WE didn't think we would have to write this blog so soon in the competition but English hopes were dashed in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon as old rivals Germany thrashed out a 4-1 victory over a subdued and jaded England team.
The warning signs were all there - the unnecessary hype beforehand, Rio Ferdinand's injury at the first training session, Robert Green's goalkeeping blunder in the opening game and the in-camp tension sparked by John Terry's media outburst.
Yet everyone still had the traditional English optimism, until the fourth German goal went in on Sunday. And to say that goalkeeper David James was England's Man of the match says it all.
For the last time we hear the opinions of Watford legend Tommy Mooney, Talksport commentator John Anderson and BBC 3 C R's Jon Marks.
The view from Spain: Tommy Mooney
"So that's it then..... Only just less than four more years until the hype starts again and the talk of this tournaments team being better than the last!
"And after the dismal performances of 2010 that won't be to difficult to achieve!
"I watched the Germany game in a UK airport that seemed to have more German and neutral supporters than English or maybe just that the English fans were embarrassed by their national teams's performances and chose to remain more low key!
"With my own eyes I watched a team of club level superstars that seemed so concerned about their individual roles they forgot to bring their club mentality and obvious ability to the game.
"What we watched was a match full of concern and lack of Premiership pace that they looked more like a lower level team playing against Premiership stars in the FA Cup.
"And with the decision to leave Crouch on the bench and replace Defoe with Heskey when we needed goals to change the dynamics of the game, was proof for me that the second round was an over achievement for this squad.
"We can argue all day about Frank Lampard's shot that crossed the line but wasn't given as a goal.
"But that would only disguise the third vpoor performance from the team's four games in the tournament.
"And as a proud Englishman who now lives in Spain I can only summarise with the following statement - England got what they deserve…Viva Espana!
"Adios Amigos!"
The view from South Africa: John Anderson
"I don't want to sound too anti- establishment, but I had to get this off my chest.
"Fabio Capello may have just talked himself out of a job after England's biggest ever World Cup defeat consigned the nation to utter humiliation.
"Although he insisted he wants to stay on as coach, he then claimed the players were tired after a long season and not in the right mental and physical shape for the tournament.
Perhaps a mistake was made when Capello was allowed to sign an extended contract on the eve of the World Cup, instead of waiting to see how it would pan out.
"Now, Club England chairman Sir Dave Richards has two weeks to try and work out whether to fork out a fortune to terminate that contract or save his pennies and persist with a man whose inspirational ability and tactical nous have been found badly wanting at international level.
"As ever it is the magnificent fans who suffer. The thousands who've spent fortunes to come here, including some Hornets supporters (I spotted the flag in Port Elizabeth) have been badly let down by Capello and his players. They deserved so much better."
The view from the sofa: Jon Marks
"It didn't take long for my pre-match optimism of an English victory to disappear such was the apparent gap in class between the two teams.
"Had Frank Lampard's 'goal' stood then who knows how differently things may have turned out, as there may have been another shift in momentum at half-time.
"But, being realistic, England never really looked like scoring in the second-half again and it was a relief of sorts that Germany pretty much declared at 4-1!
"I don't believe we should need goal-line technology to assist officials in instances like that - it was so far over the line it was inexcusable for the linesman not to be able to see it.
"But England's performance was so disappointing and dispiriting - there is simply nothing for us to look back on the tournament with any enjoyment.
"We witnessed some fairly big reputations being smashed to pieces in these last couple of weeks and I think some of these players may feel some backlash in the first few weeks of the new domestic season.
"It was widely felt that England had world-class players. Surely you have to deliver on the world stage to be truly considered world-class and unfortunately, that hasn't happened.
"I am certainly not qualified to make or pass judgement on what went wrong, why and what can be done but it is clear something has to change in order for the England team to be competitive at major tournaments in the future.
"If it doesn't the nation's expectations will never be fulfilled."
Thanks to Tommy, John, Jon and Luke for their contributions and help for this blog.
