Last night, the England flag in the front window got taken down. Exactly 8 days after I put it up. I could have binned the flag or used it as some kind of cleaning cloth, but instead decided to put it into a cupboard, for it to gather dust and make a return in two years for the European Championships.

Hopefully when the team return to England, following their ‘Carry on Brazil’ tour, certain players will also be shoved in a cupboard, namely Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. Unlike the flag, I hope they don’t come back out. That may sound a tad harsh on old Stevie G, but that’s exactly it, he’s old. He’s done well in the past, but now it’s time to retire. Thank you, but goodbye. As for ‘Wazza’, he hasn’t impressed me in a major tournament since Euro 2004, an entire decade ago.

Despite a predictably calamitous World Cup, I do hold optimism for England. They have a lot of promising, young players; who, although losing both of the opening games, appear to be doing something rare for an England side – work together. Yes, team spirit is high in the camp. So much so that when they scored against Italy, they all piled upon their physio, breaking his bones. You couldn’t make it up. Well, maybe the script writers for the new Mike Bassett movie could.

Anyway, despite the vast majority of people I heard on the increasingly annoying BBC Five Live 606 phone-in, along with half of Twitter, calling for Roy Hodgson to go, I am behind the England manager. Replacing him with the likes of that wheeler-dealer Harry Redknapp will achieve nothing. In fact, it will set England back years. Roy is slowly, but surely building a good team, who I predict will do well in Euro 2016 and the next World Cup. If the team fails to do so, I will admit that his doubters were correct and kiss Redknapp’s saggy face. OK, not the last bit, but I will say I was wrong. HOWEVER, if Roy and the boys live up to what I believe they are capable of, I expect you all to apologise. And grovel. And beg for forgiveness.