Ireland’s 1-1 draw with Poland last Sunday provided definitive proof that, just as we’d always suspected, the celebrated glass is indeed both half-full and half-empty at one and the same time.

Robbie Keane has admitted he may need surgery to cure a persistent Achilles problem.

The USA, and Blackburn’s favourite adopted World Cup hero, know they are riding the glory wave and that sooner or later there’s a giant reality check about to hit them.