大象传媒

London, England

Back in the capital for Wednesday's Euro 2008 semi-final between Germany and Turkey, we decided to meet up with some members of the London branch of Fenerbahce FC.

There were plenty of fun and games before the match even began thanks to a late change of venue. We'd originally decided to pitch up at a snooker club in Harrow-on-the-Hill but switched at the last minute, heading for the Fat Controller pub instead.

Then the 大象传媒's coverage was interrupted by a severe thunderstorm in Vienna. Try as I might to talk up the merit of the network's sudden switch to 5 Live's commentary, it soon became clear that, as "the man from the 大象传媒", the entire pub thought I must have personal control over the pictures coming from Austria.

I'm sorry to see the Turks go out. Since their opening-day defeat to Portugal, they've been involved in four games that have made Euro 2008 such a success. The second of those, that rousing , is easily my match of the tournament so far.

Producer Garth and I had been working during the day in the build-up to that one and could watch it like normal human beings without having to interview supporters in the gaps. At 2-2, we were licking our lips at the prospect of penalties and I - not Garth -dashed to get another couple of pints in. Turkey's late winner came before we'd even supped the top off them.

The Turks took their well. They exceeded all expectations and firmly put themselves on the European football map. And what scenes we were treated to when they scored their two goals against the Germans. Part bear hug, part triple salco and part pirouette, it reminded me of the "mosh pit" at Middlesbrough Rock Garden circa 1978.