Scotland bid 'hindered' by Irish

Glen Kirton, the man who oversaw England's hosting of Euro 96, believes Scotland would have had a better chance of securing the 2008 European Championship without Ireland.

Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell, had insisted on a joint bid a year ago after he succeeded Henry McLeish at Bute House. Mr McConnell was adamant that a joint bid was required after the sport's European governing body, Uefa, increased the number of stadia required from six to eight in November 2001, which would have been a drain on resources in Scotland.

The Irish have since had problems over the funding of the proposed new Stadium Ireland. Lansdowne Road, the current venue for the Republic's home internationals, would be in desperate need of a major facelift to bring it up to required Uefa standards, while Ireland's Gaelic Athletic Association has historically remained against the idea of Croke Park being used for non-Gaelic sports.

Others bidding to stage Euro 2008 include a combined "Nordic" bid from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden; Hungary; Greece and Turkey; Bosnia and Croatia; and Russia. But many observers believe the Scottish-Irish bid faces most competition from the combined entry of Austria and Switzerland when Uefa announces its decision on Thursday.

However, Kirton believes a Scotland-only bid would have had more chance of success.

"Had Scotland decided to go it alone, they would definitely have had a working advantage," Kirton said. "They would have been quite unique among the realistic candidates. There is nobody else in there as a solo bid which has a chance of winning it.

"The issues Scotland and Ireland have to overcome are doubts over whether the joint bid is really cohesive. Is it a genuine partnership between the two countries or whether it is Ireland 'tail-coating' Scotland?

"The Irish stadia situation is a problem because, when the bid is awarded, Uefa needs to be confident the country is going to be able to deliver.

"They have stipulated eight grounds of a suitable standard and, if it does not look like they are going to get that, it will count against them."

* Managerless Aberdeen have confirmed they will hold "preliminary" discussions with Steve Paterson over the Pittodrie vacancy after being given permission by Inverness Caledonian Thistle to speak to their manager. Paterson has guided the Highland side from non-League obscurity to the top of the Scottish First Division. But an Aberdeen spokesman stressed talks will be held with other candidates. The former Ipswich Town manager George Burley and the ex- Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch have both declared their interest in the vacancy.