TOO much time in the Euros seems to have been spent questioning the quality of England’s opposition.

Croatia were past it, Scotland, the Czechs and Ukraine never had it, and even the Germans’ proximity to ‘it’ has since come into question as Gareth Southgate’s side carved a path into the semi-finals with an unfamiliar confidence and ease.

Sooner or later, we may have to admit that England are pretty good. And if they can beat Denmark on Wednesday night there will surely not be a curmudgeonly soul left on this isle that denies the team and its manager some due praise?

Would I have preferred the Czechs again in the last four? Sure. I think we would all like to have avoided the growing narrative that Denmark are supercharged by what happened to Christian Eriksen.

The Danes are not an anomaly. In Mikkel Damsgaard they have a player with the potential to be right up there, Joakim Maehle has been one of the breakout stars of the tournament and centre-half Simon Kjaer has proved a class act in just about everything he has done.

Before the Euros – or rather before Eriksen’s terrible collapse – Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg looked a hard-working but rather functional midfielder. Since the defeat against Finland he has been one of the most creative players in the tournament, with Spain’s Jordi Alba the only man currently ahead on chances created.

Denmark have also won more in the air than anyone else, so their threat at set pieces with the powerful Jan Vestergaard and Andreas Christiansen should not be underestimated.

All that being said, Southgate’s policy of mixing and matching in the early games leaves him with a squad of fit and fresh players who look well capable of reaching the final.

There is a confidence coursing through the players that I can never recall happening for such a prolonged spell at a major tournament.

At Mexico 86, once Gary Lineker got them going against Poland, they played well against Paraguay and then… You know the rest. At Italia 90 they never played well and in Euro 96 the feelgood factor started with Gazza’s goal against Scotland and ended once they had thumped the Dutch. The rest was all fingernail biting.

Even when the goals were rattling in at the last World Cup, I never quite felt England were good enough to go all the way.

Now that has changed. Goodness knows what I will complain about if I am right.