WELL,

that didn’t take long. Only 24 hours after last week’s column about the shallow boasts of marginal gains that always follow England to World Cups and Martin Glenn, the FA chief executive, jumped straight in. ‘I think we’ve never been better prepared,’ he announced. Just to say, I’m also available for psychic healings, seances, spiritual gatherings and the reading of tea leaves, as long as there are biscuits.