The kindest thing to be said about the venerable Ramat Gan stadium, where England take on Israel in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier on Saturday, is that the pitch is usually in excellent condition. That apart, the 4,500 or so English supporters expected to attend (after a general strike affecting the airports was cancelled) will quickly discover that spectator comfort is not a high priority at the only venue in the country which meets the minimum official standards required to stage internationals.
The low-level open stands where visiting fans are penned in may provide a good view, but they are completely exposed to the elements: on my most recent visit, I was slow roasted in the sun until a sudden rain storm drenched me. The main grandstand, a concrete eyesore erected more than 50 years ago, got a facelift back in the 1980s but facilities remain pretty basic.
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England fans will not be sitting comfortably inside Ramat Gan, says philip jacobson |
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Although Ramat Gan's official capacity is only a modest 41,500, that hasn't prevented restive crowds building up at the two small entrances for visitors due to intensive security checks. A few hundred Croatian fans were stuck outside long after a qualifying match began last November; similar problems with the much larger English contingent could spell trouble.
With alcohol strictly prohibited inside the ground and no bars nearby, stadium authorities are worried that supporters may continue drinking in downtown Tel-Aviv, just a few miles away, until close to kick-off time. In the event that this leads to confrontations with the police - or clashes with the more volatile of Israel's fans - expect the riot squads to pile in fast, using the same bruising methods they routinely deploy to break up demonstrations by Palestinians. 
FIRST POSTED MARCH 22, 2007
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