FA unhappy after UEFA warning

The Football Association are at loggerheads with UEFA after Europe’s football chiefs insisted they would have to take responsibility for the behaviour of all England fans in Portugal.

It is understood the FA are to seek clarification about comments by UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson yesterday that they would have to take the rap for outbreaks of disorder involving any England fans.

FA officials are seething that they have taken such detailed steps to monitor who is buying tickets from them, only for UEFA to make other tickets available much more freely over the internet.

The FA have also protested against plans to site large screens in popular beach resorts in Portugal, believing they could provide a focus for trouble.

Olsson said: “The association bringing the fans is responsible for the behaviour of those fans. That includes not only the venue but other places too. What England cannot escape from is the responsibility around Englishmen.”

The FA have pointed out to UEFA they have sold more than 30,000 tickets for England’s three group matches with each fan having to apply separately and have their name checked against police intelligence records.

However, fans have also been able to buy directly from UEFA through the internet, with one person able to buy up to four tickets.

The FA are concerned that many of these could have fallen into the wrong hands or have ended up with ticket touts and through no fault of their own the FA will be viewed by UEFA for being responsible for these people too.

The worry is the events of 2000 might be repeated when, after outbreaks of crowd violence, UEFA threatened England with expulsion from the European Championships.

England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson also made a personal appeal today for fans to behave and has backed the FA’s stance against UEFA.

He said: “The FA are doing everything they can to ensure that safety and security preparations are paramount. However, the FA cannot be responsible for those fans who have bought tickets directly over the internet.

“Every team at Euro 2004 has challenges and pressures but England is unique in having a UEFA warning hanging over us. It would be a tragedy, not only for the team but for millions of England fans, if events off the pitch denied them a chance of glory.”

Police estimate 50,000 fans will travel to Portugal and that a further 200,000 English tourists will also be in the country.