England. It really is all over.

Well that's that and we can now concentrate on our real national sports of hand wringing and blame apportioning. I watched the game, more to keep her indoors company than anything else. Yes, that's right. I must be the only bloke in the country who's missus has to explain the offside rule to him. The truth is that I never really got football. Like much else, I blame the parents. My dad had no interest in football but was a very knowledgeable boxing fan. The result was that by the time I was twelve I could speak with authority on the Dempsey - Tunney long count but unlike my mates had not a clue about Leyton Orient. Does this go anyway to explain my feelings of alienation from society? If so I fear that like England's performance this afternoon, it's too late to do anything about it.