Welsh Teams Ready for Tomorrow's European Draws

Last updated : 23 June 2005 By Gary Fish

Several Welsh Premier League club officials from TNS, Carmarthen Town and Rhyl are heading to Geneva in anticipation of tomorrow's draws for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup.

The draw is just for the initial stages, and the three Welsh sides all having different objectives.

TNS have a 1 in 12 chance of being drawn against Champions League holders
Liverpool, in what would be a lucrative tie for the Oswestry-based club, with the Welsh Premier champions expected to play their home tie at the Millennium Stadium to attract as big a crowd as possible.

Harris said: "Clearly it would be a fantastic draw in terms of gate receipts and the interest in the tie would be enormous.

"If we took the game to the Millennium Stadium, we would get a bumper crowd."

Rhyl's John Hulse is hoping his side receive a better draw than a year ago.

Hulse said: "I know a lot of the fans would like an Irish club, but all I'm hoping is the draw isn't as cruel to us as it was last season.

"I felt we very much drew the short straw with Skonto Riga."

Carmarthen Ton have experienced European football on only one previous occasion resulting in a 3-0 InterToto Cup aggregate defeat to Swedish club AIK Solna, however, manager Mark Jones is just happy to be in the draw.

"It's just amazing to be involved," he said.

"Our aim is to be the first Welsh team to get through the first round draw and get an even bigger side like
Dundee, Mainz or Genk
in the second.

"Personally I would like to draw an Irish side. I think we would stand an excellent chance of getting into the next round and without the burden of having to travel too far."

Former Carmarthen coach Mark Aizlewood - assistant to Wales legend Ian Rush at League Two club Chester City last season - is helping the west Wales club with training prior to the competition.

The UEFA Cup draw takes place at 13:00 BST, however, the at 11:00 attention will be on the Champions League draw to see which lucky/unlucky side will draw Champions Liverpool.