' Football fans divided over plans '

Football fans divided over plans for Welsh friendly with Spain to be staged at Principality Stadium



Thursday 3rd May 2018

Football fans have reacted to the news that Wales are set to return to Cardiff's Principality Stadium under new manager Ryan Giggs after a seven-year absence.

The Football Association of Wales last month announced a glamour home friendly on October 11 against 2010 World Cup winners Spain, but said the venue was to be confirmed.

It was announced at the same time that Gareth Bale and his team-mates will also meet Albania away in Elbasan on Tuesday, November 20.

The FAW has since been in talks with the Welsh Rugby Union about playing at the 74,500-seater stadium for the Spain clash.

And, barring any last-minute hitches in those negotiations, it is understood the Principality Stadium will shortly be confirmed as the venue for the first Wales-Spain clash for 33 years.

If so, it will be the Wales football team's first game there since England were the visitors for a 2012 European Championship qualifier in March 2011.

The news has been met by Welsh football fans with both optimism and criticism: some branding the decision "terrible" while others have said the decision is acceptable for friendlies.

Wales have played all their home matches in recent years at the 33,000-capacity Cardiff City Stadium.

Former manager Chris Coleman and his playing squad revelled in the more intimate atmosphere of Cardiff's ground and it became a fortress as Wales qualified for Euro 2016 - their first major tournament for 58 years.

Gareth Bale of Wales celebrates scoring the first goal of the World Cup qualifier against Georgia in Cardiff in October 2016 (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
But the FAW is keen to maximise the financial streams potentially on offer for the visit of a star-studded Spain side set to include the likes of David de Gea, David Silva and Diego Costa.

The FAW hope to attract a 60,000-plus crowd, even though the game is due to played on a Thursday - a school night - which makes it difficult for supporters to travel down from north Wales.

Although Wales' UEFA Nations League games - against the Republic of Ireland and Denmark in September and November - are likely to be played at the Cardiff City Stadium, the FAW want to see if supporters are attracted by a return to the Principality Stadium.

Should Wales top their Nations League group, they will be promoted to the top tier and be guaranteed two home fixtures against major European nations in the competition's next round of fixtures.

Wales played regularly at the Principality Stadium, then called the Millennium Stadium, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but often struggled to draw healthy crowds during some poor campaigns.

Wales moved away from the former Millennium Stadium in 2011 because of falling crowds, but there were also complaints from some members of the squad about the playing surface.

Former Welsh boss John Toshack, who led the campaign to quit the Millennium Stadium, used to argue that whereas a 33,000 crowd was a sell-out at Cardiff City Stadium, for Wales games at the home of Welsh rugby it was seen as more than half empty.

Giggs has seen the best, and the worst, of the venue as a player. He appeared in front of 74,000 sell-out crowds for a number of games at the ground, but also lesser attendances.

FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford said in January that Giggs would have the final say on whether the Wales football team would return to the home of Welsh rugby.

And, having considered the commercial benefits of Wales' trip to the China Cup in March - which saw Giggs' first games as manager - it is thought the former Manchester United great appreciates the positive impact of allowing more fans to attend the Spain friendly.

Wales have not played Spain since a World Cup qualifier in April 1985, which the hosts won 3-0 at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, and last faced Albania in 1995, with Mark Pembridge scoring in a 1-1 draw in Tirana. The only other match against Albania came in 1994, with Chris Coleman and Giggs himself scoring in a 2-0 victory at the Arms Park.

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Not for Me will be giving this one a miss.

As a football nation we have just had our most successful period built in some part playing in front of a full/sell out Stadium and now they want to go back to the Millennium half full if they are lucky.

Giggs having the final say, he needs to be careful he’s still got a lot to do to win over the majority of Welsh supporters as it is.

I am not against playing at the Principality stadium for a glamorous friendly

In fact I would quite look forward to it as I haven't been them for a few years

The bigger picture is that I like many others are still unsure about Giggs being Manager!!!

Best of luck to Giggs if he wants to take it back to Principality Stadium if he had turned up for a few games he might have known that it needs to be full and for a friendly? nope.
Be a bloody embarrassment for Wales if its reported or shown on TV as half full or less.

