LIKE Bill Shankly in the distant past, Rafael Benitez will have wasted no time in ringing his downcast World Cup stars to offer sympathy and quiet reassurance.
Beginning with Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia and Pepe Reina, whose Spain side shimmered like a comet before falling from the heavens. Then with Harry Kewell, who saw a vibrant Australia unluckily lose in the final seconds to Italy.
And finally with Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch, Jamie Carragher and Scott Carson - the last of the Reds to quit the arena.
For Gerrard and Carragher, the horror of defeat will have been unbearable. They both missed penalties to end England's heroic last stand - an hour-long battle against Portugal with 10 men.
Nothing can ever erase the memory for them, or us, of those almost unwatchable moments when all our worst fears about England and spot-kicks came sickeningly true.
Sad, but inevitable. Something meant to be as other teams - France, Germany - improved and we didn't.
Throughout our defence played extremely well but we always lacked bite. The easy excuse is the loss of Michael Owen and Sven's failure to take another striker - Andy Johnson, say, who would have offered pace.
But the tactics were always designed to keep England solid, rather than showy. Hence all the aimless balls knocked long to Peter Crouch - who shone as a substitute.
But there remained a lack of tempo, a lack of flow between defence, midfield and attack.
Wayne Rooney ran around like a mad thing as mistimed passes skidded past him. Frustrated beyond the control of his fragile temperament, Wayne decided to stamp on Ricardo Carvalho.
We can't excuse his behaviour because he always has too much to say for himself on the pitch. And if he can be wound up by one of his own Manchester United team-mates - Cristiano Ronaldo - what hope is there when meaty opponents offer him beauty tips.
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