Fear and loathing in Amsterdam

Fans forum: Sophie, Phil and Joe hope for the best

BBC Sport Online's man at Euro 2000, Pete Lansley, checks out the atmosphere in the Dutch capital during the countdown to the tournament.

Amsterdam-based friends meeting for a drink after work are united in the fear that their peaceful summer days are numbered.

Euro 2000 spells social danger as much as soccer excitement - according to one group enjoying a quiet beer overlooking the Amstel River just days before the tournament kicks off.

Sophie Bosman, 30, born and bred in Amsterdam, said: "It could all be really good fun, like a big party, because the Dutch have this huge passion for football.

The atmosphere is like a party - the balloons and flags are all going up, the shops are being decorated bright orange. People are excited but also worried

Dutch fan Phil Bishop

"But on the negative side, with all these fans coming over into these small towns, you just fear there will be violence.

"It could get out of hand. I live in the centre in front of the main square where the fans will congregate and I don't think I'll be able to leave my flat for a month."

Phil Bishop, originally from Brighton but now a Holland fan living in Amsterdam, said: "The first thing that comes to mind if you say Euro 2000 to me is, sadly, violence, aggression, hassle, trouble.

Dutch shops are decked in the team's orange livery

"Based on what happened in Copenhagen [at the Arsenal v Galatasaray Uefa Cup final] recently, and from what we've read about in the papers here, all the preparations have been to cater for trouble, and not for the football.

"It's really sad. It wouldn't surprise me to hear Dutch fans capitalise on English fans' reputation and say 'we'll go and get 'em', and they'll get the blame because they're known for trouble."

The Ajax Arena, a space-aged 50,000-capacity ground which is just a 20-minute Metro ride from Dam Square, hosts three first-round games, starting with Sunday's opener for the joint-hosts and tournament favourites when they take on the Euro '96 finalists from the Czech Republic.

The press the English fans got over here following the games with Galatasaray was a lot worse than they had in the UK

Londoner Joe Mole

If England win Group A, they would play the runners-up of Group B in Amsterdam on Saturday June 24.

That raises the prospect of a possible reunion for English fans with those of Turkey, necessitating a major crowd control operation following the deaths of two Leeds United supporters when their team played Galatasaray in the Uefa Cup semi-final in April.

There was also crowd trouble when the Turkish side faced Arsenal in the subsequent final in Denmark.

Calm before the storm: Ajax Arena

Joe Mole, 26, is a Londoner who has been in Amsterdam since last year and he said: "I really hope it's going to be fine with a lovely party atmosphere but you do worry in the light of recent events.

"The press the English fans got over here following the games with Galatasaray was a lot worse than they had in the UK.

"A lot of people here are quite worried how the English fans are going to behave and normally the finger is pointed at them before other teams' fans."

The positive atmosphere is growing by the day in Amsterdam, with impromptu games of football starting up outside the Centraal Station, more and more shops decking out in that uniquely vivid orange and all advertising seemingly focused on Edgar Davids, Frank Rijkaard or Dennis Bergkamp 'champion-chips' crisps.

But not everyone is up for the football. One gentleman on the Metro down towards the Arena reckoned he had his bets for the winners of Euro 2000 all sorted.

"Real Madrid, no problem," he said. "And, if not them, Monaco."