June 2008
44 posts
1 tag
All over a cup of tea
My final evening in Zurich was spent with my brothers and sisters in arms in the volunteer centre and surrounding area. After the fans had long made their way home and car horns signalled the end of the road of Euro2008 in the city, the team dressed in blue who gave up their time for the last few weeks were able to let their hair down and celebrate a job well done.
It takes a special sort of...
Allez Les Bleus?
Perhaps it was just due to my elevated vantage point behind the Italian fans, but the atmosphere for the Italy versus France game was something quite special. Throughout the game Italian players acted as cheerleaders, windmilling their arms to a rabid reception. Certain fans faced away from the pitch as they conducted the gathered masses through the Inno di Mameli whilst the French sang La...
Guardian Podcast mention no.2 (ca. 12:30 in) →
4 tags
Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich article (3 of 3)
Tagblatt Zürich 18th June 2008
4 tags
WatchItalian celebrations
4 tags
The calm before the storm
Although Zürich is tomorrow hosting the biggest match of the tournament so far, it certainly feels as if things are winding down. Both France and Italy have already played here so journalists and hangers-on are already registered and acquainted with the Letzigrund. Over the last few days there has been increasingly less work to do, which has freed up time for more active pursuits.
On both...
The Other Final
Following the disappointment of the Swiss and German teams tonight, Swiss residents from various locales had the chance to resurrect their belief systems in the guise of both Italy and France. Unfortunately for those involved, both failed to kick-start their Euro2008 campaigns. Going into next week’s game, a re-match of the World Cup Final lest we forget, both sides will be sitting on a...
Dean Saunders just hurried by, without his tongue sticking out, which was strange
And now a little man who is David Pleat, plus two other faces I recognise, ITV journos probably
Gab Marcotti here too. Zurich the place to be it seems
Hagi’s here again. Maybe he wants to be mates?
5 tags
WatchMutu vs Buffon
4 tags
European Fields - a photo exhibit
As nice a town as Winterthur is, and only thirty minutes from Zürich by train, I was a little disappointed at the lack of atmosphere in the city. Save for a few heavily reduced to clear football related tat, I suspect the place was never that enamoured by Euro2008 in the first place. There were no flags, shirts or Italians hanging out of cars. No-one had even bothered to claim any the statue...
Come rain or shine
By now sufficient time has passed to reflection Switzerland’s exit yesterday. From a football point of view, on which I won’t dwell, I think the morning’s papers using words such as “debacle” are a little extreme. The Swiss are generally a pretty unsuccessful team, and the whether conditions were such a leveller yesterday that home advantage was negated.
Watching the...
3 tags
WatchTraffic lights keep a beat
5 tags
Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich article (2 of 3)
Tagblatt Zürich 11th June 2008
Swiss number
In case anyone needs to contact me in Switzerland, I bought a simcard and the number is +41 (0)787113647
Matchday in Zürich - how to kill the mood
Since the first match in Zürich the mood seems to have turned with the weather as spirits have dampened considerably. Monday provided glorious flag-cracking weather and so agreeable were the conditions that both the French and Romanians players took it upon themselves to not bother playing football.
At the risk of breaking into an unnecessary sweat, both sides ambled around with the pretense of...
WatchWe all dream of a team of Gary Breens
Gheorge Hagi here now. Boring…
Just met Marcel Desailly
Missed Desailly by 2 minutes. Gutted to say the least.
Mentioned on Guardian podcast (ca. 20mins in) →
King Poldi
Today might be the day we finally see the first ‘shock’ of the tournament. After two days of run-of-the-mill fare (only one team has scored in any of the matches so far), Romania could provide an upset against the French.
No-one likes a gloater but:
…until then, we’ll have to put up with Germany making relatively easy work of Poland and a lively if stuttering and ultimately...
Prince Poldi finally does what has been on the cards for 20 mins. Three nil I reckon
Working in an office on a sunday whilst sunny outside. So this is the working life I get to look forward to?
For everything else, there's Mastercard.
Having arrived on Monday, it was strange to finally watch some football last night. Fun though it was, it soon dawned on me that admirable as my intentions are to just enjoy this festival of football for what it is, I’m going to have to follow a team.
I was willing the Swiss on but watching Alex Frei end his, and in all probability Switzerland’s tournament, reminded me that being so...
Two loudest groups of fans met: Norwegians and the Irish. Figures..
What football tournament?
This time exactly one week ago I was crawling out of bed to meet friends from home to embark on yet more l following the end of university. Last night was a similar fest as thousands braved the elements to mark the official opening of Zurich as a host city.
As if being completely sodden on my summer holiday wasn’t enough, I arrived at the stadium to find one of my colleagues had an audience...
How to talk on Finnish TV: Talk Louder
A relatively normal day for me in Zürich. I was led around the stadium by a colleague almost no security in sight. We walked around the pitch and stadium savouring what might turn out to be a fantastic atmosphere in the stadium. I’ve seen bigger and better stadiums, though the Letzigrund does have a certain appeal. It strikes me as quite open and wide once inside with the obligatory space...
Oh Christ.
My supervisor: “Joe, there’s someone on the phone for you.”
(Picking up the receiver)
Me: “Ahoy-hoy?”
Person: “Hi Joe. There’s a Finnish TV crew here and they want to interview you tomorrow as you speak English. Up for that?”
Me: “Arf.”
5 tags
Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich article (1 of 3)
Tagblatt Zürich 4th June 2008
Legends met: 1
A tall chap walked to my counter yesterday sporting long hair and a suit. I’d dealt with hundreds of people already during the day so wasn’t paying much attention. Truth be told, I wouldn’t have recognised this person anyway by sight.
Then I saw his passport. Looked at his face. Then his passport. Then at all the people in the room looking at me.
Alain Sutter.
Swiss midfield...
1 tag
Making the news
When you travel to foreign country, you don’t alway expect to be on the inside cover of the city’s newspaper within a day of arriving. However it wasn’t a total surprise when my host, Jessica, as editor of Zürich’s “Tagblatt”, decided to write a piece on her role as host during a major tournament and mine as tourist and volunteer. We get on well and just laughed...
May 2008
4 posts
BBC's Euro2008 video archive →
Euro 96 - When Football Came Home →
Alone in Zürich live and running!
Following on from my World Cup 2006 blog, I will be writing from Zürich during the first two weeks of Euro2008. From Tuesday 3rd June I will be working as a volunteer for UEFA at the Letzigrund Stadion & updating this site on my thoughts and discoveries as I go along.