Welsh football one-step-forward two-steps back " FUTURE ? "

Delme Parfitt: Welsh football shows no sign of new dawn after latest farcical events
8th Sep 2013.

Delme Parfitt assesses the state of the national team after 'passportgate', another defeat and the under-21s' humiliation in San Marino


Wales were defeated in Macedonia

In the one-step-forward- two-steps-back world of the Wales football team, defeats like Friday night’s in Macedonia scarcely come as a shock to the system.

But there was a disturbing element of farce swirling around the FAW crest as we digested not just the 2-1 reverse in Skopje, but the humiliating 1-0 defeat inflicted on our under-21 side by their counterparts from San Marino, that nation’s first competitive victory at any level since their under-17 side beat Andorra in 2002.

Let’s recap. First manager Chris Coleman lost his passport and missed the flight to Macedonia on Thursday.

It was an oversight unfortunate enough on its own without the way it was compounded by Coleman’s claims that his subsequent late arrival didn’t matter, because when Wales train abroad they do “next to nothing”.

Of greater consequence was the clutch of what appeared to be mystifying substitutions the manager made as the game slipped away from Wales.

Why bring on defensive midfielder Andrew Crofts when they had Macedonia on the rack? Why bring on full-back Adam Matthews for an attacking midfielder? Why introduce striker Sam Vokes with just five minutes left?

Coleman also left the world’s most expensive player, Gareth Bale, on the bench rather than introduce him even for five minutes.

Bale wasn’t fit enough, Coleman argued vehemently, and was only put among the replacements to provide psychological ammunition.

But when the former Spurs man has been named in the matchday squad, when he’s been pictured on the training ground, when he’s juggled a ball at his unveiling by Real Madrid, Coleman shouldn’t be surprised if supporters are taken aback by the development that he’s not ready to get through even a five or 10-minute cameo.



There’s no suggestion at all of anything underhand on either Coleman’s part or Bale’s.

Coleman says he spoke to the player on the day of the game and he wasn’t ready. Fine.

But in deciding to put him on the bench, while having no intention of using him, Coleman opened himself up to inevitable criticism if the result went against Wales.

Which of course it did. Rubber-stamping what we already knew – that there will be no trip to Brazil for the World Cup finals next summer.

Coleman has now presided over 11 matches. He’s won three, drawn one and lost seven. That’s not including the 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica because of the unique circumstances of what was a match held in honour of the late Gary Speed.

Worryingly, in the last seven competitive encounters his team have scored seven times, but only twice from open play – Bale’s wonder-strike against Scotland at Cardiff City Stadium and Hal Robson-Kanu’s header in the return match at Hampden Park.

Yes, some of the stuff we have seen has been encouraging, such as the way Wales took the game to Croatia last March and the manner in which they got the better of the Scots, especially away from home.

But the overall picture hasn’t altered. Every time a revival of any substance creeps on to the agenda, along comes an episode like Friday night and its accompanying events to stymie the progress.

A dejected Chris Coleman looks on
Coleman was tetchy in the aftermath at the Philip II Arena, bemoaning at one point the fact that he has rarely been afforded a full strength squad to work with.

He has a point there, but the situation isn’t going to change while the clubs remain all-powerful so Coleman just has to deal with it. He’s not the first Wales boss to be lumbered. He won’t be the last.

Ahead of the Macedonia game, the manager spoke about the importance of chasing third spot in the group and thus securing an improved seeding for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

But if Wales lose to Serbia on Tuesday that’s another target which will be all but gone. You have to think the quest then will simply be to avoid finishing rock bottom.

Let us hope that doesn’t happen, but if it does, Coleman, just like any of his peers in the same position, would have to think long and hard about his future. OK, the team went into this campaign as lowest seeds, but that was seen by most as nothing like a true reflection given the upsurge Speed had engineered. Wales have to be better than bottom of this particular pile. End of.

Coleman has apparently agreed a new contract, and he already has his sights set on Euro 2016 with all his talk about Wales’ potential seeding.

