Andorra (A) - the game

**ArdeeBhoy** · 29/10/2010, 10:05 PM

See my Delaney comment above GS.
Believe you were at the same meeting where JD pronounced on this??

Not that he decides though.

**eaststand85** · 01/11/2010, 9:41 AM

Originally Posted by gspain

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage.

Don't think it makes any difference, on that basis surely we should have played Slovakia in Bratislava rather than Zilina and Italy in Rome or Milan rather than Bari? Plenty of host nations spread their games around different venues.

**pineapple stu** · 01/11/2010, 9:48 AM

I imagine the difference is playing in a different country. UEFA can be sticklers about that.

**eaststand85** · 01/11/2010, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I imagine the difference is playing in a different country. UEFA can be sticklers about that.

Is that why we've played them in Barcelona the last few times?

**pineapple stu** · 01/11/2010, 11:56 AM

We've only played them the once.

Didn't they play all their games in Barca that campaign though? My point was that maybe there was an issue over playing some games in one country and some games in another. It's only a guess though.

**mypost** · 01/11/2010, 4:45 PM

They played us and Holland in Barcelona, Portugal in Spain, and the other teams in Andorra.

**gspain** · 02/11/2010, 3:25 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

See my Delaney comment above GS.
Believe you were at the same meeting where JD pronounced on this??

Not that he decides though.

I was and he did say it. You are correct in what you say however I'm sure we'll be allowed by UEFA. It is a different country. The only reason for moving it would be to allow more fans in. It would give us an advantage particularly if it is a key game and that is the main reason we'd want it moved.

**Gather round** · 03/11/2010, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by gspain

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage

Doesn't your advantage follow simply from having more fans that travel? Which also offers an advantage to the Andorra FA presumably, as they'll earn more from the game.

If Russia or Slovakia were likely to turn up with 5,000 fans (or whatever the number is), wouldn't Andorra be only too pleased/ insistent on hiring a bigger stadium in Spain?

**mypost** · 04/11/2010, 8:28 AM

Russia were already there, and brought a few hundred with them.

You shouldn't need an advantage to beat Andorra, except if it comes to winning 3-0 instead of 3-1.

**gspain** · 04/11/2010, 11:16 AM

Appreciate the point re Andorra should be a guaranteed 3 points but UEFA must be seen to be treating Andorra the same as other countries.

However Andorra were allowed to play England in Barcelona in recent campaigns and the other games in Andorra so it seems that Andorra
will be allowed to move the game if they wish.

For a team like Andorra it makes no odds but if you allow this then a better team could move a game for financial reward but lose home advantage thus giving the away team an
advantage. If Armenia for example were to try and move their game v Russia to a big stadium in Georgia that would giv ethe russians an advantage over Slovakia and us who had to go to Yerevan. I know it happens with regards to war or crowd trouble but allowing a country to do it for other reasons seems unfair.

Now it may be the case in England's group that the other countries gave the go ahead. I know iut makes sense to accommodate everyone who wants to see the game and it
is a windfall for a small FA.

Given the economic climate in the country and that Russia look odds on to win the group now 2,000 of the 2,500 tickets available probably would be enough and probably easily obtained.
Local demand will probably be a few hundred at best. Given the costs in moving to Barcelona I suspect they'll opt to keep it at home. However if we were to win our next 4 games then there would be a mad rush for tickets albeit probably too late to move the game then.

**holidaysong** · 08/05/2011, 6:16 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Any word yet on whether this game will be in Barcelona? Going to book a holiday there around it if it is. I'm assuming getting hold of tickets won't be a problem?

Just bumping the thread, does anyone know when the venue for this might be confirmed?

**mypost** · 08/05/2011, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by gspain

Given the economic climate in the country and that Russia look odds on to win the group now 2,000 of the 2,500 tickets available probably would be enough and probably easily obtained.
Local demand will probably be a few hundred at best. Given the costs in moving to Barcelona I suspect they'll opt to keep it at home. However if we were to win our next 4 games then there would be a mad rush for tickets albeit probably too late to move the game then.

We're top of the group* atm, so anyone could win the group.

There was only a couple of hundred at the Andorra-Slovakia game, there's no way we're going to bring 20,000 over there. When we got San Marino last time, everyone said that their 4k stadium couldn't handle our numbers. But we played there and it handled our numbers easily. In a better economic climate. You're probably looking at 1500-2000 max heading over there, and the game wouldn't have to be moved.

*not counting head-to-head until return games have been played.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 09/05/2011, 11:31 PM

That's all fair enough. Is is 30 or 90 days notice they have to declare the venue?
In which case, we won't know for another 2 months at the earliest.

All this will be is to cement a place in the play-offs at best, anyway....

**brendy_éire** · 11/05/2011, 7:05 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

That's all fair enough. Is is 30 or 90 days notice they have to declare the venue?
In which case, we won't know for another 2 months at the earliest.

60 days.

I wouldn't imagine ye'd get over 2,000 people heading to Andorra for the match, so can't see it being an issue for tickets anyway.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 11/05/2011, 10:23 PM

So we'd know early August, hmm.

Here's it to being Andorra, though Barca would be more of a formality, too many pickpockets in the latter.

**gspain** · 12/05/2011, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

So we'd know early August, hmm.

Here's it to being Andorra, though Barca would be more of a formality, too many pickpockets in the latter.

We may know earlier but early August at the latest.

Best advice is fly to the Barcelona area eg Barcelona/Reus/Girona and book hotels that can be cancelled for free.

**dotts101** · 25/05/2011, 6:57 PM

if the game is in andorra or barce, will have to fly into barcelona anyway, so is best to book early. me+4 are going and have already booked flights. dublin-gatwick, gatwick-barca, barca-gatwick, gatwick-dublin. 164e is cheapest option of getting there thurs-sat.

**Reildogg** · 27/06/2011, 2:25 PM

Flying over friday-monday with Aer Lingus only 140 return so that'd be a bit cheaper and can fly out friday!

**dotts101** · 28/06/2011, 10:06 AM

is that flight not friday evening? when the match is due to take place?

**newrynyuk** · 28/06/2011, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by gspain

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage.

It's Andorra, home advantage is a non-issue. Ireland will get 3 points agianst them wherever the match is played (I hope!).

What concernes Andorra I dare say is the number of travelling fans. Even in these harsh economic times, we can expect at least 1,000 to travel and the Andorran FA will try to accommodate them in a bigger stadium. Personally I'd love it if it was in Andorra, but the 3 hour bus journey is a bit offputting.