Where do we go now? Evening Press Sport's football writer Dave Stanford looks at England's failure in Euro 2000 and what the future holds.

THE sense of relief is almost as a great as the sense of disappointment.

The devastation of seeing England humbled then tumble out of Euro 2000 is only tempered by the fact the embarrassment is over.

It is easy to kick a side when it is down and my peers in the national media are as guilty as anyone for raising expectations and then turning viciously when the chips are down.

For the next few weeks countless column inches will be wasted explaining the reason for England's demise - from Kevin Keegan's lack of tactical nous to the death of street football.

At least exit from Euro 2000 will lessen the sense of superiority and expectation as England now focus on the World Cup qualifiers.

For, hand on heart, every Englishman must recognise that simply the better team won, the more talented side progressed to the quarter-finals of Euro 2000 on a night when all our worst fears about this England side and its manager came true.

In Italia '90, Euro '96 and France '98 and the cruelty of penalties the sense of disappointment was real.

This time around it was desperate and painful, but more for England's inability to string two five yard passes together than for the failure of Lady Luck to put in an appearance.

The Three Lions did not go out with a roar but a whimper.

England were simply awful, disjointed and devoid of anything but guts and determination.

Indeed, for the majority of all three matches against Portugal, Germany and a Hagi-less Romania, England were second best.

All the euphoria which had surrounded their first competitive victory over the Germans for 34 years had blinded many critics to the flaws of that performance and the poverty of that opposition.

At least Kevin Keegan - who has been brutally and refreshingly honest - made no attempt to hide England's shortcomings.

Time and time again the hopeful channel ball was as much as England's full-backs - the obvious release and springboard forward for many of the other tournament's teams - could muster.

But just as it was painful to see England squander their meagre possession, so it was just as dispiriting to see the national side's boss bring nothing more to the table on his touchline patrols than gestures for his players to 'dig deep and show more heart'.

Two minutes from triumph and a place in the quarter-finals - you had to feel for Manchester United's Phil Neville, a player who filled the out-of-position role down England's left side.

Cruel? Certainly. But also footballing justice.

And least we head into qualifying for the 2002 World Cup knowing where our limitations lie.