BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Two cracking semi-finals mean no moping around

IT'S a sign of the times, isn't it, that even England's exit from a major finals is met with so much indifference.

We punters are masters in the art of aftertiming but we all knew, didn't we, from months back - years back - that England weren't going to win Euro 2012 or any other competitions in the near future.

And it seems everyone else knew it as well which is why Roy Hodgson has survived the flak, where the likes of Sir Bobby, Turnip Taylor and the Wally with the Brolly received it in spades.

I was wondering what vegetable was going to be superimposed on Roy's head in the morning papers, I was looking forward to seeing a picture of Wayne Rooney next to a picture of a waste of space under the headline ‘Spot the Difference' and then I was going to play the online game Three Cups in which the cups have been replaced by the pockets of three Italian defenders and the pea is Ashley Young.

But no, none of it. Just an air of resignation that Euro 2012 is over while still maintaining the illusion that England can now focus on winning the next World Cup. For which, by the way, they are fifth favourites with one or two firms. You dunno whether to laugh or cry at that.

But of course Euro 2012 isn't over. We've two semis to mull over and while I'm not in the least bit concerned about my Germany bet - they'll be far too good for a knackered Italy - the other semi looks more and more intriguing.

Portugal have got better and better as the tournament has gone on but will they retreat into their shells, as they usually do, when confronted by one of the top boys?