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Tuesday, 21 May, 2002, 13:23 GMT 14:23 UK
Boss pitches in
BBC Sport Online takes a look at the quirky stories doing the rounds in the build-up to the World Cup.

Pitching in

A company boss has ensured there won't be any World Cup 'sickies' at his firm by transforming the office into a football stadium.

England fan Gary McCall has had a temporary pitch laid and a set of goal posts installed at Poulter Partners in Leeds.

Staff are being encouraged to have a kick-about and widescreen televisions and bacon sandwiches are being provided for all England games.

McCall is convinced his efforts will help boost morale at a time when most managers are wondering if they will see their workers for the next month.

But he has also showed the business sense that got him where he is today by promising staff a £25,000 bonus if England go on to win the World Cup. No flies on you, Gary.


Pizza the action

A pizza firm in Thailand is hiring an extra 200 delivery staff to cope with an anticipated surge in demand when the World Cup gets under way.

Pizza
Food for thought: Thai fans are getting ready

The company will increase its motorcycle fleet from 1300 to 1500 and is also hiring more telephone operators, with fans expected to desert the kitchen in their droves.

Meanwhile, the country's electricity board is getting ready to boost power by 12% when each game starts and has even agreed to buy supplies off Malaysia if things go really bananas.

It makes you wonder what on earth would need doing should Thailand ever actually qualify for the World Cup.


Great Scot

More Scots are planning to watch the World Cup than English, according to a new poll.

The research revealed around 27% of Scottish workers are intending to be glued to the box, compared with 23% of their English counterparts.

The survey of 2,000 adults by Alliance & Leicester Business Banking also suggested two out of three people are not that interested in the tournament and only 1% are planning to take a "sickie" to watch games on TV.

You can't blame the Scots for wanting to take their minds off the last few days, but no surprises who they won't be cheering for when it comes to the Group F games.


Stone me

Japanese railway companies are leaving no stone unturned to thwart the threat posed by football hooligans at World Cup matches.

Glue
No stone will be left un-glued

The Central Japan Railway Company has employed a team of 20 people at a cost of £55,000 to spread glue over stones at two stations near the Shizuoka stadium.

The pebbles are used to reduce noise and vibration from passing trains, but the CJRC is worried that they could be used as weapons.

Any hooligan caught stirring up trouble can expect to find themselves glued to the inside of a cell for the remainder of the tournament.

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