Beaten before we start?

Fabio Capello, manager of the England football team, says he realised before Tuesday night’s game against Wales that his team were about to put in a poor performance. It was the attitude of the players during the pre-match warm-up that told him what to expect.

Unfortunately, the same goes for managers. A few days before England’s first match in the World Cup last year, Capello came storming out of England’s training camp, accusing the press of taking photographs of the dressing room.

Taking photographs. Not planting a bug. Just taking photographs.

I knew then that we could expect a poor performance when the tournament began. And, sadly, that’s what we got.

This sporting lark is tough.