Ahern: Croke Park still an option

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insists the Euro 2008 bid team have not given up hope of persuading the GAA to allow Croke Park to be one of the championship venues.

The Scotland-Ireland bid is based around six stadia in Scotland and two in the Republic.

Ahern said: “I have no doubt that in its time Croke Park will come right.

“Croke Park is almost finished and does not have any equals as far as we’re concerned.

“We also have 23 bids in from the private sector for a site out in the west of Dublin.

“Scotland and Ireland are two great footballing countries with enormous interest and support in the game which is shown week-in, week-out.

“People who would come to support their team from outside of Scotland and Ireland would have a good time.”

Bid marketing director John Henderson believes the bid has a significant advantage over fellow front runners Austria and Switzerland.

Henderson told Sky Sports News: “I have every confidence we will deliver and UEFA know we will deliver too – and that is a very strong position to be in.

“Switzerland has very small stadiums and you could fit two Swiss stadiums into Murrayfield.

“To have stadiums the size and quality of Murrayfield available at the moment is a strong position to be in.”