It could play into England’s hands

I KNOW how intimidating the Croatia fanbase can be. I was the referee when their fans tried to get a European Championship game in 2016 against the Czech Republic called off by throwing fireworks on the pitch. I was not scared as the security services had warned me it might happen. I knew how to protect the players. A match behind closed doors is a surreal experience. I officiated a qualifier between Romania and Greece in 2014. I could hear everything the VIPs were saying and the game seemed to be played at a slower pace. Players do not get the same adrenalin pumping from the terraces. Croatia would feed off that from their fans, so this could play into England’s hands.