Wales Euro'2012 Task Made Tougher

While Wales had the night off last night, four group opponents were in action with the winning sides from last Friday night (England and the surprise package of Montenegro) managing to win again and putting daylight between themselves and the rest.

The results were
Bulgaria 0 Montenegro 1
Switzerland 1 England 3


England, as suspected, look likely to run away with the group leaving the rest to fight it out for a runner-up spot. If Wales had a bad start, Bulgaria's now looks a complete disaster and they are Wales' next opponents in Cardiff next month. Montenegro are appear to be in pole position but, without doubt, there's a lot of fotball yet to be played. The question is, are Wales able to get back into contention.


Current Group G Table

Posn	Teams	Pld	Pts
1	England	2	6
2	Montenegro	2	6
3	Wales	1	0
4	Switzerland	1	0
5	Bulgaria	2	0

Friday Night Failures: Euro 2012 qualifier: Montenegro 1 WALES 0

My Facebook status at Final Whistle summed it up better than any match review will do on here. It read, "I can't decide if that Wales show was shocking or appalling but it was truly crap".

Wales entered a new campaign full of hope, a feeling that the promising young players who have now amassed plenty of caps will now show their quality, but one match into the campaign, those hopes are already in tatters.

As usual, there were absentees (notably the long-term injured hot duo Aaron Ramsey and Jack Collison, the short-term injured Darcy Blake and the always injured Danny Gabbidon) but you would still have backed the side to have at least secured a comfortable point and wished for more but certainly not less.

The side in Podrica was Wayne Hennessey, Sam Ricketts-Ashley Williams-James Collins-Chris Gunter; David Edwards-David Vaughan-Craig Bellamy-Joe Ledley-Gareth Bale; Steve Morison.

Eyebrows were raised at manager John Toshack's 4-5-1 style formation was Millwall's Steve Morison as the target with Gareth Bale advanced along with Craig Bellamy but it gave the visitors pace and skill and for the opening 20 minutes, it all looked very promising as pressure was created, the game was played in Montenegro's half and half chance were created but wayward shooting and the final pass not coming off meant the Montenegro keeper was not tested at all.

From midway through the half, Montenegro found some momentum and Wales looked very poor at the back and with it, the game turned and was lost.

When the goal arrived on the half hour, Wales had already got away with a couple of close scrapes and it had been coming but what a poor one to concede as Montenegro skipper, Roma's VUKCEVIC skinned a "couldn't be arsed" looking challenge from James Collins and then beat Hennessey at his near post, the keeper caught out as he anticipated a shot across him.

A golden chance fell to Craig Bellamy in the final moments of the half but if Wales performance was shown in just one moment, it was Bellers lethargically firing horribly high and wide.

I'm afraid it was a similar story in the second half, the home side looking very comfortable and their keeper having no work to do. Wales did push on and won a couple of edge of box free-kicks but wasted them. Montenegro always looked more likely to get a 2nd but Wales got anything.

With 15 minutes to go, James Collins' miserable night was complete as he took an elbow to the face which may have caused him jaw, eye, cheekbone problems (he is still being assessed but is in a sorry way by all accounts) and there was a final flurry as sub Simon Church headed against the bar on 90 minutes and then has one disallowed in added time for offside as he turned home a rebound after Ledley got in Wales only shot on target of the night.

The most shocking thing for me is that no player emerged with any credit, they all looked a shadow of the players they are, producing nothing like their club form. How can that be explained?

Next up is Bulgaria at home next month but Wales have sucked all interest out of their campaign already. Pre-game, the squad had been calling to play England at Cardiff City's ground instead of Millennium Stadium. If it carries on like this, it may as well be over the road at Leckwith Athletic Stadium.

Wales Euro'2012 Fixture Dates Announced

The fixtures were agreed today for Wales’ Euro’2012 campaign which is now confirming as starting in Montenegro this September and finishing in Bulgaria in October 2011.

For the first time, qualifiers can be played on a Friday night and John Toshack’s men have decided to play 3 of their 4 home games that evening. The exception is the ‘glamour’ game with England that takes place on March 26^th next year. The away game at Wembley is on a Tuesday night in September 2011. Wales appear to have delayed those games until Aaron Ramsey returns from his horror injury.

Fans can start planning their away trips (I fancy Switzerland and maybe the first game in Montenegro) but will also be wondering where the home games will be held. Cardiff City Stadium is strongly linked to be hosting the games but can they resist the riches of playing England at Millennium Stadium? Time will tell.

Friday, 3 September 2010 Montenegro vs Wales

Friday, 8 October 2010 Wales vs Bulgaria

Tuesday, 12 October 2010 Switzerland vs Wales

Saturday, 26 March 2011 Wales vs England

Friday, 2 September 2011 Wales vs Montenegro

Tuesday, 6 September 2011 England vs Wales

Friday, 7 October 2011 Wales vs Switzerland

Tuesday, 11 October 2011 Bulgaria vs Wales

It's WALES v England in EURO 2012

The draw for Euro 2012 has just been made and Wales were drawn in a lesser 5 team Group G along with Montnegro, Bulgaria, Switzerland and England.

As they were in the 4th seed spot, it's not easy but, all things considered, probably as reasonable as they could have hoped for. England will be tough, of course, and should win the group but the other nations do not hold any great fears and Wales must quietly fancy their chances of making a strong impression.

