I don’t really care if Rooney plays upfront on his own. If it’s a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-3-3. Or whatever.

This “golden generation” of players has had three different coaches at major tournaments and has failed to deliver with all. Sven pampered and indulged them, McClaren (who saved Derby from relegation and won Manchester United the European Cup) was their mate and Capello is their boss. Yet they still freeze on the big stage.

As a Forest fan, the last twenty years have been pretty tough. Celebrating narrowly avoiding relegation was often as good as it got. For many of the England fans in South Africa it’s worse than that. Look at the place on the flags – Hastings, Croydon, Sleaford. Not everyone has the good fortune to be a fan of one of the top four teams. England is their (and probably our) only chance of seeing world class players.

That’s why it matters.

That’s why the fact that these players cannot raise their game when away from home for a few weeks gets under our skins.