Liechtenstein prepares for the England invasion

Euro 2004: Liechtenstein's capital seems unperturbed by impending arrival of large numbers of ticketless supporters

For a nation supposedly in the dual grip of excitement and dread at the visit of Sven Goran Eriksson's England next Saturday, Liechtenstein seemed blissfully unperturbed yesterday.

True, there was a buzz around the tiny national stadium, the sunbathed Rheinpark, which is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and nestles between the river and a field of cows. But it came not from expectant locals but from the hand-held power drill of a construction worker. And even he was not bolstering defences against English hooligans. He was erecting a camera tower for another imminent big match. FC Vaduz, the mightiest of Liechtenstein's seven clubs, have an important game against St Gallen tomorrow.

The atmosphere was a little livelier in the centre of Vaduz. But not that much livelier. Workers were quietly going about their lucrative business in the banks and financial institutions that fuel the local economy. The Rathausplatz, the capital's central square, was typically deserted. The few bars and cafés were doing business that could better be described as trickling than roaring.

"Yes, I suppose it is a boring place," said one local. "But it gets even quieter than this at weekends when there are no people working. There is nothing to do. If you want a party you make your own. Somewhere else."

As for the assertion that Liechtenstein is facing its biggest ever security challenge, there were no visible signs at all. "We're not yet in a state of siege, even if the English are coming," said Gabriel Hoop, the head of Liechtenstein's 70-strong police force. He added that a substantial but unspecified number of extra security personnel will be drafted in from Austria and Switzerland but contrary to earlier reports they will not be preventing ticketless England fans from entering the country. "Vaduz will not become a fortress," he said.

Quite how many ticketless fans will descend on Vaduz is unknown. The Rheinpark's normal capacity is 4,500 but will be reduced to 3,500 next weekend because the standing areas behind the goals will be closed. Of the available seats, the English Football Association was allocated 942, for which it received 6,000 applications. It is estimated that around 2,000 fans could travel without tickets.

There will be little for them to do. There will be no large video screen in town. There will be no live television coverage even in the bars that remain open. Liechtenstein has no national television channel and cannot receive BBC1, the only station with live broadcast rights. Even the English Football Supporters' Federation, which will run a fans' embassy in the centre of Vaduz, will be advising ticketless supporters that their best hope of seeing the game will be in Zurich, two hours away by road. Liechtenstein has no airport.

For the uninitiated, the country's other vital statistics are as follows. It occupies 62 square miles of land between Switzerland and Austria and is the fourth smallest nation in the world. Only Nauru, Tuvalu and San Marino are smaller.

The principality has a population of 32,000 and Vaduz, technically a village, is home to 5,000. It is also home to 78,000 registered companies, attracted by Liechtenstein's low-tax economy. The average per capita income, at around £25,000, is the fourth highest in the world. It is, in short, a peaceful, wealthy place, and the authorities see no reason this should change because of one Euro 2004 qualifier.

Even at the headquarters of the Liechtenstein Football Association, a three-room prefabricated building in a side street, there were no signs of tension yesterday. Roland Ospelt, the head of the FA, was pondering one tricky issue but it had nothing to do with hooligans. His problem was anthems, or more specifically that Liechtenstein and England share the same anthem.

The Alpine principality appropriated "God Save The Queen" in 1850 because it liked the tune. It has its own words, in German (it opens "High above the young Rhine, lies Liechtenstein, resting on Alpine heights...") but Ospelt was concerned that fans would be confused about which of the two renditions is theirs. The lyrics will be sung by a professional singer to clarify matters.

Unfortunately for Liechtenstein's national team manager, Ralf Loose (pronounced "loser") he cannot call so easily on professionals in his job. His leading striker, Mario Frick, played in Italy's Serie A for Verona last season and now plays in Serie B for Ternana. His 21-year-old goalkeeper, Peter Jehle, warms the bench for Grasshopper in Zurich. And a handful of others play professionally for either Vaduz or minor Swiss clubs. But, in a nation of so few people, resources are scarce.

Loose does not seem unduly concerned. In fact, when The Independent visited the Liechtenstein FA yesterday, a request at the reception for an interview was met with the shout "Ralf, someone to see you" and an invitation into Loose's office, a cubby hole with two chairs and a small desk. Soho Square it is not.

"We normally expect to lose," said Loose, an amiable German who played in midfield for Borussia Dortmund in the mid-1980s, when asked about his approach to a big international match. He said that a 6-0 or 6-1 defeat to England was on the cards but added: "You start every game equal at 0-0 and you never know what might happen. We don't concentrate on the result. Our aim is to play with heart and courage."

He added that he had been cheered by the two "quality matches" his young, mostly amateur, side has already played in Euro 2004 qualifying. The first saw a 1-1 draw with Macedonia, the second a 5-0 defeat against Turkey. The latter game was especially pleasing, he said, because Turkey, World Cup semi-finalists last year, had to wait until the last two minutes to get their fourth and fifth goals. Liechtenstein had also created some chances.

"In the past we played with the sole intention of keeping down the number of goals scored against us. This time we are more offensive. We hope to play the same against England. It's a big event for Liechtenstein and it will be special for my team because England is the motherland of football."

Liechtenstein are unquestionably minnows, despite a Fifa ranking of No 151, which puts them above 53 other nations, including Luxembourg, and San Marino. The statistics tell their own story. Liechtenstein have played 38 competitive matches since 1994. They have won one, against Azerbaijan in 1998, drawn three (including one against the Republic of Ireland) and lost 36.

Their last match against a British side came a year ago, with a 0-0 friendly home draw against Northern Ireland. "I congratulated their fans on the result and they took it in good humour," said Louise Le Dous, a waitress at the central Hotel-Restaurant Real, which will be closed to non-residents next weekend. "But I'm not sure I'd expect the same from England fans."

Hotel Real has no objection to parties. Indeed last Sunday night Liechtenstein's monarch, Prince Hans Adam, even popped in to celebrate victory in a referendum. "People were dancing on the tables, singing the anthem at him," Le Dous said. "It was very good natured." And good natured Liechtenstein intends to stay.