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 for a running track around the outside. From tomorrow onwards we won’t have the same free reign but it was interesting to see all the same.

From there I had my first British people come to my desk seeking accreditation. The first was Roy Collins, a writer for the Sunday Telegraph, but it was the voice of my second Brit who struck me most. As is my style when deprived of a good cup of tea, I often find myself asking for a passport without looking up. But the voice. This voice I recognised.

The contrast of softly spoken and Scottish was instantly recognisable to me as The Guardian’s, and more perphaps more famouslx, the Guardian Football Weekly Podcast’s Kevin McCarra. Resisted the temptation to make jokes about AC Jimbo and Barry Glendenning’s drinking habits, we indulged in conversation about our tips for the tournament. I ventured Croatia as an outside bet whilst he had a sneeking feeling Poland might suprise.

As expected, Finnish TV crew from YLE turned up to interview four of the volunteers. As the only English representative I felt well qualified to spout rubbish about how great it is that England didn’t qualify, because that way football would be the winner. And don’t forget, the camera adds ten pounds.

Tomorrow is the “official opening” of Zürich as a Euro2008 location and the celebrations along the Limmat towards the Zürichsee are bound to be frenetic as, urm, Mel C, brings the show to a climax. I can’t wait.