Low level travel chaos was the about the most obvious sign around Paris on Wednesday that France is about to host a major football championship again. Prior to national euphoria having set in 18 years ago, train strikes were what gave the 1998 World Cup its distinctly Gallic flavour.
With the entire nation clearly hoping that that triumph of a tournament can be replicated, the locals’ transport unions have already been doing their bit.
Security, and the underlying threat of an attack, is, of course, the bigger issue for visitors. Organisers have made another plea for fans to show up very early for games in order to avoid the sort of problems encountered at the French Cup final a few weeks ago. That game was used as a dry run for Euro2016 games – with decidedly disappointing results.
The hope now is that the problems encountered that day will be avoided at games around the country from Friday onwards.
Jacques Lambert, president of the tournament organising committee, insisted yesterday that the authorities have confidence in a plan that involves two security cordons around ever stadium and fanzone.
Closed doors
He did not rule out games being moved or played behind closed doors if the situation requires it but said that the contingency plans were there for all sorts of reasons. He claimed at least one pitch was under so much water after all the rain here that it was completely unplayable a couple of days ago; a situation, he said, that might have necessitated a move had the championship been under way.
He also said there has been no suggestion from the security services of any specific intelligence relating to an imminent attack or plan to target any particular team or game.
After last year’s attacks, of course, it is inevitable that the general threat continues to cause widespread concern.
But the transport problems may be the first challenge that visitors encounter over the course of their time in France.
Two days before the opening game many major rail stations were certainly crowded with travellers wearily studying departures boards or seeking information on how to get to their intended destinations with limited services or total closure on some lines making getting about tough but not impossible.
Let's hope somebody remembered to book a bus for the Irish team's transfer yesterday from the airport to Versailles where they will hold an open training session this morning.
“It is not a good situation, I’ll admit that,” said Lambert who added that plans to divert official travel away from rail and towards air had themselves been hit by an impending Air France stoppage. “Anything that affects the mobility of teams, our staff or supporters is not good. We are forced to adapt and we have been doing that for a few days now but, once again, we have no control over these matters.”
Youngest fans
Amongst the youngest fans due to arrive in Paris is
Sebastian Keogh
, the six-week-old son of
Republic of Ireland
centre back, Richard, whose personal tournament preparations included sorting out a passport for the infant who will be travelling over with his mother Charlie on the Eurostar.
Sebastian’s father’s journey to Euro2016 will almost certainly have been rather more remarkable with the 29-year-old Harley-born defender having started his professional career more than a decade ago at Stoke and spent a season in Iceland as he attempted to establish himself. It didn’t look auspicious for him for a while as he sought to make an impact during loan spells. But things started to change at Carlisle then Coventry before he finally came of age at Derby where he has just won his second Player of the Year Award.
“At that stage of my career it was the right thing for me to do,” the 29-year-old says now of his season-long switch from Stoke City to Vikingur.
“I was playing youth and reserve football and I wanted to go into a league playing against men and playing for points so it meant more. You’ve always got to dream and strive for the best in your career. The league was a good standard for me and I came back ready.”
The season was a tough one for the new arrival with the club he joined struggling and ultimately being relegated.
But Keogh was already ambitious to a make his mark at international level as well as playing regularly for his club. And even then, he was clear about who he wanted to represent.
“When I was growing up and seeing Ireland in finals I always thought to myself one day I would want to fulfil that.
“I’m lucky enough that I’ve been able to achieve that. Sometimes you go through setbacks, I felt like I had to take a couple of steps back to really find myself and get my career going at Carlisle. But I haven’t looked back since. It’s been a good story, a great journey and I’m very lucky to get to this point.”
You’re lucky to get anywhere over here, just now.
