City boss relishing Swedish test

CORK CITY boss Damien Richardson is very positive about his team’s chances of progressing further in this year’s UEFA Cup, admitting that if his side play to their potential, they could extend their european ambitions into September.

City face their second difficult Scandinavian assignment in two seasons after drawing Swedish league leaders Djurgårdens IF.

Already the Stockholm-based clubs’ chiefs have sought to rearrange the first leg for Cork due to a rock festival taking place in the Swedish capital, but City bosses have stuck to the assigned dates which sees the eircom league leaders travel to Djurgardens on August 11th with the return leg two weeks later at Turner’s Cross.

Djurgardens are currently mid-way through their own domestic season and lie three points clear at the top of the Swedish Premier division.

The 2003 league champions have just signed Swedish international striker Mattias Jonson from Norwich City.

Former Bolton and Milan player Ibrahim Ba is also a member of their squad.

But despite their greater resources and talent, City boss Damien Richardson remains extremely upbeat about the tie: “I accept that it is a very difficult draw. We’re playing the team at the top of the Swedish Premier division, who are obviously in fine form. I knew that the next section of the UEFA Cup was going to be that little bit more difficult than the last section. But we have it within us to rise to the challenge. If we play to our potential we’ll pose a serious threat to Djurgardens.”

The City squad has already experienced European success over last year’s Swedish champions, Malmo, in the 2004 Inter-toto Cup, but Richardson believes this will be another step up. “The point about Malmo last season is that they were only a few games into their league campaign. Djurgårdens have played fifteen games. It’s a very severe test and I’m looking forward to it because I think we will play very well against a team of this calibre.

“I saw them play Shamrock Rovers two years ago in the UEFA Cup; they’re a typical Swedish team, physically very big, very mobile and technically very, very good, so it’ll be a big test for us. We’re in season, we’re playing well and it has come at a right time for us as well.”

And Richardson believes by playing the first leg away from home, it offers a better opportunity to progress.

“They have tried already to switch legs but it’s a sign of how serious we are about Europe nowadays that we wouldn’t accept a switch. If they got to play in Cork first, they would know what to do in the home leg.”

Meanwhile Roy O’Donovan (suspension) is out of tomorrow’s eircom Premier Division tie against St. Pat’s at Richmond Park (3pm). Richardson is conscious that his side’s exertions in mid-week may impinge upon his side annexing the three points. “It’s always a difficult venue to go to. Pats won last week and they’ll be looking to take advantage of European exertions.”

UEFA Cup, second round second qualifying draw: Krylia Sovetov v BATE; Sopron Matav v Metallurg Donetsk; Wisla Plock v Grasshoppers; Austria Magna v MSK Zilina; FC Superfund v Zenit St Petersburg; MTZ-RIPO v FK Teplice; Groclin Dyskobolia v Dukla Banska Bistryka; Banants Yerevan v Dnipro; Legia Warsaw v FC Zurich; FC Nistru Otaci v Grazer AK; Halmstads BK v Linfield; FC Midtjylland v B36 Torshavn; SK Brann v AC Allianssi; FK Metalurgs v Genk; Viking FK v Rhyl; MyPa v Dundee United; Carmarthen v FC Copenhagen; Mainz v Keflavik; Djurgardens IF v Cork City; Esbjerg v Tromso; Inter Zapresic v Crvena Zvezda; Baskimi v Maccabi Petach Tikva; Dinamo Bucuresti v Omonia Nicosia; Lokomotiv Plovdiv v OFK Belgrade; Apoel Nicosia v Maccabi Tel-Aviv; Liteks Lovetch v Rijeka; FC Vaduz v Besiktas; Vardar v Rapid Bucuresti; CMC Publikum v Levski Sofia; Zeta v Siroki Brijeg; Domzale v Moadon Sport Ashdod.

Ties to be played August 11 and August 25.