And then get knocked out in the quarter-finals by the first really good team they play. For a quick look around Europe would suggest there are five teams better equipped to win that tournament than  England, and two more operating at a roughly similar level.

France lead their group by four points from Belarus, with Romania also lurking; Holland are six points clear of Sweden, who have a game in hand; Spain are six points in front of the Czech Republic; Italy lead Slovenia by five points with a game in hand; Germany are an emphatic seven points and a game in hand ahead of Belgium.

The second level would include group leaders Greece, England (tied with Montenegro), Portugal (tied with Denmark and Norway) and one of the three countries tied in Group B, Slovakia, Russia or the Republic of Ireland. In the circumstances, it is bizarre for England to nurture such great expectations.

Capello’s salary, £6m annually, is what does it, but if Darren Bent is his centre forward what difference will that cheque make? The enormous wage is an insurance policy, no more.

After Steve McClaren failed to take England to the 2008 European Championship, the Football Association sought a guarantee that it would never happen again and this is as near as they could get.

Imperious: Spain swept the USA aside in a friendly match on Saturday and look a class above England

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