There was false optimism in spades, but even taking that into account England – with the players available to them and the form they carried as individuals into this tournament – should have done a whole lot better than they did.

So, what was it that led to one of the perhaps most disastrous World Cup campaigns in at least a generation? Is it possible to pin it on one factor? Probably not, but there is merit in discussing the major factors in their early exit.

Here are what I think are the major contributory factors to England’s early return to London:

1. Picking the squad primarily on form

Fabio Capello should be the first person to put his hand up for the blame, thanks to his belief that only players who are at the top of their game should be included in the final 23-man squad. It is a shocking thought when you consider perhaps the first and last truism of all sport: form is temporary, class is permanent.

His credo led to the decision to leave Theo Walcott at home and take the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole instead. As the tournament progressed this mistake looked bigger and bigger. Each time Wright-Phillips came off the bench (something he had a lot of practice at with Manchester City this season) he showed why he is considered by many to be a quick-paced scarecrow with a distinct lack of a footballing brain. Joe Cole looked hardworking, but ultimately past his prime.

Compare these two “form” players with the German squad who readily included Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose who have both had – by everyone’s account – absolute stinkers of seasons at club level. Both, ironically, scored against England.

This mistake compounded the fundamental problem with Capello as a manager of a national team – he is too stuck in the ways of club football. If England played week in and wekk out, nobody would bat an eyelid if he dropped a player who was out of form, but at national level – and particularly at major competitions it is just not an option.

And Theo Walcott has enough class to be considered good enough to be in that England squad – out of sorts or not.

2. The dreaded 4-4-2

Capello to blame #2. The England boss’s insistence on abandoning the successful 4-2-3-1 of the qualification stages reminds of the outdated thinking of the old days, when England – as creators of the game – assumed that there was only one way to play the game: their way. The 4-4-2 formation no longer works in an environment where players in any position are profficient enough to exploit any space they are given.

The modern tactics are deisgned to cut out the gaping holes of the past – to stop teams of fit, technically astute players exploited huge gaps between three formation lines. You play one in front to stop forwards having space in front of the back four, and you spread out your midfield and attack in any number of formations to ensure it does not get swamped.

Germany overran England in midfield, and thus enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Starved of any ball, a talented England side were made to look very static as their opponents were able to probe for any weaknesses in the back line, which was woefully exposed. I would like to see England play a 2-1-2-3-1-1 formation with a libero (Ferdinand?) in front of a back two and two mobile wing backs. Three interlinking in a triangle in midfield and then Gerrard just behind Rooney.

3. Siege mentality

Treat the players like adults and they will play with responsibility and purpose. deny them basic human rights and they will become like a group of children (ala. Lord of the Flies) finding ways to vent their frustration  and boredom in destructive ways.

Which is what they did.

4. A winter break

The number of games that the players play in a season was not the problem – particularly when you consider that most teams have players in the Premier League. Carlos Tevez has looked youthful and alert for Argentina, so why is it that Rooney and Gerrard are tired?

It is no excuse.

However, there is some merit in a winter break that will allow the players to mentally and physically recharge their batteries and allow them to come into a major summer tournament with only half a continuous season under their belts.

It is about time that the Premier League fronted up and realised that it has a responsibility to their players – if nothing else, it will aid the clubs in Europe who will go into the second crucial half of the Champions League and Europa Cup recharged.

Everyone else is doing it, so why isn’t England?

5. More English players in the top flight

Uefa plans for a 6+5 (six local players in every team) can only help England. Last season a number of teams in the top flight picked starting line-ups that were completely without English players. This can only damage the country’s standing in the national game and can only help other countries as their players get to play in the best league in the world at the expense of the local talent.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was on the bench for a major part of the last season, while the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Fulham and Arsenal, of course, have fielded foreign players over the local talent.

There is a lot of very, very good players in England who are not getting opportunities to play and, therefore, are not really available for selection for the national team, because there is no room for them.

The more they play against the best, the better they get. It’s time for a change.