OKAY, so it was disappointing to go out to the Italians in Euro 2012 this week.

But at least we can say we didn’t concede a goal and didn’t lose to them during the course of normal time and extra time!

And a lot of credit for that has to go to manager Roy Hodgson and coaches Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, who have done a terrific job in the short time they have been in the respective posts.

There were a lot more positives than negatives to take out of the tournament, one massive one being that Hodgson has succeeded in managing to get everyone wanting to play for their country once again.

That is definitely something we didn’t have under Mr Capello!

On the Italy game itself, however, I do think the substitutions could have been better organised, because I felt that both Steve Gerrard and Scott Parker were struggling after the first 30 minutes.

Their legs had clearly gone, having done so much running in the first half and in the previous games against Sweden and the Ukraine.

I would have been tempted to leave Danny Wellbeck on because I think he was still full of running.

Unfortunately, when they ran out of steam, the ‘engine room’ had gone and from that point on we struggled.

Injuries robbed us of both Frank Lampard – who did the job brilliantly for Chelsea in the Champions League triumph – and Gareth Barry, who were the two players who would have been capable of holding up that midfield .

Another player unavailable because he wasn’t fit was Jack Wilshere, who would have provided us with a base to go forward.

But, unfortunately, we didn’t have those options available to us, and we simply didn’t have any fresh legs.

Another of our problems, which is part of the English psyche, is that we think we have to attack every time we get the ball. Other teams will concentrate on retaining possession while probing for openings.

Teams playing England also realise that when we play the ball back to our keeper, everyone funnels back and there is no immediate lay off and we have to start again.

As regards the substitutions I think Hodgson was already looking at penalties as the game progressed which is why he also left on Rooney, who was another player whose legs had clearly gone.

I was disappointed with Joe Hart who made himself look a bit of an idiot by reckoning beforehand that he had studied Italian penalty takers, and then pulled faces and talked to the players as they stepped up to take a penalty against him.

Joe is a very good goalkeeper, but all that ‘haka’ stuff was totally out of character. He had almost psyched himself out of saving any penalties before they had even started.

I know I’m not a goalkeeping coach, but I would have thought the way he spread his legs so wide would have made it difficult for him to move quickly.

There was a big difference between his adopted style and that of Italian keeper Buffon, who just stood there quietly, made himself as tall and as big as possible and simply looked at his opponents.

There has been quite a bit of talk as to whether important tournament games should be settled by a penalty shoot-out. Sepp Blatter has even mentioned in the event of a draw after extra time, the result be settled on the amount of possession a team has enjoyed.

If that comes in, we’ll never win a game!

Personally, I don’t think there is anything wrong with penalties deciding a match, but I would like to see the rule changed so that all 10 outfield players from each side have to take one.

That would take away the carry-on of some players not putting their hands up to take one, which is a poor attitude.

After all they are all top international players, and they should be prepared to take a penalty. And it shouldn’t matter that they are stepping up to take one in front of 60,000 or more spectators.

I must be one of the few penalty-takers at Town whose failed attempt led to the other team scoring!

It was back in 1985 when we were playing Leeds and I stepped up to take the kick, only for their keeper Mervyn Day not only save my shot, but keep the ball in play. It was fired down the field and Leeds scored.

Fortunately, I did manage to get an equaliser later in the game, which we went on win 3-1, so on that occasion it didn’t prove too costly.

WE are now faced with the usual Andy Murray ‘bandwagon’ set to gather momentum at Wimbledon.

After he won his first-round contest in some comfort, the expectations of tennis fans are set to rise once again.

However, it is noticeable that the odds on him winning the annual tournament are now 10-1, which is the highest they’ve been for several years.

That’s down to the difficult section of the draw he has now found himself in, plus the fact that he has come into the competition in pretty average form.

If Britain’s ‘great hope’ does manage to have timed his run so that he peaks at just the right time, he might progress to the semis, and at least he won't have to face reigning champion Rafa Nadal!!