But that’s been the problem for too long – Wales always seem to be chasing tomorrow’s dream instead of delivering in the here and now.

At the heart of all that has been the line peddled by optimists about the supposed existence of a conveyor belt of young talent that would, in time, emerge to make Wales a different proposition.

I wonder how many of them were in San Marino on Friday?

Delme Parfitt: Welsh football shows no sign of new dawn after latest farcical events
8th Sep 2013.

Delme Parfitt assesses the state of the national team after 'passportgate', another defeat and the under-21s' humiliation in San Marino


Wales were defeated in Macedonia

In the one-step-forward- two-steps-back world of the Wales football team, defeats like Friday night’s in Macedonia scarcely come as a shock to the system.

But there was a disturbing element of farce swirling around the FAW crest as we digested not just the 2-1 reverse in Skopje, but the humiliating 1-0 defeat inflicted on our under-21 side by their counterparts from San Marino, that nation’s first competitive victory at any level since their under-17 side beat Andorra in 2002.

Let’s recap. First manager Chris Coleman lost his passport and missed the flight to Macedonia on Thursday.

It was an oversight unfortunate enough on its own without the way it was compounded by Coleman’s claims that his subsequent late arrival didn’t matter, because when Wales train abroad they do “next to nothing”.

Of greater consequence was the clutch of what appeared to be mystifying substitutions the manager made as the game slipped away from Wales.

Why bring on defensive midfielder Andrew Crofts when they had Macedonia on the rack? Why bring on full-back Adam Matthews for an attacking midfielder? Why introduce striker Sam Vokes with just five minutes left?

Coleman also left the world’s most expensive player, Gareth Bale, on the bench rather than introduce him even for five minutes.

Bale wasn’t fit enough, Coleman argued vehemently, and was only put among the replacements to provide psychological ammunition.

But when the former Spurs man has been named in the matchday squad, when he’s been pictured on the training ground, when he’s juggled a ball at his unveiling by Real Madrid, Coleman shouldn’t be surprised if supporters are taken aback by the development that he’s not ready to get through even a five or 10-minute cameo.



There’s no suggestion at all of anything underhand on either Coleman’s part or Bale’s.

Coleman says he spoke to the player on the day of the game and he wasn’t ready. Fine.

But in deciding to put him on the bench, while having no intention of using him, Coleman opened himself up to inevitable criticism if the result went against Wales.

Which of course it did. Rubber-stamping what we already knew – that there will be no trip to Brazil for the World Cup finals next summer.

Coleman has now presided over 11 matches. He’s won three, drawn one and lost seven. That’s not including the 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica because of the unique circumstances of what was a match held in honour of the late Gary Speed.

Worryingly, in the last seven competitive encounters his team have scored seven times, but only twice from open play – Bale’s wonder-strike against Scotland at Cardiff City Stadium and Hal Robson-Kanu’s header in the return match at Hampden Park.

Yes, some of the stuff we have seen has been encouraging, such as the way Wales took the game to Croatia last March and the manner in which they got the better of the Scots, especially away from home.

But the overall picture hasn’t altered. Every time a revival of any substance creeps on to the agenda, along comes an episode like Friday night and its accompanying events to stymie the progress.

A dejected Chris Coleman looks on
Coleman was tetchy in the aftermath at the Philip II Arena, bemoaning at one point the fact that he has rarely been afforded a full strength squad to work with.

He has a point there, but the situation isn’t going to change while the clubs remain all-powerful so Coleman just has to deal with it. He’s not the first Wales boss to be lumbered. He won’t be the last.

Ahead of the Macedonia game, the manager spoke about the importance of chasing third spot in the group and thus securing an improved seeding for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

But if Wales lose to Serbia on Tuesday that’s another target which will be all but gone. You have to think the quest then will simply be to avoid finishing rock bottom.

Let us hope that doesn’t happen, but if it does, Coleman, just like any of his peers in the same position, would have to think long and hard about his future. OK, the team went into this campaign as lowest seeds, but that was seen by most as nothing like a true reflection given the upsurge Speed had engineered. Wales have to be better than bottom of this particular pile. End of.

