FROM his Japanese residence, Rudi Vata made the habitual internet surf through the bookmarked Albanian news sites which keep him abreast of the happenings in his homeland. He froze when the main headline revealed the death of his close friend and one of the most influential businessmen in the poverty-stricken country.

Four days ago, the president of KS Vllaznia, Myftar Cela, was shot twice in the head by a spurned associate, Basakim Mula, who, according to local reports, was owed money. Vata, the most capped player in Albanian football history and former Celtic defender, began his nomadic career with his home-town team and, indeed, was only a matter of months ago offered the opportunity to return by the man he described last night as ''a brother to me''.

The story took on greater significance in this country yesterday when Vllaznia were drawn against Dundee in the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup. Speaking from his new home in Yokohama, where he is currently employed by the local

J-League club, Vata offered a glowing tribute to the major influence in his career and the man responsible for the club's rise from obscurity to domestic dominance and the heights of European involvement.

''It's unbelievable. He was the main man there: the sponsor, the soul and the spirit of the club,'' said Vata. ''He was building something special at the club and he is a terrible loss.''

A loss so big, in fact, that the club's very existence is now in serious jeopardy after the murder of the one-time lorry driver who capitalised on UN embargos imposed on the former Yugoslavia by shipping in cigarettes and alcohol.

''He was paying high salaries at the club and a really good team was being pieced together by my friend. That is all gone and at the moment things are terrible there. There is uncertainty and no-one knows what future, if any, the club has.

''The players are very much in the dark and they are scared about what might happen next. He was a remarkable man and like a brother to me.''

From Shkoder, Tirana, Glasgow, where he met his Hamilton-born wife, Cottbus, and now Yokohama, Vata remained in close contact with Cela but, with Vllaznia and the country's entire football fraternity in mourning (no-one from Albania was present in Nyon, Switzerland, for yesterday's draw), he revealed that coping with the sudden death would have been even more difficult had he agreed to rejoin him as the club's player/coach.

''I was very tempted by his offer but I decided instead to come to Japan and I'm glad I did because were I back home, I don't think I'd be able to deal with this news. He was always a passionate fan and the fact they are a family club and everyone is so close is why his death has hurt the country so much.''

Fears of revenge from Cela's and Vllaznia's supporters, which would place any travelling Dundee support under threat, were allayed by Vata, while the Dens Park club's commercial manager, Jim Connor, insisted they would not be approaching UEFA to switch the venue.

''It is not a dangerous place,'' said Vata. ''Dundee will find the city very nice and the people friendly, but it will be a sad place, too, because of what has happened and it will be a strange atmosphere.''

Connor, who flew back from Nyon last night without being able to communicate with any Vllaznia representatives, intends travelling with the manager, Jim Duffy, to conduct his own assessment. ''I have been given a factsheet on the club and at first glance, everything seems to be okay. The important thing for us is that English is the main language in the area,'' he said. ''I will have to do a more thorough check, speak with the relevant people at UEFA and try to get in contact with representatives of the club.

''Although we have a lot of investigative work to do, at this moment there is no question of us trying to switch the tie.''

meet the

opposition

KS Vllaznia

Where are they from?

Shkoder (pop 81,000), Albania

Where do they play?

Loro Borici (capacity 16,000)

Any big names?

Striker Vioresin Sinani was the second highest scorer in Albania in 2002-03, while defender Elvin Baqiri is a regular in the national team. Forward Edi Martini deserves a mention just for being called Edi Martini.

Which Premierleague team would they be?

Aberdeen. Northern outpost, ground looks nice, but not much to look forward to beyond Dundee coming to visit

UEFA Cup

AIK Stockholm (Swe) v Fylkir (Ice)

Vllaznia Shkoder (Alb) v Dundee (Sco)

Levadia Maardu (Est) v NK Varteks (Cro)

Santa Coloma (And) v Danish UEFA Fair Play place (TBD)

NK Zeljeznicar (Bos) v Anorthosis (Cyp)

Banants (Arm) v Hapoel Tel Aviv (Isr)

Danish Cup winners (TBD) v Dyn Minsk (Blr)

Malmo (Swe) v Portadown (NIrl

Dinamo Bucharest (Rom) v Metalurgs (Lat)

Valletta (Mlt) v Neuchatel Xamax (Swi)

Kaernten (Aut) v Grindavik (Ice)

Viktoria Zizkov (Cze) v Zhenis Astana (Kaz)

Sarajevo (Bos) v Sartid Smederevo (Ser)

APOEL Nicosia (Cyp) v Derry City (Irl)

Litex Lovech (Bul) v Zimbru Chisinau (Mol)

Neman Grodno (Bel) v St Bucharest (Rom)

Etzella E'bruck (Lux) v Kamen Ingrad (Cro)

Man City (Eng) v TNS Llansantffraid (Wal)

Molde (Nor) v KI Klaksvik (Far)

3rd Denmark (TBD) v TVMK Tallinn (Est)

Ventspils (Lat) v Wisla Plock (Pol)

MyPa (Fin) v Young Boys (Swi)

Vaduz (Lie) v Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukr)

Coleraine (NIrl) v Uniao Leiria (Por)

Groclin Grodzisk (Pol) v Atlantas (Lit)

Dinamo Tirana (Alb) v Lokeren (Bel)

Cwmbran Town (Wal) v Maccabi Haifa (Isr)

Celje (Slo) v Belasica (Mac)

55 Skopje (Mac) v Dospel Katowice (Pol)

Puchov (Slk) v Sioni Bolnisi (Geo)

Red Star (Ser) v Nistru Otaci (Mol)

Ekranas (Lit) v Debrecen (Hun)

Birkirkara (Mlt) v Ferencvaros (Hun)

Haka Valkeakoski (Fin) v Hadjuk Split (Cro)

Torp Moscow (Rus) v Domagnano (San)

Atyrau (Kaz) v Levski Sofia (Bul)

Olimpija (Slo) v Shelbourne (Irl)

RC Lens (Fra) v Torpedo Kutaisi (Geo)

Danish runners-up (TBD) v Shirak (Arm)

Petrzalka (Slk) v Dudelange (Lux)

Runavik (Far) v Lyn (Nor)

First leg ties to be played on August 14, second leg ties to be played on August 28