10 quid adults and 5 pound kids should sell out 70k

I wont be going. Yes it will be a good occasion but once we cave in and fill it once you think they will ever backtrack?

For me we made CCS into a fantastic venue for Welsh games. It was part of the journey we had. Giggs needs to realize he isn't bigger than the nation and should listen to what the fans and players want!

I won't be going that's for sure. What are the FAW doing. They've divided the fans by appointing Giggs in the first place and now they are going to divide them further by doing this. Hope it backfires on them big time

I don't understand???? Why do we as welsh fans seem to spit our dummies out at any given opportunity???

I know a long term wales fan (a lfc fan!) who has stopped going because of the increased number of fans going away in euro tournament run up who he calls 'plastics' although from what I saw, many of these were teens and early twenties who have the right mix of age/no kids/mortgage and money in pocket to go for the craic

we moan about low crowds
we moan about high crowds-not enough tickets
we moan about coleman
we moan about giggs


can anyone help

Most international teams vary their playing venues for friendlies, so what is the difference here

lets be honest - the egg stadium is only one of three stadiums we have that really hit international standards

why I love the CCS as our national stadium, playing a friendly is what it is - whey the 'im not going- f**k them' attitude

I just dont get it

No one moaned when we agreed to play mexico in a friendly in a venue not either in mexico or wales!!!

come on bitches - get your chins out of your man boobs and start holding your balls

I have not missed a single Welsh game at CCS but I will give this a miss. I really did not like the atmosphere at the National Stadium. I disliked all those air horns etc. In contrast I have loved supporting Wales at CCS. In my view, CCS is surely now the right home for Welsh football.

I do have some mixed views about this one going to the Principality Stadium, as it is an opportunity to allow lots of youngsters enjoy seeing their country playing against one of the world's best and at a reasonable price. However I really fear that this match will herald a movement to take more games back to the Principality Stadium. I have no faith in the FAW whatsoever. What little faith I might have had disappeared when the showed themselves to be gutless and clueless over the poppy affair. I also have no faith in Giggs to fully understand or appreciate the Welsh fan base. At least Coleman appeared to do that.

If they want to play friendlies at the Millenium stadium let them carry on. I don't go to friendlies so makes little diffence to me.

However, keep the qualifiers and nation league games at the CCS.

I have not missed a single Welsh game at CCS but I will give this a miss. I really did not like the atmosphere at the National Stadium. I disliked all those air horns etc. In contrast I have loved supporting Wales at CCS. In my view, CCS is surely now the right home for Welsh football.

I do have some mixed views about this one going to the Principality Stadium, as it is an opportunity to allow lots of youngsters enjoy seeing their country playing against one of the world's best and at a reasonable price. However I really fear that this match will herald a movement to take more games back to the Principality Stadium. I have no faith in the FAW whatsoever. What little faith I might have had disappeared when the showed themselves to be gutless and clueless over the poppy affair. I also have no faith in Giggs to fully understand or appreciate the Welsh fan base. At least Coleman appeared to do that.

FAW testing the water basically to see what the outcome is of the take up for the other games. Personall I think they should alternate between CCS and the Liberty and the friendly games at Wrexham or Newport like they used to do years ago, it gives everyone the chance then. The WRU just want more money.

Last edited by 1980s Bluebird on Thu May 03, 2018 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If they want to play friendlies at the Millenium stadium let them carry on. I don't go to friendlies so makes little diffence to me.

However, keep the qualifiers and nation league games at the CCS.

Plastic

I'm a proud Welshman and I want the best for the Welsh National team. If playing Spain at the Principality Stadium brings in more revenue which could be invested in grassroots football then I'm all for that.

Giggs does have a lot to prove but like Coleman before him I am willing to give him a chance because a winning Wales is a brilliant thing.

The decisions have been made and I will throw my support behind them because I want Wales to win

Doesn’t bother me if they play friendlies there, extra revenue, maybe get more fans on aboard through ticket availability. All qualifiers should be played at the CCS though. We’ve have done pretty well since moving there and i think that’s partly because of the fans. A packed 33,000 CCS creates a much better atmosphere than a flat 50,000 in the millennium stadium.

My worry would be that the FAW, once they start seeing the larger crowds, would only think about the extra revenue and start playing all games there.