Put your socks back on, turn off your calculators and no need to study up on the law of probability after Costa Rica followed up their demolition of Uruguay with a thoroughly well-deserved victory over Italy, the 1966 World Cup winners can pack their bags for home. Jacob Bruun Larsen Jersey . You have to go all the way back to Sweden 1958 for the last time England was knocked out of a World Cup at the Group Stage. At least then England went into their third and final group game against the Soviet Union knowing even a draw may have been enough to reach the knockout stage. Outside of other World Cups where England were either not permitted to enter, or were eliminated in qualifying, Brazil 2014 now ranks as their worst ever showing at a World Cup. This for the nation that sowed Planet Futbols roots. They may have performed admirably against Brazil last spring when they drew the hosts 2-2 to launch the renovated Maracana but England and Brazilian World Cups make strange bedfellows. Humbled by the US, they also failed to advance from the group when Brazil last hosted in 1950. The tabloid daggers will be calling for Roy Hodgsons head. Any thought of that, though, has been dismissed by the FA chairman, Greg Dyke who throws his full support behind the beleaguered manager and stated Hodgson would lead England through EURO 2016. From technical deficiencies, an inability to maintain possession or tactical naivety right on through the plethora of theories which abound, the plain fact of the matter is England dont do international football tournaments. Their 14th appearance at a World Cup, and outside of the lone triumph on home soil in 1966, Italia 90 was the only other time England have got past the quarterfinal stage Underprepared was the excuse trotted out for SA2010, what was it this time? An excuse which will get trotted out is the abundance of overseas players in the Barclays Premier League which limits the prospects and options of English players at the top level. When I was a kid, England failed to qualify for the 1974 and 1978 World Cups at a time a significant majority of the players in the top flight were English. It will take more than regular appointments with globally renowned Sports Psychologist, Dr. Steve Peters who joined Hodgsons backroom staff back in March, to understand why failure stalks and hounds England. Having worked marvels with the London 2012 GB Cycling Team, Peters was tasked with ensuring England played with an absence of fear. Hardly. Level heads dont aimlessly hoof balls away, as we often saw when Uruguay threatened. As all good dramas need a villain, so who better than Englands Tormentor in Chief on Thursday, Luis Suarez. David Beckham filled that role in 1998 after he was sent off in the Round of 16 match against Argentina. Such was the outcry still months later, an effigy of Beckham was hung up outside a pub near West Hams ground on the day Manchester United were playing at Upton Park. Anything like that occurs; Suarez could use it as reason not to return to Liverpool. Earlier on Friday the Spanish newspaper, El Mundo Deportivo reported there is a €80m ($110m) release clause in the Uruguayans contract that Barcelona are close to striking. The post-match comments from Suarez where he rebuked the English public and took to task Roy Hodgson could be taken as an indicator of an Anfield exit strategy. In the mould of the French Football Federations Clairefontaine, or the FIGCs Coverciano facility the opening in late 2012 of St Georges Park which is home to all levels for both the England men and womens national teams will certainly be of benefit to the next generation. However, for the more senior members of the squad this was their last shot at World Cup glory. Following one of his worst performances in an England shirt Thursday, where his mistakes led to both of Uruguays goals, it was not the way Steven Gerrard would have wanted to exit the international arena. The Liverpool captain is expected to announce his international retirement following the World Cup. This may come even as early as following the final whistle next Tuesday when Costa Rica will be looking for the scalp of a previous World Cup champ for a third straight time game. Not bad for an island nation. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter TSN Radio is an official licensed radio broadcaster of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Brazil. Check www.tsn.ca/radio for the broadcast schedule in your home town. Jeremy Toljan Jersey .C. -- The RBC Cups semifinal participants were decided by a pair of overtime games. Marcel Schmelzer Jersey .Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Customized/ . - The Florida Panthers are getting some Army training to finish off their preparations for the season.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Pistons will get a third crack at the Milwaukee Bucks when the two Central foes clash Friday at The Palace. The Pistons and Bucks have split two meetings so far. Milwaukee has lost three straight and 12 of the last 16 trips to Auburn Hills, Mich. Detroit and Milwaukee will meet one more time this season on Jan. 24. Pistons big man Andre Drummond is averaging 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds against the Bucks this season. Detroit is mired in a six-game losing streak and dropped a 104-98 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, as D.J. Augustin posted 19 points to lead the hosts. The Pistons got 17 points from Josh Smith, Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Drummond grabbed 13 rebounds and is averaging 17.0 points and 13.0 boards in his last three games for Detroit, which led 51-48 at halftime and had a 73-72 edge heading into the final 12 minutes. Los Angeles led by 11 at one point in the fourth quarter and Smiths layup made it 93-91 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Its just frustrating for me that I couldnt find a way, either in terms of defensive scheme or in terms of something to run offensively to help our guys a little bit more doown the stretch, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. Abdou Diallo Jersey. It was Detroits fourth straight loss at home, where it is 2-5 this season. The Pistons are in the midst of playing seven of eight games at The Palace. Pistons guard Brandon Jennings (thumb) is questionable Friday and has missed the previous two games. He is averaging 16.0 ppg this season. Milwaukee has won two in a row after losing back-to-back games and won for the seventh time in 10 tries with Wednesdays 103-86 victory at Minnesota. Brandon Knight and Larry Sanders scored 15 points apiece and Giannis Antetokounmpo ended with 13 for the Bucks, who shot 47.1 percent. The Bucks had seven players in double figures and won for the third time in the last four road games. Bucks rookie Jabari Parker scored 11 points. Our second group (late in the third) got defensive-minded and rebounded the ball, said Bucks coach Jason Kidd. In the beginning of the fourth quarter, (the starters) picked it right back up. We found a way to win on the road. The road ahead is a tough one for Kidds group, which will face the likes of Houston, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix, Portland and Sacramento. ' ' '