Coleman has apparently agreed a new contract, and he already has his sights set on Euro 2016 with all his talk about Wales’ potential seeding.

But that’s been the problem for too long – Wales always seem to be chasing tomorrow’s dream instead of delivering in the here and now.

At the heart of all that has been the line peddled by optimists about the supposed existence of a conveyor belt of young talent that would, in time, emerge to make Wales a different proposition.

I wonder how many of them were in San Marino on Friday?

Sorry, but did not read that. Just saw the name. Delme Parfitt is an egg-chaser. Probably revelling in Welsh football's troubles, as they always do. Would be interested to see what a serious football writer thinks, though.

To be fair, whether or not the guy's an egg chaser (and I'm no rugby fan) - he has summed up the state of the Welsh international setup perfectly...

One step forward, two steps back, always chasing tomorrow's dream - let's be honest, for how long have we been 'building for the future'?

Coleman is one of the biggest flops to ever manage our national team, it just totally amazes me that this team under Gary Speed (RIP) was so promising and starting to turn heads. Once this clown took over the same team we have just slipped backwards game after game.

We show now tactical awareness, Coleman is a very arogant person who I think is just a yes man which pleases the muppets at the FAW.

If reports are true that he is about to accept an extension then I am afraid under Coleman's ternship Welsh international football could end up at a level which very well maybe beyond recovery for decades. We as a nation are far too small population wise to have two major sports (Rugby and Football) competeing with each other for the services of young talent and at the moment rubgy is blowing football out of the water when it comes to youngsters making decsions of which sport to choose.

It is grass roots level that makes the difference, even though Graham Henry did not make a success of coaching the national rugby team his input and structure that he and Steve Hansen put in place at grass roots level is a success. They ensured that this structure continued up to and including the national team which is now very evident. This is shown through the success of the Welsh players that toured with the Lions in the summer, winning back to back six nations and winning the 6 nations 4 times in the last 8 years with 3 grand slams.

Time for the FAW cavemen to have a good look at themsleves and take a leaf ot of the WRU book and invest for the future to ensure that Welsh international football has a future and please god will qualify for a major tournement in the not too distant future.

If Coleman stays then I can see match attendances dropping dramatically, I used to travel away with Wales once or twice every year. Now I do not have the time, but if I did, would I travel to watch inept performances? I very much doubt it!

Sorry, but did not read that. Just saw the name. Delme Parfitt is an egg-chaser. Probably revelling in Welsh football's troubles, as they always do. Would be interested to see what a serious football writer thinks, though.

I thought that but you should read as he's more or less spot on

Great article, whether he's a rugby journalist or not. I'm sure he's mentioned before that he's a City fan as well, so obviously likes both sports.

good article, sums it up perfectly

Coleman was tetchy in the aftermath at the Philip II Arena, bemoaning at one point the fact that he has rarely been afforded a full strength squad to work with.

He has a point there, but the situation isn’t going to change while the clubs remain all-powerful so Coleman just has to deal with it. He’s not the first Wales boss to be lumbered. He won’t be the last.

The best and most important part of the article is "Coleman just has to deal with it"

Of course has and if that means picking Gareth Bale as an unused substitute in what amounted to a dead qualifier then so be it. We have to accept that in football terms Wales are a very small nation. We are blessed with some amazing talent and if we are ever to make our mark on the International game, we need these players at the most vital games.

Playing Bale (even in a 10 or 20 minute cameo) on that pitch would have wound Real Madrid right up only days after they paid £86m for his services.

We know the transfer from Tottenham to Real Madrid has been very protracted and we don't know the affect it has had on Gareth Bale himself. For him personally it must have been good therapy to sit amongst friends and colleagues whilst away on International duty.

Giving up ONE seat on the bench for that reason is well worth it IMO. Coleman has shown Real Madrid he can be trusted and that can only be of benefit in the future.