WHEN we finally got down to the nitty-gritty, we knew Jack Grealish and Declan Rice were never going to declare for Republic of Ireland.
Grealish, who had some Galway and Kerry blood running through him, had represented Ireland at underage level up to U21s.
His brief dalliance with Gaelic football was also hyped up to the point where he was ‘one of our own’, and that, surely, he couldn’t turn his back on Ireland.
Not now.
But as Grealish’s mercurial talent became more apparent, England were always going to come calling.
Aside from crashing the odd sports car under the influence, the Aston Villa playmaker has got his act together and is evolving into one of the best players in the English Premier League.
Former team-mate Conor Hourihane got pilloried by the fans for saying it, but the Cork man was on the money in suggesting Grealish was far too good for a club like Aston Villa.
In 2018, Irish journalists were sick to the back teeth writing stories about where Declan Rice’s international allegiances lay.
The will-he-won’t-he saga went on for longer than it should have done – until Mick McCarthy finally burst the balloon in January 2019 when effectively admitting defeat in trying to keep the London-born midfielder from England’s prying eyes.
Had Grealish and Rice ended up continuing with Ireland, Stephen Kenny would have been on sidelines at Euro 2020.
The pair would have transformed Ireland’s fortunes.
Rice has proven to be one of the best holding midfielders in the modern game with manager Gareth Southgate finally working out a system of play that gets the best out of both the West Ham man and Leeds United’s Kalvin Philips in England’s engine room.
While Southgate has to be mindful of maintaining a happy camp, he can only keep Grealish in reserve for so long.
For a generation or more, England’s biggest conundrum was trying to unearth a left-sided midfielder. Now they have one of the best they’ll ever wish to have in the Aston Villa man – and he can’t get in the team.
Raheem Sterling justified his inclusion last weekend by scoring the winning goal, and he does offer more pace on the flanks than Grealish does – but given the Man City winger’s erratic finishing and Grealish's all-round ability, it should be a no-contest between Grealish and Sterling.
Grealish is the better option, offering the side significantly more possession, with the conundrum for Southgate perhaps switching to the other flank and deciding between Foden and Sterling.
But if England are to end their major tournament famine that dates back to 1966, Grealish must start at some point.
And maybe then English fans might sing ‘Football’s Coming Home’ with the kind of renewed confidence reminiscent of the halcyon days of Euro 96.
Of course, before the English media begin - or perhaps the horse has already bolted from the stable - to hail Southgate's current crop as the golden generation that can finally end the nation's 55-year wait for a major tournament victory, some perspective is needed.
Last Sunday's opponents Croatia are a team that is well and truly over the hill and a pale shadow of the side that lit up the 2018 World Cup finals.
They couldn't raise a gallop at Wembley, were devoid of ideas and completely toothless in attack. Although the Croats didn't have the creative spark or legs to test the England defence, it's where Southgate's greatest concern lies.
It's bordering on the inconceivable that England can win the Euros with so many erratic performers at the back.
In goal, Jordan Pickford's temperament is questionable and if there is a mistake in the Everton goalkeeper, there are more than a couple of mistakes per game in John Stones, Harry Maguire (if fit) and Kyle Walker.
Of course, one of the glowing features of the early games at this summer's delayed Euros is that a lot of the contenders are looking far from impregnable at the back, which gives the English hope.
Perhaps this will be how this tournament will be remembered – when the teams that gambled won the day.
Italy have arguably been the pick of the contenders to date. Known for their defensive meanness for generations, it’s difficult to remember an Italian team so committed to attack than Roberto Mancini’s line-up.
In their comprehensive victories over Turkey and Switzerland, they attacked from all angles with full-backs Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Florenzi playing just as much in the opponents’ half of the field as their own.
And there were signs that perhaps the all-action central midfield player is not dead, and that they still can get ahead of the ball in the modern game rather than sticking rigidly to zones, evidenced delightfully by Manuel Locatelli’s brilliant brace against the Swiss in Rome on Wednesday night.
Wales Aaron Ramsey is another glowing example of a midfielder getting ahead of the ball and providing a goal threat.
There was also a lovely anarchy about the Netherlands and Ukraine clash in Amsterdam on Sunday night, even though TV pundit Gary Neville bemoaned the lack of shape to both teams and U9 feel to the tactics.
But it was a hugely entertaining watch.
Meanwhile, when we watched Sweden ‘park the bus’ against Spain in Seville, you start to wonder what’s the actual point of the Swedish national team.
For all of Spain’s alleged bluntness in attack, it wasn’t helped by Sweden’s anti-football approach, so there could yet be a kick in Luis Enrique’s team that has ferocious work-rate and good balance between defence and attack.
As for England, they can expect a tougher second game against the Scots this evening at Wembley but they should still prevail and advance to the knock-out stages to face France, Germany or Portugal.
For all of the expected hype after a scratchy 1-0 win over Croatia, the road will all of a sudden get narrower for the English.
It could be some time yet before ‘Football Comes home’.
