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Basel

The front cover of the free newspaper proclaimed on Thursday that Switzerland are going to win Euro 2008 because it is written in the stars.

According to Basel astrologer Christine Vosseler, who is photographed in the paper with an expression that seems to suggest that matters are out of her hands, the celestial proclamations cannot be argued with.

Talking of stars, Brad Pitt, Owen Wilson and Patti Smith are all in town, though it is the Art Basel fair and not the football that has brought them to Switzerland.

Anyway, I tried to investigate the astronomy story further but quickly hit trouble.

When a woman at a tram stop asked me for a light, I in turn asked her if she could help translate the story.

Unfortunately, said individual took one look at the newspaper, recoiled in horror and said "it is too cheap" several times. Actually, I thought, it is free, how much cheaper do you want it?

It was then that I noticed the strong smell of alcohol.

A further glance revealed the sort of twitchy mannerisms particular to those who imbibe too often early in the day. A cold shiver ran down my spine as it dawned on me that one of the first Swiss people to instigate a conversation with me just happened to be an old soak. Thankfully, a tram came along and whisked me off to safety.

Still, the article got me thinking about the prospects for the Swiss over the next few weeks. It is the first time they have hosted a major football tournament since the in 1954, when West Germany won the World Cup.

Back then the competition averaged 5.4 goals a game and the Swiss notched five in their final match, the only problem being the Austrians scored seven.

Austria, the co-hosts this year, look like a lost cause, but there is a feeling amongst some people I have spoken to that if the Swiss can capitalise on home advantage then they might have a tournament to remember.

I'm not so sure. The Swiss are in a group with the Czech Republic - who they play on Saturday - Portugal and Turkey.

might not count for all that much but while Switzerland are 44th, the other three teams in their group are in the top 20.

You could argue that Switzerland's last participation in a major tournament showed real potential. After all, they were undefeated in four games at the 2006 World Cup, eliminated only on .

And they have some decent players in the wonderfully named Tranquillo Barnetta, Johan Vonlanthen and the gifted young Basel forward Eren Derdiyok.

But some key figures, such as Alex Frei and Philippe Senderos, are either recovering from long-term injury or out of form.

Recent poor results - friendlies against minnows Slovakia and Liechtenstein apart - suggest that the Swiss need to produce against the Czechs to build some badly-needed momentum.

Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn agrees, arguing that winning the opening game is "vital" to generate much-needed momentum.

I hope they do because, if Euro 2004 and the World Cup in Germany taught me anything, the success of a major tournament is built in part on the enthusiasm of the host nation.

If Switzerland lose on Saturday they will have the metaphorical equivalent of one of their much vaunted mountains to climb.

Of course, one Swiss person has played their most excellent part in a major final - a man to whom every self-respecting England fan owes a debt of gratitude.

You can talk all day about your Russian linesman, but 'Gotti' Dienst was the referee in the 1966 World Cup final who ultimately ruled that Geoff Hurst's shot for his crucial second goal against West Germany had crossed the line.

The whistle - an ACME Thunderer - that Dienst used in the final is now housed in the in Basel, and I had the brief honour of touching it during a visit on Thursday.

Having also seen the goalposts used in the final at the in Preston, I am gradually turning into a '66 nerd. Having grown up on stories of England's glory - something I've never seen myself - I guess it all makes sense.

And the wistfulness of my seminal years does not stop there.

As a child, my mother dragged me to church every week, something I am reminded of every time I step out of my hotel room and into the corridor, at the end of which is a stained glass window casting a holy light that makes me anticipate the smell of incense and a procession of altar boys.