Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine

[DaveyCakes]

Just announced

[DaveyCakes]

Host cities:

Poland
--------
Warsaw
Gdansk
Wroclaw
Poznan
Krakow
Chorzow

Ukraine
-------
Kyiv
Donetsk
Lviv
Dnepropetrovsk

I think this is good. It would have been very easy for UEFA to take the easy choice and give it to Italy

[teckno]

I don't know really to be honest if this is a good decision. Poland/Ukraine is not exactly appealing to me anyway as a destination safety/security issues?? plus the vast size of both country's makes it very difficult to get around plus vast lack of infrastructure. Must say I am really surprised at this decision.

Isin't it sad how millions of Polish are coming here to seek work etc and yet we are incapable of hosting such a competition

[teckno]

I suppose one good point. Ryanair has at least 10 destinations to Poland so access for us should not be a problem.

Poland for me but would be uneasy about Ukraine. Any opinions??

[shedite]

Very stragne decision. After round one of voting it was Italy 11, Croatia/Hungary 9, Poland/Ukraine 7. I wonder what changed their minds. I'm guessing the dead policeman incident in Italy cost them big time.

Apparently the infrastructure over there is shocking, especially around Gdansk. Ah well, should be a nice part of the world to see.

[shedite]

Just havin a look at the map of Ukraine. Lviv is right on the border with Poland, Kyiv about halfway across the country, Dnipropetrovsk is even further east, while Donetsk on the very far side of the country.

I wouldn't have any security fears about Ukraine. They used to have really tight visa requirements, but when they won the eurovision a few years back, they had to give everyone free entry for the week they hosted it. They liked the idea of tourists and now, thanks to the eurovision, you don't need a visa to go there. Happy days!

[gspain]

Shock choice but well done to those countries.

[Dodge]

Isin't it sad how millions of Polish are coming here to seek work

Slight exageration perhaps? You do realise how huge Poland is?

[teckno]

Millions!!!! Sorry meant to say thousands. Now other news from UEFA is that likely by 2016 the Euros will be expanded to 24 teams with surely by that stage leave us in a decent position with regards to sharing the hosting of a tournament with Scotland, Wales, N Ireland.

The Celtic Bid here we come!!

[DaveyCakes]

The expansion of teh tournament to 24 teams would leave Ireland less able to host it, even with a joint bid.

[DaveyCakes]

Expanding it to 24 teams is f***** ridiculous. That's practically half the countries in Europe..Why not just let everyone in and be done with it?

[DaveyCakes]

I'm going to Ukraine in 3 weeks. I'll only be in the Crimea (which is basically part of Russia) so I'll not be able to report to Stadiums and such, but I'll be interested to see what its like.

[teckno]

Surely an expansion to 24 teams would make it easier for us to co-host if we were allowed 4 host nations!!

Ireland
Lansdowne Road
Possibly Croke Park
Possibly new 30,000 seater at Abbotstown
Surely by 2016 we could develop one extra 30,000 seater in cork for example

N Ireland
Maze

Wales
Millenium
Liberty Swansea

Scotland
Murryfield
Hampden
Ibrox
Celtic Park

I mean if Poland/Ukraine with infrastructure of zilch can get this event why couldn't we

[DaveyCakes]

Surely an expansion to 24 teams would make it easier for us to co-host if we were allowed 4 host nations!!

Ireland
Lansdowne Road
Possibly Croke Park
Possibly new 30,000 seater at Abbotstown
Surely by 2016 we could develop one extra 30,000 seater in cork for example

N Ireland
Maze

Wales
Millenium
Liberty Swansea

Scotland
Murryfield
Hampden
Ibrox
Celtic Park

I mean if Poland/Ukraine with infrastructure of zilch can get this event why couldn't we

Have a good look at your suggestion...A 24-team tournament squeezed into 6 cities (7 if you include Cork) and several small cities at that? Not a chance in Hell.

[Raheny Red]

There will have to be a massive crackdown on the Polish hoolies - they are running rampant every weekend!

[ifk101]

Surely an expansion to 24 teams would make it easier for us to co-host if we were allowed 4 host nations!!

Ireland
Lansdowne Road
Possibly Croke Park
Possibly new 30,000 seater at Abbotstown
Surely by 2016 we could develop one extra 30,000 seater in cork for example

N Ireland
Maze

Wales
Millenium
Liberty Swansea

Scotland
Murryfield
Hampden
Ibrox
Celtic Park

I mean if Poland/Ukraine with infrastructure of zilch can get this event why couldn't we

So you're proposing 3 venues in 2 cities - Dublin and Glasgow .... Mmmm .... and a 30,000 seater stadium in Abbotstown ....

The only possible options that we could offer is the new Lansdowne Rd. (I'd wait until that to be finished before I'd get excited) and possibly the new Thomond Pk. in Limerick (I'd also wait for that one to be finished before I'd get excited).

Both Poland and Ukraine have tenants that make the development of new 30,000+ stadiums financially viable. We don't. And Poland/Ukraine's sporting infrastructure isn't currently at zilch level - in fact, considering with don't have one football stadium capable of holding 10,000+, we really shouldn't be questioning what capabilities Poland/Ukraine have in staging a European Championship.

[DaveyCakes]

And you can forget Croke Park because a European championship wuld be smack in the middle of the hurling and football championships.

[Risteard]

Semple Stadium would be a better option than Thomond.
Reckon we just don't match up to the requirements though and won't get drastic improvements for a decade or two.

[Lim till i die]

Semple Stadium would be a better option than Thomond.
Reckon we just don't match up to the requirements though and won't get drastic improvements for a decade or two.

And Pairc na nGael would be a much better option than Semple if you wanted to go down that route

Given the state of our football grounds people questioning Poland/Ukraine is pretty laughable guys......

[NeilMcD]

On the bbc website.

According to Uefa sources, Poland and Ukraine won in the first round of voting with eight of the 12 votes while four went to Italy and none to Croatia and Hungary.