Ross420
Aug 14 2003, 08:58 AM
(BBC)
Dundee flew to Albania on Wednesday hoping that the wisdom of striker Juan Sara will help them progress in the Uefa Cup.
Argentine striker Sara missed training on Monday after an emergency visit to the dentist to have a wisdom tooth pulled out.
But Dundee manager Jim Duffy expects the 26-year-old to be ready to face Vllaznia in Albania on Thursday evening as the club make their first proper European appearance in 29 years.
"It is not the kind of thing that is very pleasant and he is taking painkillers, but he has a couple of days to recover and should be okay," Duffy told BBC Sport.
Duffy did not need another withdrawal, having already ruled nine players out of his squad for the trip to Shkoter.
Back-up goalkeeper Derek Soutar was injured in an under-21 game this week and joined Gavin Beith, Callum McDonald, Steven Milne, Steven Robb and Mark Robertson on the sidelines.
Striker Fabian Caballero is suspended as well as being unfit, new signing Tom Cowan is ineligible, while Barry Forbes has been loaned to Hamilton Academical.
Midfielder Georgi Nemsadze and defender Lee Mair are also carrying knocks following the excellent 3-0 victory away to Motherwell in Saturday's opening league match of the season.
Another worry is Dundee's lack of knowledge about their opponents.
"I don't know too much about them, but they seem to be doing better at the moment and will have a partisan crowd behind them," said Duffy.
"We are very inexperienced and going into the unknown.
"I don't normally get too excited about football matches, but I am certainly excited about this one."
There were fears about the safety of Dundee's players and fans when they were first drawn against the Albanians after Vllaznia's club president was shot dead.
However, those were eased by visits to the region by Duffy and Dundee director Jim Connor and Vllaznia's 15,000-capacity Loro Borici Stadium.
Vllaznia were runners-up in their national championship last season, although well adrift of 20-time winners Tirana, and do not start their domestic campaign until 23 August.
Dundee flirted with European competition two season's ago but lost 5-2 to FK Sartid of Yugoslavia in the Inter-toto Cup.
Their last Uefa Cup venture also ended in the opening round in 1974, when they lost by the same margin to Molenbeek of Belgium.
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I hope they do well but Im not encouraged by Jim Duffy's claims of not knowing much about the opposition because Albania is "a difficult country to get information out of" :rolleyes: Doesnt sound promising...
Dundee flew to Albania on Wednesday hoping that the wisdom of striker Juan Sara will help them progress in the Uefa Cup.
Argentine striker Sara missed training on Monday after an emergency visit to the dentist to have a wisdom tooth pulled out.
But Dundee manager Jim Duffy expects the 26-year-old to be ready to face Vllaznia in Albania on Thursday evening as the club make their first proper European appearance in 29 years.
"It is not the kind of thing that is very pleasant and he is taking painkillers, but he has a couple of days to recover and should be okay," Duffy told BBC Sport.
Duffy did not need another withdrawal, having already ruled nine players out of his squad for the trip to Shkoter.
Back-up goalkeeper Derek Soutar was injured in an under-21 game this week and joined Gavin Beith, Callum McDonald, Steven Milne, Steven Robb and Mark Robertson on the sidelines.
Striker Fabian Caballero is suspended as well as being unfit, new signing Tom Cowan is ineligible, while Barry Forbes has been loaned to Hamilton Academical.
Midfielder Georgi Nemsadze and defender Lee Mair are also carrying knocks following the excellent 3-0 victory away to Motherwell in Saturday's opening league match of the season.
Another worry is Dundee's lack of knowledge about their opponents.
"I don't know too much about them, but they seem to be doing better at the moment and will have a partisan crowd behind them," said Duffy.
"We are very inexperienced and going into the unknown.
"I don't normally get too excited about football matches, but I am certainly excited about this one."
There were fears about the safety of Dundee's players and fans when they were first drawn against the Albanians after Vllaznia's club president was shot dead.
However, those were eased by visits to the region by Duffy and Dundee director Jim Connor and Vllaznia's 15,000-capacity Loro Borici Stadium.
Vllaznia were runners-up in their national championship last season, although well adrift of 20-time winners Tirana, and do not start their domestic campaign until 23 August.
Dundee flirted with European competition two season's ago but lost 5-2 to FK Sartid of Yugoslavia in the Inter-toto Cup.
Their last Uefa Cup venture also ended in the opening round in 1974, when they lost by the same margin to Molenbeek of Belgium.
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I hope they do well but Im not encouraged by Jim Duffy's claims of not knowing much about the opposition because Albania is "a difficult country to get information out of" :rolleyes: Doesnt sound promising...