Dear Sir,

I read with interest that Logica have sold their share in the current holders of the Logica World Cup - Logicasiel.

What does this mean for this year's tournament - will there be an Italian team present?

Having gotten used to the loud screams, endless rolling around and Michael Owenesque behaviour in the box, they will be sadly missed (well their administrators will be anyway - bella Carina!!).

Not to mention their excellent catering facilities - I hope this year's hosts took note and don't expect us to put up with any old Northern nosh/drink e.g. mushy peas, tripe and bitter.

I believe that if they are absent the WC2000 committee should try and convince those excellent Swedes to attend in their place.

PLEASE!!!

Regards,
Der Kaiser

The Editor Replies: Well, Mr Kaiser, I'm afraid your fears may be well founded. Although there is still some Logica presence in Italy, the World Cup winning part, Logicasiel, has indeed been sold off I believe. If you can't beat them, sell them, we say! And rumours that a healthy Logicasiel profit was turned into a serious deficit courtesy of one expenses item ("One World Cup Trophy, Large") are unfounded apparently. Whilst the first World Cup Bulletin will appear on "If Selected..." next week, I must also disappoint you by revealing that, as I write, there is currently no Swedish entry. Still, never mind, as a connoisseur of the stuff, I can strongly recommend the tripe.