EUROPEAN DRAWS:SHAMROCK ROVERS have declined a request from FC Copenhagen to reverse the order of their Champions League qualifiers if they make it through to face the Danish Champions by overcoming Flora Tallinn next Tuesday.
Roland Nilsson’s side asked representatives of both of their potential opponents at yesterday’s draw to agree to a switch so the Danes could travel first. Such a move can help less well off clubs to maximise television revenue but clearly signals lack of confidence on the part of the smaller club that they can keep the tie alive beyond the away leg. Both have refused the request.
Rovers will head to Copenhagen less than a week after returning from Tallinn if they can capitalise on this week’s 1-0 win there.
After Rangers, Copenhagen were the second highest ranked club Rovers could have drawn in the round. They will consider themselves unfortunate to have to qualify from this stage of the competition after making it through the group stages last time around, before losing 2-0 to Chelsea over two legs in the first knockout round.
By then, the Danes had held Barcelona at home and beaten Rubin Kazan of Russia and Greece’s Panathinaikos and while there has been some turnover of players at the club since Nilsson’s appointment in the close season, they will start against either Rovers or Flora as strong favourites to progress.
“We are not through yet and it is important not to forget that,” said Rovers chairman Jonathan Roche yesterday, “but if we do get through Tuesday’s game, Copenhagen is the toughest tie football-wise we could have asked for.
“Logistically it is a good draw for either ourselves or Flora as there were teams from Israel and other places that are difficult to get to. But Copenhagen are a formidable team. It would be a very, very tough game but we would go into the Europa League if we lost.
“Whoever qualifies will be away in the first leg and football-wise that is an advantage,” he added. “Copenhagen asked both of us if we would swap it around, so they could be away first, but ourselves and Flora said no.”
Rovers’ trip is more straightforward in logistical terms than the ones faced by Sligo Rovers or, if they can qualify, St Patrick’s Athletic, both of whom are looking at the prospect of having to head to Ukraine at the start of the week after next.
“It’s another logistical disaster,” said St Patrick’s manager Pete Mahon after hearing his side have been drawn away to Karpaty Lovov, “but sure we haven’t even got into that. It’s not a great draw, hasn’t been kind at all.”
Shelbourne beat Karpaty in the European Cup Winners’ Cup 3-2 in 1993 but Mahon is unlikely to take much encouragement from that given the amount of travel that will be involved. “It’s not a good draw. They’re a decent team and it would be a very difficult trip which is the last thing we wanted but we’ll worry about it after next Thursday.”
Sligo, meanwhile, are almost certain to face Vorskla Poltava, also of Ukraine, who look set to progress to the third round after beating Glentoran 2-0 in Belfast this week. “It looks like we’ll be going to Ukraine and that is a very difficult draw,” said Paul Cook. “They seem to be a very strong team with excellent players and play in an excellent league. All we can do is our best and I know our players will look forward to it.
“I’m happy to be away from home first,” he continued. “This is a great experience for the players and we will certainly give it our all. I’m going to try to get to their game next week and do our homework and give ourselves the best opportunity.”
If Bohemians can bounce back from Thursday’s 2-0 defeat by Olimpija Ljubljana then they will most likely face Austria Vienna who currently lead Rudar Pljevlja of Montenegro by three goals.
