© EuroFootball.com
Lithuania can once again feel the flood of Polish football hooligans. In 2007, "Legia" fans who wreaked havoc in Vilnius are preparing for a march to Šiauliai.
This time, Lithuanian football clubs were not destined to face opponents known for football hooliganism from neighboring Poland in international tournaments. It seemed like all the country's police officers could relax. But Lithuania seems unable to avoid the influx of Polish football fans.
On July 14, Tauragė's "Tauras" will play the home match of the second round of the Europa League against the Dutch team "Den Haag" in Šiauliai.
Without a famous European name like Amsterdam's "Ajax" or Rotterdam's "Feyenoord," the Hague club is well known in other circles. Hooligans.
In the Netherlands, it is said that "Den Haag" is the "Millwall of the Netherlands," meaning that the club from the southern part of London famous in lower English leagues is renowned not for its achievements, but for its fiercest fans. In the hierarchy of Dutch football hooligans, "Den Haag" surpasses all.
"Tauras" director Egidijus Katauskas did not deny that he knows about the unruly behavior of "Den Haag" fans: "We have had some discussions with the Dutch club. But we already have some information. The information is sad - their fans are quite aggressive. For now, I can't say more. We will have to coordinate this issue."
According to the club leader, "Tauras" is most likely to play in Šiauliai. The reconstruction of the Tauragė stadium has been delayed, and it may not be ready for the match.
However, even the least aggressive Dutch hooligans can cause the most problems for the people of Tauragė in Šiauliai.
"We have information that 'Den Haag' fans cooperate with 'Legia' fans and support each other," admitted E. Katauskas.
The threat that the people who caused chaos in Vilnius four years ago might return to Lithuania is indeed relevant. "Legia" will start its European League battles only from the third round. Moreover, the club's fans are eager for trips. After several incidents, the Polish authorities banned clubs from letting in visiting fans. This ban is promised to be applied in the new country's top league matches in the autumn. Polish hooligans have one way left - to show themselves abroad.
In July 2007, "Legia" fans in Vilnius caused such riots that even special police forces had to withdraw. After incidents that started during the break, no one saw the end of the second half of the match - the referee refused to lead the teams onto the field in such a situation, and the huge stadium losses were covered by the Polish club. UEFA disqualified "Legia" that time, and "Vėtra" entered the next stage of the then "Intertoto" tournament without a fight.
In "Legia" fans forums, the news that "Den Haag" will play in Lithuania has caused great interest. Distances are being calculated, tickets are being considered, and memories of clashes with Lithuanian police in Vilnius and Kaunas are recalled. "We were in Vilnius, we were in Kaunas, now we'll test the Žemaitija police," states one comment. However, the Poles do not yet know that they will have to support their friends from the Netherlands not in Tauragė but in Šiauliai, where the police have already seen fans of Krakow's "Wisla" and did not allow them to get out of hand.
Unlike the attitude of the Polish national team fans, which was friendly before the friendly national team match in Kaunas this spring, the potential participants of this trip do not have a friendly attitude towards Lithuanians (although there were incidents this spring). "Legia" fans talk about their compatriots allegedly being mistreated in Lithuania. A few months ago, the "Legia" fans made a chauvinistic flag with the colors of Poland, the coat of arms of the city of Lviv in Ukraine, and Vilnius, with inscriptions "Lwow" and "Wilno."
However, the "Tauras" club does not feel any significant threats.
"We are not afraid of anything," said E. Katauskas. "I don't think a million Poles will come here. Besides, Šiauliai has experience in dealing with Polish football hooligans. I think there should be no problems."
The Poles themselves are only afraid that if they, like in Vilnius, interrupt the match and the Dutch club is removed from the Europa League, the long-standing friendship between "Legia" and "Den Haag" hooligans will not be broken.
