The Republic of Ireland's re-arranged European Championship game against Yugoslavia will be played in Belgrade on November 18th, providing there is no deterioration of security in the region.

Within minutes of yesterday's announcement by UEFA that Saturday's scheduled fixture in the Red Star Stadium was being postponed for reasons of safety, officials in both federations were busy working out alternative arrangements for both the senior game and the under-21 match which was due to be played on Friday.

Bernard O'Byrne, the FAI's chief executive, said that they would have no reservations in going to Belgrade, providing that the current climate of uncertainty changes, but stressed that they would not entertain a repeat of the situation in which they found themselves at the weekend.

"Next time, we'll need clear notice - at least three weeks before the game - that it can be be played in normal conditions," he said. "If the situation in Belgrade changes, and security fears ease, I don't see any great problem. If it doesn't then UEFA have a major decision to make."

Asked whether in that eventuality the FAI would seek to have the game staged at a neutral venue, he said: "Obviously that would have advantages for us, but I don't think UEFA are thinking of going down that road.

"Their concern is to try and normalise the position and allow Yugoslavia to retain their home advantage. Besides, if they choose a neutral venue, they may be seen to create an uneven playing pitch for the other teams in the group who will have to go to Belgrade later in the competition.

"The irony of the situation is that we were due to close a deal today for an away game against a central European country on November 18th. That has now gone by the boards, of course, for the European fixture takes precedence over everything.

"Yugoslavia, I understand, were also in the process of putting together a replacement fixture for the cancelled game against England on that date. When they were made aware of these facts, UEFA requested both the Yugoslavs and ourselves to keep the date free."

O'Byrne confirmed that the risk of insurance companies withdrawing their cover on players was a major factor in the volte face by UEFA over the weekend.

Neither the European body nor the FAI could afford to countenance that risk and when all the talking was done, and all the other considerations taken into account, the decision condensed into one governed by finance.

It is also of some significance that UEFA's top officials only got involved in the controversy on Sunday, although the ruling was in the end made by members of the Euro 2000 organising committee for rubber stamping at today's meeting of the executive committee in Zurich.

Another consideration was the assurance that Ireland's application for a postponement was governed solely by their concern for the safe passage of players and supporters and was not influenced, as some UEFA officials had apparently suspected, by an attempt to take the high moral ground on the current crisis in Kosovo.

The players, who assembled in Dublin on Sunday evening before travelling to their Co Kildare base at Kilkea Castle yesterday morning, will disperse after a practice game this morning and return on Saturday to resume preparations for the meeting with Malta at Lansdowne Road a week tomorrow.

They had just returned from the first of two training sessions yesterday when they were informed of the news of the postponement. And Mick McCarthy said that their reaction - and his - was one of disappointment rather than surprise.

"I think everybody was aware of what was happening - it was no real shock to discover that Saturday's game was off," he said. "There is disappointment in the sense that after the win over Croatia everybody felt we were on a bit of a roll and we were looking forward to repeating that performance in Belgrade.

"Everything must be kept in perspective, however, and when all the considerations are taken into account it was a good decision. We'd rather be playing football next Saturday, but compared to what is happening in the Kosovo region that is a small consideration."

McCarthy confirmed that a different mindset would be required for the home game against Malta. "We were preparing for one particular type of game and now we must readjust to take account of an entirely different one.

"Playing a difficult game away from home would have leaned me towards a 4-5-1 formation. Now I suspect Malta will be planning something similar in Dublin, defending in depth and hoping to catch us on the break. That must mean a change of emphasis for us."

If there is a silver lining to yesterday's announcement it is that by the time the Yugoslav game eventually goes ahead, Phil Babb and Denis Irwin should hopefully have recovered from the injuries which would have put them out next Saturday.

Irwin is still doubtful for the game against Malta because of lateral ligament damage in his knee and Steve Carr of Tottenham, called into the squad late on Sunday evening, has been told to return on Saturday. Unfortunately, the postponement means that David Connolly's planned return after suspension is now off for at least another six weeks.