It would have made no difference whatsoever had England scraped a draw tonight. They would have been ousted in Euro 2008 well before the quarter-finals. And you know what, they didn’t lose the chance to qualify in Moscow or Zagreb. They lost it a long time ago, when English football sold its soul for the money.

The truth is, and yes, it hurts, the only thing that matters in this country is club football, where the Porsches rule over the passion needed to put the national shirt on. Players of the calibre of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard should not be running around like headless chickens chasing shadows, they are too good. But they were under orders from a buffoon called Steve McClaren, and he was appointed by a bigger buffoon called Brian Barwick.

The national side has been a national joke for some time, the home draw against Macedonia and the away draw in Tel Aviv were the crucial markers in this dreadful qualifying campaign.

'There was a very poignant moment on the TV screen in the first half, McClaren sitting on a soggy plastic seat trying to make notes on a soggy piece of paper with a soggy pen'


That said, it was a pleasure to watch a Croatian team well prepared with far more technical ability than the English. The third goal by Mladen Petric was sublime, the real man of the match Luka Modric was a class apart, the official one Frank Lampard was at best average.The truth is, as pundit Ian Wright said after the game, every time Croatia attacked, they looked like they were going to score.

Steve McClaren has the stiffest of upper lips and has said he is not stepping down. It makes absolutely no difference if he carries on because whoever comes in is left with an almost insurmountable problem – how to find 11 world-class players from the Premier League who are qualified to play for England.

In my view, McClaren should go, because he is simply not a good enough coach to lead the England team. The only ace up his sleeve this evening was pumping aimless balls in the hope of a lay-off by Peter Crouch (whose goal, by the way, was a very good effort).

There was a very poignant moment on the TV screen in the first half, McClaren sitting on a soggy plastic seat trying to make notes on a soggy piece of paper with a soggy pen. It’s an enduring image of a man way, way out of his depth. Compare his stuttering campaign with that of Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, who has more football knowledge in his ungainly earrings than the duffer who has led England (and Bilic's command of English is better).

On Saturday, the Premier League will be back in action, the best of world talent will be filling the coffers of the clubs promoting shirts, TV rights and a raft of other money-making schemes dreamed up by the PR gurus who know nothing about football but plenty about the passion of fans. The best of English talent will be out there on the pitch, but there will be plenty of other talented youngsters who will be playing on loan in Leagues One and Two instead of getting a chance to develop their skills in the Premier League.

Yes, a sorry night for English football. But until the Ferraris stop ruling football in this country, we can expect nothing more.