England display Dutch courage.

England display Dutch courage.

For the first time since 1996 England beat Holland and, just for good measure, in their very own Dutch backyard. Wonder of wonders. The England football team have experienced so many trials and tribulations in recent years that some of us were beginning to think that things would never work out for the best. But finally England have discovered a new lease of life and the 1-0 victory against a painfully weak and lacklustre Holland came as the most pleasant and unexpected of surprises.

It still seems hard to believe that both Holland, England's first friendly opponents and Italy who they will face next Tuesday at Wembley in another amiable encounter, will be sorely missing from this summer's World Cup in Russia. On reflection England's participation in the World Cup may well come under the deepest scrutiny given the soured relations between both the Russians and the English. These are diplomatically difficult times for both countries. Or maybe completely lacking in any diplomacy.

But last night at the Johan Cruyff Arena, England came out of their winter hibernation rather like those gambolling spring lambs who will now take up residence on our rolling English meadows. It may be hard to believe but England genuinely resembled potential winners of the World Cup. And when was the last time that sentence was ever uttered in the wood panelled corridors of FA headquarters?

What on earth has happened to the English football team while snow lay thick and even on the ground? Did they finally see the light or was the light already on and nothing was said. Suffice it to say that England played like a team possessed, with possession being the operative word. England were full of originality, intelligence, imagination and whole hearted industry. It almost seemed to be too good to be true. Some of us had wondered whether we'd ever see an England team at complete ease with a ball and then executing some of the most exquisitely carved football England have ever produced.

At times it may well have been like watching the Brazil of 1970 World Cup vintage, or the Spain and Germany of more recent World Cup editions, the visitors  so brilliantly and effectively using the ball for lengthy periods against Holland. Holland, of course are now a team in crisis and stagnation, a team at its lowest ebb and no longer that cultured international team of yesteryear. It did seem something of an irony that England seemed to be taunting a Holland side who once prided themselves on educated, one touch passing.

Briefly, you began to wonder what the likes of Johan Cruyff, Rob Rensenbrink, Ruud Krol and Johan Neeskens would have thought of last night's pathetic no show. Many of us will never know how the Holland of 1974 and 78 succeeded in losing two consecutive World Cup Finals against both West Germany and Argentina respectively. In both games Holland failed to take advantage of their opponents when they were there for the taking. History though had other ideas.

Still, last night Holland were the palest shadow of their former greatness and it was rather like looking at one of those distorted mirrors you normally see at a fairground. Holland were a side of horribly misshapen images, a side completely lacking in any kind of plan, method, structure or pattern. In fact England seemed to be taking an inordinate pleasure in their opponents discomfort, frequently mocking the Dutch with the type of football Holland were once renowned for.

Sadly the vivid orange and strange looking blue socks of the home side were almost awe struck by an England team they must have thought were still living in football's Dark Ages. The England football team were dinosaurs, lost in a time warp, clueless and one- dimensional, a team of ignorant philistines totally incapable of stringing together a cluster of short passes. Holland were technically brilliant, well advanced in their thinking and light years ahead of England.

Back in the late 1970s the memory takes me back to an evening at the old Wembley when Cruyff and co, toyed, teased and tormented England with football made in heaven, football with a delicious sauce of improvisation, cinnamon scented football with a  hint of perfection to it. That night Holland not only beat England they positively humiliated them. Their football had a clarity and purity that should have been bottled for posterity.

Last night the clog was definitely on the other foot. The country that has given us bicycles, canals and windmills were clinging on for dear life. Holland is a peaceful and very liberal nation where the brown cafes and the historic Amsterdam house of Anne Frank  give the country its most distinctive identity and cultural template. And yet their performance against England last night will not be fondly remembered in anybody's mind.

From the very start the back four of Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Joe Gomez, who would shortly be taken off with injury and the ever reliable Danny Rose demonstrated, quite astonishingly, a unity and togetherness that very few us saw coming, In fact so forward thinking and venturesome were all four men that you half expected at least one or two to figure prominently on the score sheet. Trippier and particularly Walker pushed forward enterprisingly over the half way line completely undaunted and hell bent on making some kind of contribution.

