Firstly, I would like to show my huge appreciation to the gaffer for allowing me to contribute to the EPL Talk website over the coming weeks, a view which I know is shared by many others.

As a young football enthusiast from the UK, it is a very strange feeling to see my nation not involved in a major championship, but that is the atrocious fate England have suffered, and quite frankly deserved to suffer, over the last few years.

However, this disappointment may turn out to bring a lot of positive enjoyment to England fans, as it may allow them to sit back and enjoy the fantastic football this summer from a neutral perspective.

Maybe we will all be able to appreciate the quality of what we are viewing a little bit better, and praise those players and teams who manage to achieve success, rather the focus all of our attention on England doing well.

After all, nobody could possibly say England is currently Europe’s best footballing country, so shouldn’t we just relax and take in the excellence of the likes of Spain, Italy and Portugal? It should be a terrific tournament full of entertainment, goals and breathtaking football from Europe’s elite.

The stars of England will be sitting at home watching on television, and maybe they can learn a lesson or two from some of their foreign friends during their viewing.

So my message to all grumpy England supporters is to just appreciate and savour all the fabulous entertainment before their eyes, and we can worry about England when the world cup comes around.