Hardly a tie to get the neutrals going but what’s not to like?

The game signals the start of three weeks of great sporting action and provides the perfect excuse to slope off work and start the weekend early with a livener or two down the local.

Opening matches are never great shakes and this has all the hallmarks of a bore draw.

The Greek finance minister could learn a thing or two from the national side’s miserly defence and I can see this one petering out into a cagey nil-nil so we’ll swerve it from a betting perspective.

There are plenty of other markets to get involved in and Paddy Power has got a cracking offer on accumulator bets for group winners.

The firm will refund your stake if one wrong selection blows the bet so let’s have a go at a nice long shot.

I like the look of Russia, Holland, Spain and France to top their groups which pays a very healthy 25/1 if they all come in.

I’m hoping England sneak-through to the knock-out stages but I can’t see them finishing above France with huge question marks over our strikers, midfield formation, ability to keep possession etc etc.

The fear is we try and bore our way through with an ultra-cautious approach which wins us few friends and still ends in disappointment.

Roy Hodgson is great at protecting a lead – it’s just establishing one or coming from behind which could prove England’s undoing.

The weekend throws-up some great games and I like the look of a favourites treble on Russia to beat the Czech Republic, Holland to beat Denmark and Germany to get the better of Portugal which rolls-up at 5/1.

Here’s to making a few quid in the opening skirmishes with the bookies so we can ramp-up the stakes as the tournament progresses.

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Running Total for all 2012 bets to a £10 stake:   +£156.50