The Denmark fans at the Havelock Square end of the Aviva Stadium during the 2018 World Cup play-off. They will be elsewhere if the sides meet again this month. Alamy Stock Photo
Grounds for Optimism
Hallgrimsson gets his wish: Aviva away fans to be moved for potential World Cup play-off final
The Irish boss wants the travelling fans moved further away from the pitch, especially in the event of a penalty shootout.
HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON’S WISH has been granted: the travelling fans for Ireland’s potential World Cup play-off final at the Aviva Stadium on 31 March will be moved further away from the pitch.
Should Ireland beat Czechia in Prague next Thursday, they will face the winner between Denmark and North Macedonia in a play-off final at the Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday. (Should Ireland lose to the Czechs, they will face the loser between Denmark and North Macedonia in a contractually obliged friendly.)
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Travelling fans are presently allocated seats in the north stand, the smaller, single-tier stand behind the goal at the Havelock Square end. Speaking last year, Hallgrimsson called for the fans to be moved to an upper tier and further away from the pitch, so as to give Ireland an edge, especially in the event of a penalty shootout at that end of the ground.
Following discussions with Gardaí, the FAI have now arranged for the travelling Denmark or North Macedonia fans to be housed in the lower tier of the west stand, further back from the pitch. It is not a permanent move, as it was made possible by both sides’ relatively low allocation request of 600 tickets. This allocation would normally be larger, especially for Danish fans, but demand has been greatly reduced by the uncertainty as to where each set of fans will be travelling, given the play-off format.
Discussions are ongoing as to how best to relocate travelling fans on a permanent basis.
“That was a big problem, a big problem, because the access needs to be separate”, says Hallgrimsson. “But luckily for us, both Denmark and Macedonia only requested 600 tickets so they would be in the corner and our fans would be behind the goal. At this stage, that is a work in progress, it needs to be joined by the Gardaí and everyone, and it needs to be changed by the stadium for them to be up there. At this game, we can move them from behind the goal and have our fans behind the goal.
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“For me, we should look at everything and every possible advantage to favour us in these moments, and if it comes to a penalty shoot-out, for example, in our home stadium and it looks like an away game, that would be shocking.
“It is something in the future they would promise us they would look at, but the ownership of the stadium is not just FAI, it is rugby aswell, so it needs to change security routes etc, to make it happen. For this game, it would not affect much, but I would like them further up and further far away as possible.”
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Hallgrimsson gets his wish: Aviva away fans to be moved for potential World Cup play-off final
HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON’S WISH has been granted: the travelling fans for Ireland’s potential World Cup play-off final at the Aviva Stadium on 31 March will be moved further away from the pitch.
Should Ireland beat Czechia in Prague next Thursday, they will face the winner between Denmark and North Macedonia in a play-off final at the Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday. (Should Ireland lose to the Czechs, they will face the loser between Denmark and North Macedonia in a contractually obliged friendly.)
Travelling fans are presently allocated seats in the north stand, the smaller, single-tier stand behind the goal at the Havelock Square end. Speaking last year, Hallgrimsson called for the fans to be moved to an upper tier and further away from the pitch, so as to give Ireland an edge, especially in the event of a penalty shootout at that end of the ground.
Following discussions with Gardaí, the FAI have now arranged for the travelling Denmark or North Macedonia fans to be housed in the lower tier of the west stand, further back from the pitch. It is not a permanent move, as it was made possible by both sides’ relatively low allocation request of 600 tickets. This allocation would normally be larger, especially for Danish fans, but demand has been greatly reduced by the uncertainty as to where each set of fans will be travelling, given the play-off format.
Discussions are ongoing as to how best to relocate travelling fans on a permanent basis.
“That was a big problem, a big problem, because the access needs to be separate”, says Hallgrimsson. “But luckily for us, both Denmark and Macedonia only requested 600 tickets so they would be in the corner and our fans would be behind the goal. At this stage, that is a work in progress, it needs to be joined by the Gardaí and everyone, and it needs to be changed by the stadium for them to be up there. At this game, we can move them from behind the goal and have our fans behind the goal.
“For me, we should look at everything and every possible advantage to favour us in these moments, and if it comes to a penalty shoot-out, for example, in our home stadium and it looks like an away game, that would be shocking.
“It is something in the future they would promise us they would look at, but the ownership of the stadium is not just FAI, it is rugby aswell, so it needs to change security routes etc, to make it happen. For this game, it would not affect much, but I would like them further up and further far away as possible.”
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