EURO 2008 BID/News: With the bid document signed and last night's UEFA deadline finally out of the way, the problems continued for Ireland's joint Euro 2008 bid with Scotland yesterday when the IRFU made plain their distaste for the deal hammered out in Government Buildings on Wednesday night.

The leadership of Irish rugby's governing body made it clear in a statement issued not long after FAI president Milo Corcoran had put pen to paper in Glasgow that they are deeply unhappy at the suggestion that Stadium Ireland may not be built.

They also state that they will not be seeking to redevelop Lans-downe Road into the 30,000-capacity, all-seated stadium that the Euro bidders expect would be available to them - unless Abbotstown proceeds.

To do so, they point out, would significantly reduce the capacity of a ground that will, in the absence of the promised alternative, still be required to stage their international fixtures.

Inevitably, they reveal at the end of their statement that they will shortly meet Dr McDaid to discuss the matter.

The rugby union's difficulty is quite obviously a real one, for the terraces at Lansdowne Road allow the ground to hold up to 48,000, around 13,000 more than when temporary seating is installed for soccer matches and more than half as much again as it is anticipated the stadium might hold after being revamped.

Like the FAI, the organisation saw the construction of Stadium Ireland as the answer for their long-term development.

Asked about the IRFU statement and the threat it carries to the European Championships bid, however, FAI treasurer John Delaney maintained the question can be resolved with the support of the Government before the next deadline in the bidding process.

"That they have concerns is understandable, because Campus Ireland is fundamental to their plans for the future just as it is fundamental to ours," he said. "But it's a problem that can be and needs to be sorted out by the Government.

"They guaranteed us last (Wednesday) night that there would be two stadiums available to us for use in this bid at the end of May, we were given a firm commitment on that. Both the IRFU and ourselves would obviously like to see Stadium Ireland being one of those two, but, whatever happens in the end, I feel comfortable on the basis of the guarantees that I was given that they will do what they need to do to ensure that two suitable grounds are there for the championships."

The deadline for final bids, he added, may yet be extended by a month from May 31st to the 30th of June, as the FAI honorary secretary, Des Casey, who is also a vice-president of UEFA, feels the European body may look sympathetically at the difficulties involved in submitting such detailed documentation by the day before Ireland's first game at the World Cup finals.

Delaney, who was in Glasgow with Corcoran yesterday for the signing of the bid letter of intent, said that the Scots had greeted the Irishmen "very positively" despite Wednesday's unexpected turn of events. He added that there is now considerable confidence about the project within both camps.

"Once the Government gave us those assurances we were effectively in a position where the whole thing is being banked by the two governments, and with that sort of backing we think we can feel reasonably optimistic.

"The Austrians and Swiss probably start the whole thing as favourites, but we have six of the eight stadiums we need and a lot of other things going for us, so I can't see any way that we aren't in second place at this stage."

The Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, was even more upbeat about the joint bid's prospects.

"I'm absolutely confident that both sides can produce a first-class bid which can produce the best championships ever," he said. "It is a time to be positive and put the cynicism and suspicion behind us. We now have a have a good bid, and this is a very exciting time for football."

The final decision on who will stage the 2008 championships will be made in December.

FAI general secretary Brendan Menton, meanwhile, says he is keen to catch up on the week's events when he arrives home this afternoon from Japan, where he has been attending a series of seminars for countries that will be competing at the World Cup finals.

"I can't really comment on what has happened because I have only had a couple of very brief conversations about it with people back at home," he said yesterday, "but I would say that we are still in the game and that is the most important thing."

Many of the arrangements for the Irish team's time in Japan had been finalised over the past few days by Menton and a delegation from Merrion Square, and he said that Mick McCarthy had visited Chiba City, the second of the team's main bases during their trip, yesterday and had been "delighted" with the facilities being provided.

Menton also reported that the tradition of obliging managers to name a preliminary squad of 35 players looks certain to be done away with, and so McCarthy will only have to name his final travelling party of 23 by an as yet undecided date in May.