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. 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. Dru Samia Vikings Jersey . Atletico Madrid made it three wins from three thanks to a double from in-form striker Diego Costa in a 3-0 victory at Austria Vienna, leaving the Spanish side on the brink of the last 16 already to continue its brilliant start to the season. Dalvin Cook Vikings Jersey .C. -- When Michael Jordan speaks, people still listen. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Youth-garrett-bradbury-vikings-jersey/ . After a 99-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, his Celtics coaches and teammates have only positive things to say about the Toronto-born rookie. Chris Doleman Youth Jersey . Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. Adrian Peterson Youth Jersey . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions . CHICAGO -- David DeJesus and his wife were going out to get a healthy drink on Monday when the outfielder saw he had missed a call from Chicago Cubs executive Theo Epstein. Kim DeJesus joked that he had been traded. It turns out she was right. The Nationals acquired DeJesus in a deal with the Cubs, bolstering their bench for a late run at a playoff spot. It made for a strange day for DeJesus, who merely need to move over to the visitors clubhouse at Wrigley Field to join to his new team. "Its one of those moments, youre like, Whoa, and time stops," DeJesus said before Washington opened a four-game series at Chicago. "I look over at my wife and shes crying because she grew up in Wheaton, Illinois, 45 minutes from Wrigley Field. Its a surreal moment, it was kind of throwing me off. "But coming over here, seeing the guys and meeting the guys, its been a help. Cant wait to get the game over with - hopefully after a win - and go home and decompress a little bit." DeJesus hit .250 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 84 games with the Cubs, who began the day in last in the NL Central. His new team is on the edge of the playoff race -- the Nationals were 9 1/2 games back of Cincinnati for the NLs second wild-card slot coming into the series -- but DeJesus was excited for the opportunity. "Im going to give it my all," he said. "Try and be a guy out there as a leader and a guy that young guys can learn from.&qquot; The 33-year-old DeJesus is a career .dddddddddddd279 hitter with 86 homers and 513 RBIs in 11 seasons with Kansas City, Oakland and Chicago. He can play all three outfield spots. "Hes a great addition," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "Hes a quality player. Anybody gets hurt, he can step right in and play at a high level." DeJesus was one of the first acquisitions for the Cubs after Epstein became the president of baseball operations. He agreed to a $10 million, two-year contract in November 2011. The Cubs get a player to be named in the trade with the Nationals, but they also save about $2.5 million, including a $1.5 million buyout for a 2014 team option worth $6.5 million. General manager Jed Hoyer said the money was a "strong consideration." "We really like David a lot," Hoyer said. "Ive told his agent and Theo told David directly, wed be willing to talk to him about bringing him back at some point. Hes a good mentor for our younger guys." The Cubs activated outfielder Brian Bogusevic from the 15-day disabled list to take DeJesus roster spot, and Hoyer said outfielder Ryan Sweeney likely will begin a rehab stint next week. Bogusevic had been out with a strained left hamstring, and Sweeney is recovering from a broken left rib. The Nationals released outfielder Roger Bernardina to make room on their roster. Bernardina hit .178 in 85 games with Washington. ' ' '