THE crisis in Kosovo is threatening to disrupt some of the arrangements for the Republic of Ireland's European Championship game against FYR Macedonia at Skopje on March 27th.

Up to 10,000 NATO troops and senior army personnel are assembled in Macedonia in readiness for a proposed peace-keeping mission in the Kosovo region.

The effect has been to reduce the accommodation available in Skopje, a city which even in normal times has an acute shortage of hotel beds. It means that the travelling support is now likely to be the smallest of recent years.

"Apart from the bookings already confirmed, we are not in a position to guarantee accommodation for fans wishing to see the game," said Ray Treacy, the FAI's official tour operator.

"Some of the rooms which were booked months ago have been taken back from us and we now find ourselves in a situation in which we must make some urgent rearrangements."

It is not the first time, of course, that the Kosovo crisis has impinged on Ireland's European programme. Last October the game against Yugoslavia, scheduled for Belgrade, was postponed for a month because of the threat of air strikes on the city.

An escalation of the problems in the area would probably mean the cancellation of civilian traffic in Serbian airspace, necessitating an alternative and longer journey to the Macedonian capital.

Meanwhile, McCarthy, who is due to announce his squad on Tuesday, plans to watch Derby County in action against Liverpool today, where he will hope to check the performances of Steve Staunton, Phil Babb and Lee Carsley, who is back from injury.