It was the moment when I realised how much fun Euro 2008 has been.

Germany and Austria was just getting tasty as both coaches were sent off for squabbling with the fourth official.

Nobody knew why Joachim Low and Josef Hickersberger had been ordered to the stand – least of all the two combatants themselves. But it was the reshuffle on the bench that got me.

“That’s assistant manager Hans-Dieter Flick taking over now,” reported John Motson dutifully.

You mean Herr Flick has taken over running Germany? Fantastic! But where’s Von Smallhausen when you need him?

It may be treasonous to suggest such a thing but I find myself enjoying this tournament more because England are not involved.

European cliches and old gags aside, the football itself has been breathtaking on the whole. Late goals, big calls from referees (hats off to Yorkshire’s own Howard Webb who may not be able to holiday in Krakow for a while), implausible two-yard misses and not an empty seat in the house.

And they say that the competition is all the poorer because of the absence of the home nations.

From the selfish view of the supporter maybe. Like many others, I suspect, my loyalty this year to Holland has been paid for at the bookies.

But watching the matches without that anxious knot in the stomach, waiting for something “typically English” to go wrong, has been quite liberating.

I don’t buy this theory that nobody cares who wins. Maybe it’s true of the band-wagon brigade who deck their cars in union flags, snap up all the England-endorsed tat from the supermarket and pretend to be life-long followers when they don’t know their Barry from their Bentley.

I suspect many haven’t even noticed that the football is still going on. Probably glued to Big Brother instead.

But for the rest of us who genuinely love watching the game played at the top level, it has been avid viewing.

After a slow start, the matches have flown by. None of this slow, slow, quick, quick slow build-up – it’s been high skill played at a breathtakingly high pace throughout.

Apart, obviously, from Austria, who would struggle to force their way out of the West Riding County Amateur League.

For all the huffing and puffing, they possessed a powder-puff attack that made Luca Toni look a goal threat.

I’ve particularly relished the shocking demise of the over-the-hill French. Seems Michel Platini is a bit quieter with his opinions now that his fellow countrymen have been put out to grass.

France have been on the wane since 2000 when they added the European crown to their world title and a major overhaul is long overdue.

The combination of too many oldies and a completely bonkers boss was always going to do for them.

When we’ve finished guffawing at the French, and I predict that will be some time late in November, there are other fond memories from the Alps. Like the dynamic Dutch unveiling a modern-day version of their classic “total football”; Turkey coming back from the dead against Czech Republic following a comedy cock-up from Petr Cech and Michael Ballack showing Big Phil exactly why he will build his Chelsea side around the German next season.

And not forgetting the marvellously off-beam Martin O’Neill constantly disagreeing with every other pundit in the studio.

The good news is that there is plenty more drama still to unfold. If the Germany and Portugal game wasn’t exciting enough, Spain’s quarter-final with Italy tomorrow night is one of those not-to-miss occasions when you put everything else on hold. And there’s bound to be the obligatory penalty shoot-out or two.

So sit back and relish every minute without feeling that urge to suddenly kick the screen when Frank Lampard blazes over into row Z for the 23rd time.

As a German assistant coach might say: “Watch this very carefully, you will see it only once.”