"Not even funny, lads" // EPA Images/Robert Ghement
An Icelandic holiday company has offered England players a free whale-watching trip, as compensation for their impending loss to to Iceland.Despite the fact that Lars Lagerbäck's men are huge underdogs for the clash at the Allianz Riviera on Monday evening, the management at the North Sailing holiday company are so sure of victory that they have printed 23 free tickets for the England squad dated Tuesday 28 July. North Sailing are based in Húsavík, on the north coast of Iceland, and offer "authentic and inspirational marine wildlife tours and sailing adventures."The firm has offered the England squad the tickets "as a bandage for wounded pride, after the loss against Iceland this coming Monday." Both England and Iceland are undefeated going into the game, and both finished second in their respective groups.North Sailing's manager, Gudbjartur Jonsson, told The Guardian: "It is only polite and a part of the Icelandic hospitality culture to offer the free tickets"The poor English players will anyways not be able to return immediately to England after the match on Monday, as 60 million English football fans will be furious after losing to a small island state with only 300,000 inhabitants."Therefore we offer a peaceful day with whale-watching in a small town in Northern Iceland with beautiful nature and nice people. That should be the perfect compensation."