The finals will be jointly held in exotic Poland and Ukraine.

Ridsdale Does It Again ...... barks up the wrong tree, that is

Simple Simon says
Put your hands on your head
if you can't be open and honest with fans!

The Cardiff City side show continues unabated as Peter Ridsdale, unwittingly or not, has become embroiled in a race row and decided to give an exclusive interview to The Echo after almost a fortnight of self-imposed silence. The race row is simply laughable but what pees me off most is that he dealt with all that while still not taking a moment to clarify just what the hell is going on at our football club?


"I won't be driven out of Cardiff City" said The Riddler - this from a man who offered to resign, AGAIN, just a couple of weeks ago.



Sister Sunday papers, The Express and Star, both reported remarks from Ridsdale and Dave Jones talking about City fans being anti-English, one report suggesting that theme was against them. The same journo wrote the story for both papers, one was clearly "sexed up" to be controversial - the tone and who made the remarks was changed.

Ridsdale even had the gall to suggest a small section of fans are against him because of his time with Leeds. You what??


There's a million reasons to dislike Ridsdale at present if you're a Cardiff fan, his time at Leeds is comfortably bottom of his charge sheet. Well behind his promises and fantasies, two winding up orders, bringing our club into disrepute, his pledge to 11,000 fans who bought their season tickets 8 months early and for what. I could go on ... and on ... and on.


Shame on Ridsdale for thinking this even matters at present and shame on The Echo for devoting front page and inisde pages for the bilge without bothering to ask one single questions about the real issues and concerns at present.

Chopra's Red Letter Days

Cardiff City's Michael Chopra is not just flying high the Championship's leading scorer with 12 - in 2nd place is Cardiff City's Peter Whittingham with 9! - but he is hitting the limelight in other ways too.

Last week, he met The Queen at Buckingham Palace attending with a delegation of Indian sports stars. This week, his ethnic background saw him accept a bid to a World Cup 2018 Ambassador for England's bid. Chops' is the highest profile player on Asian origins in Britain and the F.A. have asked him to help in meetings and presentations with Far East representatives.

Bluebirds boss Dave Jones commented to Wales Online that, "It's a great honour for a club like ours - a Welsh club - to have a player as an ambassador for England 2018. I wish Chops every success with it. We'll have to keep his feet on the ground - he's just been to see the Queen! But seriously, I'd love to see the World Cup being staged in England."

My Day at The Ashes

I was one of the privileged 16,000 watching the first ever Test Cricket match in Wales as England and Australia started the 2009 Ashes series at the SWALEC Stadium in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff and how magical it was.

The cricket was frantic and exciting with England 332/7 at close - an 'even stevens' affair with England players guilty of throwing away a couple of wickets far too easily.

The occasion was outstanding and such a success that even the most hardened critics of Test Matches in Cardiff and opening the Ashes here was forced to concede it was a superb experience.

The weather was great, the atmosphere even better, the effort put it it by the hosts simply superb.

I was lucky enough to be in the main stand under the England players balcony and loved it from start to finish. Feel free to watch my photoset.

Lampard wants to lamp someone

Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard called a London phone-in today to complain about a talkshow presenter criticising him for staying in his marital home while his wife and children moved out.

His wife had her say about her unhappiness in the morning press, the presenter picked up on it, Frank had his say.

Emotive stuff!

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Frank-lampard-Chelsea-footballer-anger-at-LBC-host-James-OBrien-over-split-with-Elen-Rives/Video/200904415268788?lpos=UK+News_1&lid=VIDEO_1880324_Hear+It!+Lamp%27s+On+Air+Radio+Rant&videoCategory=UK+News

IT'S WALES v ENGLAND in UNDER 21 PLAY-OFF

Somehow, it seemed feted. Wales reward for winning their Under 21 qualifying group against the likes of France and Romania was being entered in a draw to be in the final 8 next summer in Sweden.

They were supposedly seeded but the draw paired them with, of all nations, Ing-er-lund with the first leg at home - probably at Cardiff City's Ninian Park next month before a return in England 4 days later.

While England are likely to have the cream of their crop at their disposable, Wales are certain to be weakened with the likes of Joe Ledley, Wayne Hennessey, Gareth Bale and possibly Ched Evans, Sam Vokes and more with the seniors on World Cup duty against Lichtenstein and Germany at the same time.

However, even without them, Wales produced that outstanding 3-0 win in Romania this week and will definitely be up for it.

BBC STORY & REACTION TO DRAW >>> England & Wales in U21 play-off

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81 Years Since City Won The F.A. Cup and England wants a public holiday for it !!!

Well nearly.

Cardiff, of course, won the F.A. Cup on April 23rd 1927 (St George's Day) and the only time the Cup was taken away from England ... until Cardiff City win it again on May 17th 2008 of course!!


The main obsession with our English friends is that today was St George's Day when their patron siant - a Turk! - supposedly slayed a dragon. While the Celts have been fierecely patriotic and pround, the English have always been reticent and embarrassed but in recent years, they finally recognise it.

It's quite touching that England have finally discovered patriotism, took them long enough.

Seems there now a clamour to make it national holiday - just what we need with 2 other April bank holidays for Easter and 2 more in May. Of course, Wales would have to have one in March.

Without question, we should have an extra public holiday or two in UK, think we have the least in Europe(?) but l;et's be sensible enough to get them in summer rather than cram them all between December to May with an odd one in August?