I don’t wish to be hackneyed – no more than usual, anyway – but the only thing scary about this McShane story is the possibility that he could be fit for selection.

I thought the guy was great when he played against Wales in March 2007; so long ago, even Stephen Ireland was playing.

Since then he’s been an utter liability, shocking at right back and laboured when played in his first-choice centre-back role.

It’s a pity journalists can’t write stories like this with transparent irony.