Switched on the car radio this morning to hear the phrase “it had to be Germany didn’t it” spoken by different presenters within five minutes. The implication being that this would be the latest in a series of epic struggles which have had the rest of the world on the edge of their seats through the sheer tension of it all down the decades.

In this version of events, millions of Germans wiill be spluttering “Gott im himmel, we’ve got the schweinhund Englanders again!” into their cornflakes, but maybe some of those on here who have lived in Germany can confirm or deny my suspicion that this is a one sided special relationship with far more comment and media talk being generated on this side of the English Channel than the other side of it?

It seems that Gareth Southgate is a big fan of Winston Churchill, so, not that they need any encouraging, you can expect plenty of World War 2 references from the red tops over the next week or so. I think England could well beat what doesn’t look the strongest of German sides this time, but am hoping that it turns out to be business as usual in this fixture with the result, almost always, going the same way when there is something serious to be played for.