Thank You Croatia

For giving me the chance to watch next summer's European championship without every half-time studio "analysis" being reduced to "news" from the England camp.

For pissing off Ian Wright, the world's most inarticulate man.

For showing that the ability to actually play football is vastly more important tham passionately running around with sound and fury, signifying nothing.

For showing up Lampard and Gerrard and the rest of the Big Red Clubbers.

For making Talksport almost implode in a maelstrom of spume.