What does he mean that none of them have had vintage tournaments? Silva has been excellent throughout. He's run Spain's midfield at times. He's created chances, set up goals and scored himself. What more could you want? In fact, if Spain go on to win it, he would be one of the two or three players in the running for player of the tournament which, to my mind, is pretty vintage stuff! Balotelli hasn't been too bad and, to be fair, through gritted teeth, Nani has been none too shabby!

Compare them with the England contingent from Manchester and it's like chalk and cheese. Hart and Lescott good. Milner distinctly average throughout. Wellbeck good against Sweden but that's about it and Rooney might as well have stayed at home and watched on the TV. Ashley Young was a disgrace! And I'm not talking about the penalty either! That can happen. I'm talking about a player whose job it is to run at people, take them on, beat them, cross accurately, shoot and occasionally score. Did he do any of those things once against Italy? And he was little better in the previous three games! If he had been playing for United and put in three or four performances like that, Fergie would have benched him. In fact, Fergie would have hauled him off and benched him a lot earlier. Considering the number of times he gave the ball away he might as well have been playing for the Azurri!