Germany are still good, players still dive and the underdogs never get a break.

There is more pressure on the Germans than there had been in the last World Cup which they hosted.

And judging by the way they played in a 2-0 win over Poland on Sunday evening they can cope with greater expectations.

UEFA had suggested that divers would be punished in a bid to clean up the game.

Sadly they forgot to tell Cristiano Ronaldo who took just 34 seconds of Portugal's opener against Turkey to go to ground for no apparent reason.

As for the luck of the big nations, you only had to see the non award of penalties for Switzerland and Austria in their first games, both of which ended in defeat, to see that things are carrying on as normal in this regard.

On the subject of the hosts, Austria dispelled the myth that they are the worst international side to grace the championships.

They took time to get going against Croatia, but once into their stride played well, I thought, and will give Poland a run for their money when the sides meet on Thursday.

Portugal's performance against Switzerland was the most impressive of the opening weekend with Deco in imperious form.

The real plus for Big Phil and his squad is that the Barcelona playmaker will only get better and better the more games he plays after a difficult club season.

The aging Czech Republic side were highly unimpressive and the longer they persist with the giant targetman Jan Koller in attack the more one dimensional they will become.

A couple of other things caught my attention on the opening weekend.

The first was the new ball which looks like one of those plastic affairs you buy at the pound shop - and all the goalkeepers have complained that it moves through the air like one.

The fact that there were just six goals in the first four games suggests that either the keepers are moaning too much or the strikers are poor.

The second was the continued rehabilitation of former England coach Steve McClaren.

The Wally with the Brolly began the process earlier this year with a series of candid interviews and it continues apace in Austria where he is a BBC radio summariser.

My heart sank when I heard he had been signed up. After all, he is responsible for the fact that we can watch the next three weeks' football as neutrals but he was witty and insightful - two things I have never really associated with him in the past.

Graham Taylor has managed to turn himself into football's elder statesman via the airwaves, perhaps McClaren is aiming for something similar.

Finally from the first few days, it was great to hear Danny Baker back on 606.