This was as bad a Wales performance as any I have seen in my life that once again, will ask fundamental questions about the state of our national side.
Once again, problems started beforehand with drop-outs with keeper Wayne Hennessey and midfielder Jason Koumas pulling out in the week before the game. Suspicions amongst fans were inevitable about Koumas who has now pulled out of every away trip for an incredible 2 years whilst last seen inn a red shirt walking down the tunnel in a sulk after being awful and subbed against Germany, only a couple of days after Toshack wrongfully criticised him in public for missing Wales games when he turned up for that game and others had dubious drop-out reasons. Tosh seemed happy on this occasion however but patience of passionate Welsh followers is wearing thin..
The fact some still have pride in the Welsh shirt was exemplified by skipper Craig Bellamy playing less than a week after a groin op whilst James Collins played barely able to speak after dental surgery.
If not exactly a prize, Wales were now chasing the target of a 3rd place finish to help World Cup draw seedings but knew they had to win the back-to-back away trips to Cyprus and San Marino, something well within their grasp had they been moderately competent. They were also after their third successive away victory, a feat last achieved in 1981 and should have been buoyant after that magnificent 5-2 drubbing of Slovakia last month when you felt we were finally getting somewhere. It's now just another false dawn.
To describe Wales as awful against Cyprus would be the understatement of the year. So bad was this one that it has left John Toshack pondering his future in the job and issuing a public apology to the 800 Welsh supporters making themselves heard in the 8,500 crowd in a sparsely populated stadium.
The lack of passion, guts and determination was so stomach-churning that it was probably just as well tv apathy (Sky declined to show it, BBC couldn't televise) meant only hardcore or native tongued fans watched it on S4C complete with Welsh commentary but I bet many gave up before the end. It comes to something when you'd rather watch Strictly Come Dancing that you own national team and it wasn't a difficult choice to make.
Yet it could still have been different as Wales somehow endured a poor opening spell and took the lead against the run of play with a fine James Collins side-foot finish meeting a Bale free-kick at the far post. Collins was struggling with health and fitness and it was no surprise when he limped out of the action but when your replacement is a Peterborough defender, you got problems.
Wales biggest problem was just their wrong approach and attitude. Bellamy apart, and he become anonymous in the final half-hour, nobody performed and few seemed interested. Biggest culprit was Freddie Eastwood who strolled around before being subbed, looked like he wanted to be somewhere else and whose only moment in the game was a yellow card for a late sliding challenge from behind. However even the likes of Ledley, Bale, Simon Davies, Gabbidon and co were all poor, the defending was abysmal.
Wales ironically almost made it 2-0 early 2nd half as Ledley fed Bellamy whose shot was beaten away but that was it. Those first-half let-off where defenders stood still allowing Cypriot strikers free headers or shots was not rectified
It was shocking viewing in need of an 18 certificate as the whole Welsh defence stood motionless at a free-kick allowing the game's outstanding player, Okkas, a free header on the hour. Eight minutes later, they were ahead as a ball to the far post saw Morgan stand still, a Cyrpiot bundled the ball goalwards getting in front of Morgan after standing yards behind and Okkas turned home from 3 yards and the misery was complete when Charlampidis, who spent pre-season with Cardiff City and would be a Bluebird today had Trevor Sinclair not been captured, again turned home a free header from close range after being set up by a free header across the box, again with our defence playing statues.
There were other let-offs and it was so bad that the Cypriots gallingly spent the final 10 minutes showboating and doing party pieces at our expense. I couldn't take anymore and switched over. The Cyrpiots have been strong at home this campaign, they also hammered Eire and drew with Germany, but had Wales bothered to show any application, they should have seen this through. That they didn't leaves Toshack and his players coming under a barrage of disdain and criticism.
Hopes of third are now in tatters and, instead, Wales now find themselves haunted by the prospect of finishing 6th with only San Marino behind us as, with 10 points from 9 games, they now stand 3 points behind Cyprus and Slovakia, 5 behind Eire who fought a goalless draw with the Germans.
.
Wales go to San Marino on Wednesday. The San Marinians (or whatever the hell they call themselves) lost 7-0 in Slovakia. They now have 0 points, 1 goal scored and a goal difference of -49 after 10 games.
There are no easy games in international football, they say. San Marino may just get one this week!
