IN THE lead up to England’s Euro 2016 double-header against San Marino and then Estonia last week, most in the media were busy questioning if the games should go ahead.

Not because of poor weather conditions or the tiredness of players three months into the domestic season — because of the standard of the opposition.

Many felt that England would be wasting their time playing a team ranked 81st in Estonia and bottom of the Fifa rankings in San Marino.

Why should the Three Lions waste their time on two ridiculously easy games against these footballing minnows?

Just last year Roy Hodgson’s men dispatched San Marino 8-0, and everyone knew it would be another easy encounter.

It would be a matter of how many England would score and whether the likes of Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck could fill their boots with goals.

Hodgson tried to remain professional in the press conference leading up to the game but deep down even he knew this would be a walk in the park.

However, he didn’t come across as arrogant which can’t be said about the sports reporters up and down the nation.

There were columns written about San Marino — and to a lesser extent Estonia — about how they should be made to prequalify just to have the right to play at Wembley. There were articles published about the jobs the players had, how some were lawyers or worked in shops in their native country, as if that somehow meant they weren’t allowed on the same field as Rooney and co.

Part of our fascination with the earlier rounds of the FA Cup are the stories of the little teams getting their day out at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

How these plucky men who have to work nine-to-five jobs to support their families, find the effort and energy to go 90 minutes against the big boys.

But all that goes out the window when the lower ranked countries play England. The media turn into bullies and act all high and mighty.

They have no right to decide who gets to play England. So what if the games are so one-sided that it becomes a glorified training session? For the men who are lucky enough to play against some of the biggest names in the Premier League, these games are a moment they never forget.

They know they are all but certain lose the game but they turn up and give it their all.

Yes, San Marino are the lowest ranked team and are expected to lose to the bigger nations, but that doesn’t give English reporters the right to bully them.

England don’t exactly have the best record in competitive fixtures against teams ranked higher than them but you don’t see other nations calling for Hodgson and his side to prequalify to play them.

The likes of Germany, Italy and Argentina have continually beaten England in the knock-out stages at major tournaments and at the World Cup it isn’t difficult to recall the Three Lions failing to win a group game.

When it comes down to it, England, like San Marino, fail to beat teams ranked higher than them. Maybe there should be a separate qualification for England to earn the right to play with the big boys.

If that were the case, the England papers and radio shows would kick up the biggest fuss and claim they were being treated unfairly. Yet they want to do this to others and why? Because they are afraid of a boring route to the next European championships.

If memory serves me correctly, England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 in what wasn’t the most difficult groups. They should embrace the fact they are almost certain to qualify.

Other so-called giant nations are struggling. The Netherlands are at a huge risk of not making it to France in two years after a horrendous start which has seen them lose two of the first three games.

Spain lost 2-1 to Slovakia last week while world champions Germany were beaten 2-0 by Poland. The “smaller” nations are improving and are relishing playing in games where they know a victory puts them one step closer to a major tournament.

The English media should focus on reporting the national sides routine but potentially difficult group and stop trying to dictate what countries get the privilege of playing their over-paid stars, before England find themselves banned from playing with the adults.