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Belfast Telegraph Saturday Newspaper, UK
June 30, 2007
COM Edition
Derry not relishing Armenian adventure
DERRY City will be up against it when they take on Armenian champions
FC Pyunik in the Champions League.
"It wasn't an ideal draw," said Derry chairman Hugh McDaid who was at
the qualifying round draw in Switzerland. "But there's nothing we can
do about it, so we'll just have to get on with it."
The Armenians play a similar season to the League of Ireland through
the warmer months.
Much of the recent League of Ireland success in Europe has been put
down to the summer season with the players up to speed for the early
rounds unlike, say, those in the Irish League.
It might very well have been a factor in Derry's wins over Gothenburg
and Gretna last summer.
But that won't be the case this year with Pyunik 16 games into their
season and sitting on top of the table. Formed in 1992, they have won
the title nine times and this will be their seventh appearance in the
Champions' League.
Derry director Michael Burns feels the draw is a "nightmare" for the
club.
Burns, the club's secretary, revealed the pairing "could not have
been worse" for City both on and off the field.
He said: "It couldn't be worse. Logistically speaking it's a
nightmare. We are having to charter a plane, we've got a hotel sorted
and we're still trying to get the transportation sorted out.
"Some of our people have played in Georgia in the past. One of our
players Paddy Mc-Court, a Northern Ireland Under-21 international,
was in Armenia and he has already spoken about the difficulties we
could face over there.
"You are basically talking about going to the Middle East, it's
neighbouring Iran which is as far away in Europe as you can go. It is
a nightmare, it's going to cost us an absolute fortune.
"You are talking about the full length of Europe and the vast
majority of clubs at this stage of the Champions League are not
wealthy."
And if the thought of crippling costs and traumatic travel
arrangements were not enough, City also face the daunting prospect of
trying to defeat a side which boasts nine Armenian internationals.
"They have nine players in the Armenian national squad at the moment
and are 16 points clear in their own league which means they are by
far and away the best team in Armenia," he added.
"The city they play in is the size of Dublin. Dublin has half a dozen
good quality football clubs so to be the best club they must be
pretty good."
But Burns is confident the club will summon strength from their loyal
travelling support.
"There is always a lot of interest," he said. "We have a bunch of
very hardcore, dedicated fans who travel all over the world with us."
June 30, 2007
COM Edition
Derry not relishing Armenian adventure
DERRY City will be up against it when they take on Armenian champions
FC Pyunik in the Champions League.
"It wasn't an ideal draw," said Derry chairman Hugh McDaid who was at
the qualifying round draw in Switzerland. "But there's nothing we can
do about it, so we'll just have to get on with it."
The Armenians play a similar season to the League of Ireland through
the warmer months.
Much of the recent League of Ireland success in Europe has been put
down to the summer season with the players up to speed for the early
rounds unlike, say, those in the Irish League.
It might very well have been a factor in Derry's wins over Gothenburg
and Gretna last summer.
But that won't be the case this year with Pyunik 16 games into their
season and sitting on top of the table. Formed in 1992, they have won
the title nine times and this will be their seventh appearance in the
Champions' League.
Derry director Michael Burns feels the draw is a "nightmare" for the
club.
Burns, the club's secretary, revealed the pairing "could not have
been worse" for City both on and off the field.
He said: "It couldn't be worse. Logistically speaking it's a
nightmare. We are having to charter a plane, we've got a hotel sorted
and we're still trying to get the transportation sorted out.
"Some of our people have played in Georgia in the past. One of our
players Paddy Mc-Court, a Northern Ireland Under-21 international,
was in Armenia and he has already spoken about the difficulties we
could face over there.
"You are basically talking about going to the Middle East, it's
neighbouring Iran which is as far away in Europe as you can go. It is
a nightmare, it's going to cost us an absolute fortune.
"You are talking about the full length of Europe and the vast
majority of clubs at this stage of the Champions League are not
wealthy."
And if the thought of crippling costs and traumatic travel
arrangements were not enough, City also face the daunting prospect of
trying to defeat a side which boasts nine Armenian internationals.
"They have nine players in the Armenian national squad at the moment
and are 16 points clear in their own league which means they are by
far and away the best team in Armenia," he added.
"The city they play in is the size of Dublin. Dublin has half a dozen
good quality football clubs so to be the best club they must be
pretty good."
But Burns is confident the club will summon strength from their loyal
travelling support.
"There is always a lot of interest," he said. "We have a bunch of
very hardcore, dedicated fans who travel all over the world with us."