' Chris Colemans Men '
Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:54 am
Wales vs Belgium: Chris Coleman's men ready to take a giant stride into the future at the King Baudouin Stadium
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=150297
Sunday Nov 16, 2014
By Chris Wathan
Wales drew 1-1 in Belgium a year ago, now they're ready to take the next step this evening against a star-studded Belgium side
Here, in Brussels a year ago, Wales took a glimpse into the future. Little more than 12 months on, they can take a giant stride into it.
Qualification for the European Championships will not be decided at the King Baudouin Stadium. There will be no fanfares and fireworks that marked the 1-1 draw here last October.
The party that night was in honour of the Brazil-bound Belgians rather than the 1-1 draw Wales deservedly snatched with a late goal.
But the performance and the start of the togetherness in the team to go with the talent gave the visitors their own reason to enjoy their night.
And they could look on to see what could be achieved if they get it right over a course of a campaign rather than a one-off game.
Belgium’s stars have long been weighed down with the tag of a golden generation, a phrase all too familiar to those in Chris Coleman’s side.
The Red Devils coach refused to join in with the tag until his team broke a 10-year wait for a major finals and even now holds back after their run to the last eight of the World Cup.
Coleman too has been uneasy about using the description for his own players, echoing Wilmots’ sentiments in saying Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and others need to deliver the country the championship football they desire to be classed above the teams of Ian Rush and Neville Southall, of Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs.
Since that night in Belgium, after they saw what it takes to make those nights happen and what it means when they do, they have stood up and not only shouldered the responsibility but thrived on it.
It will take more than the guts and belief that has brought them seven points from three games heading to the Low Countries, certainly tonight when Wales’ best players must show the class they undoubtedly have.
But while success this afternoon will not book a place in the France finals in two years’ time, it will thrust this team into a momentum and into a moment that they can seize.
Eden Hazard not interested in personal battle with Gareth Bale
All you need to know about crunch Euro 2016 qualifier in Brussels
“Wales are in the place we were for a couple of years,” said Belgium captain Jan Vertonghen last night following the group favourites’ final training session before today’s showdown.
“It is a position where you are the underdogs while having a very good team. And it’s nice to be in that because not everyone expects big things from you but you’re able to do it – but I expect them to be a very strong team in a couple of years.
“They are top of the group and they deserve to be there. Perhaps some don’t but I do.”
Vertonghen’s words betray the Belgian’s change of feeling about the Welsh opponents from the last campaign. In the final game they cared little about who they faced; they were a team in supreme confidence looking to finish on a high.
And there were never any Red Devil doubts about getting the bid for Brazil off to a winning start in Cardiff two years ago when the Spurs defender scored in a cruise of a 2-0 win.
If it was a night Belgium realised they could achieve, it was a night Wales realised they had much to do to get to the same point.
Slowfully, painfully but ultimately progressively they are getting there, a new maturity and determination as obvious now as the ability many of the players have. The next step is taking a big scalp – and Belgium are wary it’s theirs they’re after.
“They are more experienced than when we played them two years ago and you don’t get to be top without being a very good team. They have showed that,” he said. “We know how difficult this will be.”
The wariness has bordered on worrying. Chelsea goalkeeper Thiabut Courtouis attacked his team-mates in public after the friendly win over a weakened Iceland in midweek, warning a “spanking” would be on the cards if they defended like that against Wales and if they gave Bale the space to run and Ramsey the space to find him.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=150297
Sunday Nov 16, 2014
By Chris Wathan
Wales drew 1-1 in Belgium a year ago, now they're ready to take the next step this evening against a star-studded Belgium side
Here, in Brussels a year ago, Wales took a glimpse into the future. Little more than 12 months on, they can take a giant stride into it.
Qualification for the European Championships will not be decided at the King Baudouin Stadium. There will be no fanfares and fireworks that marked the 1-1 draw here last October.
The party that night was in honour of the Brazil-bound Belgians rather than the 1-1 draw Wales deservedly snatched with a late goal.
But the performance and the start of the togetherness in the team to go with the talent gave the visitors their own reason to enjoy their night.
And they could look on to see what could be achieved if they get it right over a course of a campaign rather than a one-off game.
Belgium’s stars have long been weighed down with the tag of a golden generation, a phrase all too familiar to those in Chris Coleman’s side.
The Red Devils coach refused to join in with the tag until his team broke a 10-year wait for a major finals and even now holds back after their run to the last eight of the World Cup.
Coleman too has been uneasy about using the description for his own players, echoing Wilmots’ sentiments in saying Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and others need to deliver the country the championship football they desire to be classed above the teams of Ian Rush and Neville Southall, of Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs.
Since that night in Belgium, after they saw what it takes to make those nights happen and what it means when they do, they have stood up and not only shouldered the responsibility but thrived on it.
It will take more than the guts and belief that has brought them seven points from three games heading to the Low Countries, certainly tonight when Wales’ best players must show the class they undoubtedly have.
But while success this afternoon will not book a place in the France finals in two years’ time, it will thrust this team into a momentum and into a moment that they can seize.
Eden Hazard not interested in personal battle with Gareth Bale
All you need to know about crunch Euro 2016 qualifier in Brussels
“Wales are in the place we were for a couple of years,” said Belgium captain Jan Vertonghen last night following the group favourites’ final training session before today’s showdown.
“It is a position where you are the underdogs while having a very good team. And it’s nice to be in that because not everyone expects big things from you but you’re able to do it – but I expect them to be a very strong team in a couple of years.
“They are top of the group and they deserve to be there. Perhaps some don’t but I do.”
Vertonghen’s words betray the Belgian’s change of feeling about the Welsh opponents from the last campaign. In the final game they cared little about who they faced; they were a team in supreme confidence looking to finish on a high.
And there were never any Red Devil doubts about getting the bid for Brazil off to a winning start in Cardiff two years ago when the Spurs defender scored in a cruise of a 2-0 win.
If it was a night Belgium realised they could achieve, it was a night Wales realised they had much to do to get to the same point.
Slowfully, painfully but ultimately progressively they are getting there, a new maturity and determination as obvious now as the ability many of the players have. The next step is taking a big scalp – and Belgium are wary it’s theirs they’re after.
“They are more experienced than when we played them two years ago and you don’t get to be top without being a very good team. They have showed that,” he said. “We know how difficult this will be.”
The wariness has bordered on worrying. Chelsea goalkeeper Thiabut Courtouis attacked his team-mates in public after the friendly win over a weakened Iceland in midweek, warning a “spanking” would be on the cards if they defended like that against Wales and if they gave Bale the space to run and Ramsey the space to find him.