Shelbourne hardly expect Spanish stroll

SOCCER/UEFA Champions League Third qualifying round, first leg: Shelbourne won't be wearing camouflage tomorrow night at Lansdowne Road when they entertain Deportivo La Coruna. In ambushing Hajduk Split in the last round, the Dublin club merely confirmed the huge strides they have made under manager Pat Fenlon and the full-time regime now in place at Tolka Park, writes John O'Sullivan.

The Spanish visitors, aristocrats of Champions League football, have been forewarned and, it's reasonable to assume, will be forearmed.

The last bit of ticker tape had barely settled at Tolka Park following last Wednesday's superb 2-0 victory over Split than plans were in motion to stage this game at Lansdowne Road. Fenlon would have preferred the game to have gone ahead at Tolka but can appreciate the financial lure of the bigger venue.

Still the host club are looking for angles, constricting ones, and may look to tighten the traditional dimensions of Lansdowne Road, giving it a "Tolka feel". Fenlon smiled: "We're going to have a look at the pitch and see what it's like. We'll make a decision after that."

The move across town shouldn't discommode Shels.

"I can't see it being a problem. None of them had played in Split before and they were able to adapt quickly to a big crowd and a big pitch. They'll get a big kick out of playing at Lansdowne; one or two of them have played there - Moorsey (Alan Moore) at international level. It's looking like it's going to be close to full so it'll be a big occasion for our players."

The demand for tickets has been brisk and a few seats shy of a 26,000 capacity is not an unreasonable expectation.

Shelbourne, through the FAI, were investigating opening up the terraces but last night UEFA were unyielding.

There are factors that will hearten the Irish side as they prepare to tackle last season's Champions League semi-finalists, notably that Deportivo's season has yet to start in Spain. They did get a run-out in a friendly last Thursday when they beat Spanish Third Division side Zamora 3-0 in a game that had little more bite than a training match.

"We didn't get a lot out of it because it was more of a training game to be fair," said Fenlon. "Obviously we have the videos of last year's Champions League and we're going through those.

"We have nearly 30 games under our belt at this stage, some very difficult ones as well. We're not too concerned with fitness levels. The fact that they haven't played is not ideal for them. They're a decent side so they should be able to cope. But it will be a plus for us that we have so many games played."

The $64,000 question: can Shelbourne win? "It's football and it's 11 against 11. They haven't played a game yet and that can be difficult when you haven't played a game of competitive football when you go into just such an occasion. Opponents can be that little bit sharper. I think it's winnable over the two legs.

"It's going to be a mammoth task for us but as you saw in sport over the weekend, things can get turned on their head very quickly. The underdogs do have chances. I think the fact that we knocked out a very decent side (Hajduk Split) will help us to realise once we play and stick to what we're asked to do then we are capable of causing upsets.

"Last week I did fancy us to win the game, even if too many outside of Tolka Park didn't. We knew after playing them away and scored a couple of goals that we had a great chance. The players carried out the game plan to the letter of the law and that has given us a tremendous boost going into this game."

The Shelbourne manager was understandably coy about how he was going to tackle the Spanish, intimating he hadn't decided whether to play a lone striker and five across midfield or play with a striker and another player in the hole between him and midfield.

He confirmed he had spoken to John Toshack about Deportivo, and he provided a wealth of information from his time as a coach in Spanish football.

Fenlon acknowledges the turnaround in fortunes at the club has surprised many.

"I think we're ahead of schedule. I don't think you could have said we would be in the third round of the Champions League when I started here two and a half years ago. It's time to take stock and realise the amount of work that's still required to compete against teams like we're playing on Wednesday.

"We're making progress and that's the main thing but the object is to get here on a regular basis and then kick on from there. The players realise that if they don't do their work domestically then they won't have any more of this next season. It's something that keeps them focused, the taste they have now for European football."