Must we have so many mentions of England during a Scotland game?

It’s the hope that kills, etc, etc. After the misery of Munich, the comeback in Cologne. Whether a 1-1 draw will be enough in the end we’ll learn this weekend, but Scotland , as Sportsound commentator Al Lamont said at the end of the 1-1 draw against Switzerland, on Wednesday night, “are still alive”.

Listening to Sportsound during the game you could feel the tension thrumming over the airwaves as the game swung to and fro. (And I’m not even a Scotland fan.) To be honest, I usually find Sportsound commentaries much too busy.

Too many voices as a rule. And there was a little of that this time around. As well as Lamont, Leanne Crichton and Steven Thompson were co-commentators and there was also a reporter in the crowd too, an addition that didn’t offer much to be honest.

You could hear the atmosphere. You didn’t need someone to describe it. To be fair, commentary boxes often suffer from a spot of tournament inflation during the Euros and the World Cup.

Over on 5 Live Alistair Bruce-Ball had both Pat Nevin and injured Scottish striker Lyndon Dykes on hand. Dykes put in a shift quite frankly. He also turned up on Radio Scotland before the game and at half time.

Radio Scotland also had a line to Willie Miller up in Aberdeen, who was talking about Liebfraumilch and Blue Nun before kick-off. I don’t think he was putting in his half-time order, but I can’t be sure. Inevitably on such occasions broadcasters turn into fans with microphones.

There was no Ossie Ardiles .