Link to BBC report:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7027548.stm
Link to Toshack post-match comments and audio interview:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7036139.stm
Once again, problems started beforehand with drop-outs with keeper Wayne Hennessey and midfielder Jason Koumas pulling out in the week before the game. Suspicions amongst fans were inevitable about Koumas who has now pulled out of every away trip for an incredible 2 years whilst last seen inn a red shirt walking down the tunnel in a sulk after being awful and subbed against Germany, only a couple of days after Toshack wrongfully criticised him in public for missing Wales games when he turned up for that game and others had dubious drop-out reasons. Tosh seemed happy on this occasion however but patience of passionate Welsh followers is wearing thin..
The fact some still have pride in the Welsh shirt was exemplified by skipper Craig Bellamy playing less than a week after a groin op whilst James Collins played barely able to speak after dental surgery.
If not exactly a prize, Wales were now chasing the target of a 3rd place finish to help World Cup draw seedings but knew they had to win the back-to-back away trips to Cyprus and San Marino, something well within their grasp had they been moderately competent. They were also after their third successive away victory, a feat last achieved in 1981 and should have been buoyant after that magnificent 5-2 drubbing of Slovakia last month when you felt we were finally getting somewhere. It's now just another false dawn.
To describe Wales as awful against Cyprus would be the understatement of the year. So bad was this one that it has left John Toshack pondering his future in the job and issuing a public apology to the 800 Welsh supporters making themselves heard in the 8,500 crowd in a sparsely populated stadium.
The lack of passion, guts and determination was so stomach-churning that it was probably just as well tv apathy (Sky declined to show it, BBC couldn't televise) meant only hardcore or native tongued fans watched it on S4C complete with Welsh commentary but I bet many gave up before the end. It comes to something when you'd rather watch Strictly Come Dancing that you own national team and it wasn't a difficult choice to make.
Yet it could still have been different as Wales somehow endured a poor opening spell and took the lead against the run of play with a fine James Collins side-foot finish meeting a Bale free-kick at the far post. Collins was struggling with health and fitness and it was no surprise when he limped out of the action but when your replacement is a Peterborough defender, you got problems.
Wales biggest problem was just their wrong approach and attitude. Bellamy apart, and he become anonymous in the final half-hour, nobody performed and few seemed interested. Biggest culprit was Freddie Eastwood who strolled around before being subbed, looked like he wanted to be somewhere else and whose only moment in the game was a yellow card for a late sliding challenge from behind. However even the likes of Ledley, Bale, Simon Davies, Gabbidon and co were all poor, the defending was abysmal.
Wales ironically almost made it 2-0 early 2nd half as Ledley fed Bellamy whose shot was beaten away but that was it. Those first-half let-off where defenders stood still allowing Cypriot strikers free headers or shots was not rectified
It was shocking viewing in need of an 18 certificate as the whole Welsh defence stood motionless at a free-kick allowing the game's outstanding player, Okkas, a free header on the hour. Eight minutes later, they were ahead as a ball to the far post saw Morgan stand still, a Cyrpiot bundled the ball goalwards getting in front of Morgan after standing yards behind and Okkas turned home from 3 yards and the misery was complete when Charlampidis, who spent pre-season with Cardiff City and would be a Bluebird today had Trevor Sinclair not been captured, again turned home a free header from close range after being set up by a free header across the box, again with our defence playing statues.
There were other let-offs and it was so bad that the Cypriots gallingly spent the final 10 minutes showboating and doing party pieces at our expense. I couldn't take anymore and switched over. The Cyrpiots have been strong at home this campaign, they also hammered Eire and drew with Germany, but had Wales bothered to show any application, they should have seen this through. That they didn't leaves Toshack and his players coming under a barrage of disdain and criticism.
Hopes of third are now in tatters and, instead, Wales now find themselves haunted by the prospect of finishing 6th with only San Marino behind us as, with 10 points from 9 games, they now stand 3 points behind Cyprus and Slovakia, 5 behind Eire who fought a goalless draw with the Germans.
.
Wales go to San Marino on Wednesday. The San Marinians (or whatever the hell they call themselves) lost 7-0 in Slovakia. They now have 0 points, 1 goal scored and a goal difference of -49 after 10 games.
There are no easy games in international football, they say. San Marino may just get one this week!
Link to BBC report:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7027548.stm
Link to Toshack post-match comments and audio interview:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7036139.stm
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