Monday deadline for Liechtenstein security guarantees: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/EURO/news/Kind=1/newsId=61081.html
Oh no! Those crazy Liechtebsteinois might get a little out of hand! Everyone knows the way that they are so crazy! What a strange thing to be concerned about!
I think it's the English they are concerned about. A lot of times thousands of English fans show up to an away game and hope to get tickets on the black market. With a Rheinpark capacity of only about 3,500 for this game it's reasonable to expect a lot of pissed-off English fans... The game is on: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/EURO/news/Kind=1/newsId=61170.html
From today's Newark Star-Ledger: "Liechtenstein considered postponing Saturday's Group 7 home game with England, fearing security problems due to England's role in the war in Iraq. Yesterday, however, the Liechtenstein Football Association assured UEFA it could provide safety guarantees. There will be 1,100 policemen at the 3,500-seat stadium." I did not know that there were 1100 policemen in all of Liechtenstein. Those Brisish babies, I hope they loose. If Erickson thought loosing to Austraila was bad, imagine what the British press would do if they lost to Liechtenstein.
From today's boston Globe: "Even the European Championship 2004 qualifiers are being affected. England's visit to the Principality of Liechtenstein was on the verge of being postponed, but the Union des Associations Europeennes de Football (UEFA) yesterday confirmed the match. The English team was considered a possible target for protesters and/or terrorists. And there is little chance security will be sophisticated at the 3,548-capacity Rheinparkstadion in Vaduz. More than 1,500 England supporters are expected in Vaduz, and only 950 have been issued tickets. These numbers indicate this is a small-scale problem compared with the crowd violence of England's visit to Slovakia last October. But Liechtenstein has only 70 full-time law enforcement officers. Plans have been made to recruit 1,100 officers from neighboring Austria and Switzerland, but those countries' enforcement resources have been stretched because of anti-war protests. And authorities are concerned about what could be a volatile combination of football fans and anti-war demontrators."
A great story on the Liechtensteiner team: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=262068&cc=5901 Maybe this should be the Austria, Switzerland, & Liechtenstein Forum! After they dump England, we need to start a new campaign.
Excellent story. I've had the pleasure to watch a game at the Rheinpark... I agree. The word "Liechtenstein" should definitely be included on the forum tagline once we get one.
That would make one long forum name. MAbye it would increase the notice of the board. Thanks for the hard work as the forum is starting to get new people posting on it.
Loose keeps faith with youngsters: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/EURO/News/Kind=1/newsId=59595.html Terry takes his England place: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/EURO/news/Kind=1/newsId=61099.html Loose talks positive: http://www.uefa.com/trainingground/news/Kind=4/newsId=61513.html
I don't think we should put it in the forum name, but in the tagline instead. Something along the lines of: "T-Mobile Bundesliga, National League A, and even Liechtenstein."
As I read today in Blick, this is indeed a major concern for the local population. The Swiss army put up barbwire in the radius of 400m around the stadium, and several restaurant owners decided to close their business that day.
FT: Liechtenstein-England 0:2 (Owen, Beckham) Congratulations to Liechtenstein. Excellent result for them.
England fans hurt in clashes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2897799.stm :Sigh: This is the 3rd time in the last year or so that we had troubles with English fans (the other 2 when Basel played Liverpool & ManU.)
Here is the write-up for the game: http://www.euro2004.com/competitions/euro/fixturesresults/round=1579/match=69361/report=rp.html
The Swiss and Liechtenstein press say that the performance by the Liechtenstein team was one of the best ones ever. For those of you that speak German, here is a great article about the match: http://www.sonntagszeitung.ch/sz/szUnterRubrik.html?ausgabeid=2968&rubrikid=147&ArtId=268410