England were now passing patiently and thoughtfully as if all those years spent in the wilderness of  the ugly, long ball game had become well and truly a thing of the past. England, at last, had now been converted to the way the game should be played rather than the dated mechanisms that had so disfigured their football in past decades.

Now it was that Gareth Southgate's brave warriors were now instructed to play their football with an entirely different code and policy, an attacking philosophy that should have been in place many years ago. This is not to suggest that England teams down the years should have known better but there was a sense here that this is the age of enlightenment, the dawning of an exciting era. Suddenly the red faced embarrassment that was Iceland in Euro 2016 may well have been some horrid apparition that can safely be forgotten for good.

In England's midfield the first buds of promise and footballing fertility are beginning to show. Jordan Henderson has now become a well established and consistent player for both England and Liverpool. Occasionally Henderson does look ever so jittery and uncomfortable on  the ball and although careless at times still looks the kind of inspirational England captain Gareth Southgate may need more so than ever. Henderson cruises gently rather than rushing around like a man in a permanent panic.

Beside Henderson, Manchester City's Raheem Sterling had another very productive game for England and often looked the kind of player who may just be that vitally pivotal figure who can change games with a destructive turn of pace and the ability to frighten the life out of confused defenders. Sterling jinked and shimmied, twisted and turned like a spinning top and then confounded Holland with runs at the Dutch defence that almost left lasting damage on the orange shirts morale but just came up short.

Still every England winger from Stanley Matthews to Terry Paine and John Connelly during the 1960s while not forgetting those speed merchants Peter Barnes and Steve Coppell during the 1970s have had to contend with the knowledge that Sir Alf Ramsey had no time for dashing and deceptive flankers in his 1966 World Cup team and Sterling may find that he has a point to prove if he plays in Russia.

Finally there was Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, a neat and compact midfield player with a nice sense of balance and creativity about him. The problem with Chamberlain is that he may have an annoying tendency to drift anonymously through important contests and find that even though we knew he was on the pitch, he may have been conveniently overlooked by the end. Certainly he could give the England side a tempo and momentum that may be required if England are to reach the World Cup's latter stages.

Up front of course England do seem to be spoilt for chance. The absence through injury of Spurs Harry Kane left England with the slightest of deficiencies and you could only imagine what a fit Kane would have made of a very loose fitting and powder puff  Dutch team. Still Jessie Lingard, Manchester United's ever lively and responsive striker, did score the only goal on the night and next to his United colleague Marcus Rashford, England were never short of initiative or foresight.

After almost incessant waves of well engineered, clever and immensely constructive one touch, short passing between the players  England finally broke down the Dutch defence, a defence that seemed to be crumbling around them with all the rapidity of a seaside sandcastle. It was a goal entirely in keeping with the character of England's high quality, high intensity and high velocity display.

Chamberlain picked up the ball just outside a besieged Dutch penalty area. He then shrewdly slipped the ball to Danny Rose who in turn swiftly moved the ball across to Jessie Lingard now setting his sights on goal before drilling the ball confidently into the net for the opening goal of the night. On a night of many highs for England that was as good as it got for England and perhaps on another night it should have been more but a victory is a victory and small mercies should always be appreciated.

Gareth Southgate, England's wonderfully pleasant and well mannered manager always looks as if butter would never melt in his mouth which is probably never the case. He continues to give the impression of the class swot, the kid who always finishes his homework on time and never ever gets into any kind of trouble. Southgate is indeed the ace student, always deep in thought, respectable, presentable and never bothered by any of the stuffy red tape and bureaucracy that may threaten him from outside the game.

 Now for Italy on Tuesday, another international side going through the wars at the moment and rather like Holland, kicking their heels during the summer. It almost feels as though world football has lost two of its most supportive pillars. It may seem like wishful thinking at the moment but maybe just maybe this could be the year of all years for England. Sir Alf Ramsey was convinced that England would definitely win the 1966 World Cup years before the dream came true. Gareth Southgate may be keeping his cards close to his chest but you never know. You never know.