Post by Taxigirl on Dec 1, 2003 10:41:38 GMT
England will be based at Portugal's National Stadium in Lisbon
Football Association executive director David Davies is quietly confident that Euro 2004 will not be marred by English hooligans.
England play France, Switzerland and Croatia in Group B in Portugal, and Davies thinks the draw and the hosts' hospitality could prove decisive.
"It could be a really great festival of football. Everyone knows the pressure we are under," said Davies.
"But I'd like to think our supporters will want to be part of it."
He added: "I have guarded optimism about this tournament, there is no tradition of difficulty between Portugal and England in football terms and they look ready to stage a fantastic tournament in an hospitable country."
Davies also insisted lessons had been learnt from the Euro 2000 tournament in Belgium and Holland, when England v Germany was staged in the smallest stadium in the competition.
He added: "We have had on-going discussions with the Home Office, the police, Uefa and the Portuguese and these will obviously be stepped up as we get closer to the tournament."
England will play France in the 65,000-capacity Stadium of Light in Lisbon on 13 June before travelling to Coimbra - a couple of hours drive north - to face Switzerland on 17 June.
They will return to the Portuguese capital for the final group match against Croatia on 21 June.
Davies said: "We wanted to be in Group B because it suited where we wanted to be based so there will have been cheering back in Soho Square when the draw was made because we had worked hard to find the right hotel and training facilities."