It’s not easy waking up this morning and not feeling the disappointment and heartbreak of the results of the Euro 2020 final. Italy 3 England 2 after penalties. Where England has come from just a few years ago to where they arrived last night gives hope for the future goals and aspirations of English football. Unless you are one of two groups of people who’s arrogance makes it okay inside their heads to behave as they have.

First are the armchair experts and sideline pundits who know exactly ‘what went wrong’ for England. These same people who said the team were no hopers who wouldn’t make it out of the group stage do not recognise the achievement of a young side. There is no thoughtful reflection on what went right and what can be built on like defeating old rivals Germany and winning their group. For them losing negates everything that has gone before. There is a call to sack Gareth Southgate because he’s a crap manager. It’s obvious he doesn’t know what he’s doing, why didn’t he change the system they were playing with sooner, why didn’t he bring Grealish on, why didn’t he this why didn’t he that, it’s what I would have done if I was the manager.

Those players should be ashamed of themselves for not winning. Of course if they were playing they would never have missed a penalty, mind you if they were playing the game would never of gone to penalties because they would have beaten the Italians blindfolded. It’s not like Italy are all that good are they. It’s not like Bonucci and Chiellini are part of one of if not the best defence in world football.

So say the people who have done nothing in but know everything about top level football.

The other group are philistines, without intellect, education or even basic human decency. A group so uninformed and unencumbered by sagacity they are not even aware that in the 21^st century their behaviour is at the very least unacceptable and quite possibly criminal. These are of course the trolls who have denounced players like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka but not because they didn’t play well, to the best of their effort or ability. No it’s obvious to these utter excrement stains on the pants of humanity that it’s Rashford et al’s fault because of the colour of their skin and their ethnic heritage. These are the sorts of idiots so lacking in social grace they can’t understand why the F.A. ,and the majority of other fans, want them to stop booing when the other country’s national anthem is played or why the F.A. were fined for ,among their other actions during the Denmark semi final, some dolt shining a laser pen at Kaspar Schmeichel.

It would have been glorious if England had won last night, if they lifted the trophy as European Cup winners. It didn’t happen, that is the game and the only thing that matters is the result on the night. England fans, the true fans, are used to dashed hopes but we don’t try to scapegoat players because of the colour of their skin or where their parents came from. We may be opinionated and free expressing our concerns but we know we don’t truly understand what goes into wearing those 3 lions and playing for England. So like a true England fan I will dust my bruised feelings off, take pride in the effort and skill it took to get to the final and look forward to the World Cup in 2022.