HITCHING a ride on the back of a glamorously presented Euro96 vehicle, football, we were told ad nauseam, was coming home. Great and wondrous sights were to unfold before our eyes, adults who have become stupefied by too many frenetic and physical matches would be able to delight in the movement, grace, and skill of Europe's finest players. The children of leagues which sometimes resemble war zones would be given a beautiful education.

Euro96 should have been an awakening, a glorification of this game's more subtle and appealing sciences, but the competition, which started two Saturdays ago, will close on Sunday when Germany play the Czech Republic in the Wembley final and still we are waiting to be inspired.

By nightfall on Sunday, 31 matches will have been played in Euro96 yet the number of memorable matches could be counted on one hand provided, of course, any of us could remember which ones they were. Actually England's final Group A game against Holland was one of the most enjoyable games - indeed, the English side played pretty well throughout, if we subtract their turgid opener against Switzerland from the equation - with several splendidly crafted goals, and Croatia's 3-0 win over the defending champions, Denmark, also was pleasant on the eye.

The Danes themselves played well when they beat Turkey 3-0 at Hillsborough, but it is difficult to recall most of the other matches, although for obvious reasons many people in this country will have memories of Scotland's three Group A qualifying ties. Again, though, recall will not show sweetly flowing play or a series of nets bulging with Scots turning away, arms aloft. It would be necessary to rerun Ally McCoist's strike against Switzerland continuously, because his was the only goal we scored.

It is essential we differentiate between the kind of excitement and enjoyment created because of the drama of an occasion rather than the immense and warming satisfaction which comes from watching footballers demonstrate skills and awareness in an open, free-moving fashion, and it is exactly this kind of appeal which Euro96 lacked. It is unlikely to be any better, even though the final has still to be played, because it is not in the natures of Germany or the Czech Republic to be flamboyant.

Euro96 needs to finish in style, if only to help remove the feeling that despite all the sweat, words, hype, and outbreaks of bottle-throwing in Trafalgar Square, nothing much has really happened.

There haven't been any absolutely outstanding performances, although Alan Shearer's five goals in five matches suggests the Blackburn Rovers striker enjoyed a productive tournament. In the main, though, those players the fans expected to see shine failed to satisfy.

The Italians and Dutch especially arrived in England with lofty hopes, but couldn't translate notions into motions, although the logic behind Arrigo Sacchi's decision to make half a dozen or so changes for the Group C match against the Czech Republic taxed the comprehension of most observers. When the Czechs won 2-1, the Italians were confronted with the unthinkable - elimination at the end of the group stage.

They did play well against Germany at Old Trafford, but couldn't score and were dismissed before players like Fabrizio Ravanelli, Gianfranco Zola, and Alessandro Del Piero could produce anything like their best form. Sacchi left Guiseppe Signori and Roberto Baggio behind and like the French side's coach, Aime Jacquet, who left Eric Cantona and David Ginola out of his squad, will find himself haunted by his decisions.

Nevertheless, the finals still had an abundance of highly recommended players present yet most of them remained anonymous. Just exactly where were Youri Djorkaeff, Patrice Loko, Hristo Stoitchkov, Michael Laudrup, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Dennis Bergkamp, and Gheorghe Hagi when their countries needed them most? Lost in their own minds, perhaps, because so many of them seemed to think their reputations alone would be enough to make opponents step aside.

After the World Cup finals in Italy six years ago, when the standard of play was mediocre, the performances witnessed in European Championships four years ago in Sweden and then in the '94 American World Cup finals offered encouragement. Teams were beginning to play again with some panache and fun, but it has all gone flat again.

There were few goals which will live on in the mind and there were hardly any sweeping moves from one side of the playing surface to the other. Innovation and inspiration were rarely offered, even when the teams, who are supposed to be led by some of the finest football brains and tacticians in the world, were awarded free kicks within scoring distance.

Euro96 has been the final word in banality and only the coaches and players can be blamed. Their cynicism abused UEFA's introduction of playing next-goal-the-winner instead of a set period of 30 minutes extra time in the event of a draw after the regulation 90. In fact, only Germany and England tried to score a goal when they were tied 1-1 after regulation time.

It is sadly indicative of the entire show that perhaps the most accomplished players are defenders, Matthias Sammer and Dieter Eilts, both of Gremany. Eilts, in particular, has been outstanding in the duties Berti Vogts has asked him to perform, but the Werder Bremen player's function has been to prevent others from expressing themselves.

The organisers and also UEFA continue to say the competition was a success and in the respect that the football has generated millions of pounds, their stance is justified. However, neither of these bodies is beyond criticism.

Naturally, their numbers were never stuck for tickets or the best seats, whereas many genuine football fans were unable to purchase tickets for a high proportion of the games. In radio phone-ins and pub discussions the lament has been the same, with fans telling of how they had their cheques returned months before the first ball was kicked, and the organisers telling them venues were sold out.

Yet, only a small proportion of the games housed capacity audiences. As cameras panned around the grounds, there were always wide empty spaces where supporters should have been and while Euro96 may say they got it right with their ticketing policy, a rethink is required.

Too many blocks of tickets are sold off to big business with corporate hospitality in mind, thereby denying genuine supporters access. Thankfully this time the fans didn't miss much.

When football came home in Euro96 the ball was burst.