impacted.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I think the players said it kind of in their interviews after as well. It's not easy, tough game. Um the you could definitely see it in the way they were playing, a little bit slower. Um, reactions were weren't quite there. Um you'd imagine that's down to the um the fatigue from playing in like such extreme weather.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

And uh obviously Bellingham made that point as well, specifically.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

And do you think then, like what are you expecting? Because the the next stadium, air conditioned, Atlanta, it's do you reckon that'll impact our game?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Uh well, we've played there already, so I I feel like we we don't really have any excuses in terms of um the weather there. The air con, again, like we it'll be the third time we played in an aircon stadium this tournament. Like the the temperature in there is absolutely fine. Like it is literally like walking into an air-conditioned building and when you step inside one of those stadiums.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Um like can you see can you see the air conditioning units in the stadium?

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Uh I've not actually looked for them, but maybe I'll have a look for them um uh at this next game. I'll I'll try and see if I can spot them. Um but so yeah, the in terms of conditions, it should it should be absolutely fine. Um, and um my my only thought is that uh terms of rest and recovery for our players, you know, being absolutely killed in that heat um the other day and then having a few days' rest in Kansas, which is just gonna be just as hot and uh and then they're gonna have to make their way down. Um I don't know, are the Argentinians gonna deal with that better than us? Perhaps, but we've got better them.

SPEAKER_02 6:42

So how how are you feeling about Wednesday?

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Yeah, uh I don't know. I I I mean I I'm really looking forward to it. I think um it's just uh I think it's just gonna be a nerdy game the the um this tournament and even the last World Cup it's just they're just gonna be they're gonna be tough, they're gonna be like a team of bouncers. Um and I just hope that our team's uh prepared for that and ready to to face that and always to go um and fight for for a win.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

Nice. So I've got you quick fire and you ready for this?

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Okay. So since we last spoke, that's food.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

Again, since we've last spoke, we've still been ill. So yeah, yeah, yeah. We're we're still um really ill. So um we've literally eaten like I I've had like rice bowls and like just plain margaritas.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

I'm colouring that's a margarita. Yeah. Sorry, give me two seconds, let me just go and find a clean.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

No worries.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

Come on then, let's go find a quick name. Come on then, very quickly. Come on, sorry. Sorry.

SPEAKER_02 8:11

She's I can write, so she writes me like negotiating letters. Uh right, let's go back and start there again then. We'll start from the uh quickfire. Um right, Harvey, it's time for your quick fire then. So since we last spoke, best place you've eaten, your best food.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

Yeah, so like I said, we've been uh we've still been ill. Um, so um we've not really had much of an appetite to go any uh anywhere fancy. So probably just go for some pizza place we um watched the Arden Scene a game in after the match um the other day.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Okay, so no grasshoppers this time, no amazing pasta.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

No, so very boring this time. Very boring, yeah. Hopefully we'll go back to New York and I go to the same pasta place.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Yeah, exactly. Uh best goal?

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Uh I'll probably go for the one uh I can't remember his name, but the one that uh Norway scored against us. I know it was probably a bit of a fluke, probably across, but it did just slam right into the top corner, didn't it? Yeah, yeah. But it it is still like you can't you can't knock it, it's still still right in the top corner.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

So uh best moment.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

Um yeah, going two-one up um is the best moment. Um in added time, uh, extra time, sorry. Um you almost know at that point we're gonna probably win the game and we're gonna hopefully see the game out, bring Dan Vernon and the rest of history.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

I was gonna ask you, did at what point did you feel like we've got this? Like were we fairly confident from early on, or was there I said so I said second half was quite uh quite dodgy.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

We weren't we weren't brilliant. I don't think it was a great game of football from either sides particularly. Um but when it went to added time, extra time, I said to my dad, I said we've there's still a goal in this game. I th I still think we're gonna score. We're not great, but like we've got the quality, we create somewhat of chances, and I think we'll we'll get a chance, and you like there should be a goal left in this game with the amount of fatigue and and everything in it.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Nice. Uh and best moment then?

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Yeah, it's got to be going 2-1 up, doesn't it, to to kind of see us into the semi-finals. That was that was a really good moment.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

And did I mean did it feel like in that ground, did it feel were the England fans confident at any point in time that we would win?

SPEAKER_00 10:35

Yeah, I I wouldn't say we were all confident um in the away ends. There was uh a lot of nerves, a lot of shouting going on towards the pitch. I don't know. Myself, I thought that once I went to uh added time, I thought there was still still a goal left in uh in that game. Ultimately, we we do have more quality than them across the pitch and a better bench than them. So you would hope that the players we bring on create something. And Rogers did do that with a nice shot, um, which um the keeper kind of spilled out straight in front of Bellingham. So um in the end, it was down to us creating more chances through substitutions. Um so I think we were um we were pretty pleased with that.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Nice, and then biggest clanger for you then?

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Uh I mean it's been the whole tournament, but it it really shines now that uh we're having to look at the uh the getting tickets for semi-finals and finals. So I'm gonna go for FIFA again for their ticket prices and their scandalous behaviour. Um it's absolutely criminal. Um, and I feel like a lot of England fans will feel the same way.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Do they feel the same way out there? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, people out here feel feel the same way, but I'm sure there's a lot more people at home who feel the same way, and that's the reason they're at home, because they they can't um they can't afford to be out here, which is a massive shame for people who have travelled across the whole world watching England for their whole life, and when it gets down to moments like this, they're priced out of it because um FIFA's kind of exploiting that loyalty of fans.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

Do you think that will change?

SPEAKER_00 12:08

I hope it will change, but I as long as Infantino's in, I don't think it will change. So I really hope that our uh kind of FA and the rest of Europe especially um really push for a change in uh the president with FIFA.

SPEAKER_02 12:23

Okay, and final question then. Do I dare ask what your score prediction is for Wednesday?

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Can I ask that or is it is it I think I think it's gonna be 2-2, and I think it will go all the way out. I don't know if someone will um snatch it at the end and add time, um or if it goes to penalties. Uh if it goes to penalties, I think we've got the bottle. I think we've got the bottle if it goes to penalties.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

There you have it. Let's hopefully check in then uh after Wednesday.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

Fingers crossed.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

Yeah. Well, I hope you feel better. I hope you have a good run. I hope you feel a bit more uh energized and rested by the time you have to take on Wednesday.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah, yeah. Me too.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

Thank you very much. We'll speak to you soon.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

Cheers.