Giggs appointed new Wales manager

[Zlatan 7]

I was sceptical when he too over us but he’s done well FairPlay, introduced new players to the team and squad, a new way of playing, played some great football at times too.

He was showing genuine emotion after that game last night that I don’t thing I’ve ever seen from him before, he even made a silly little noise when he laughed, it looked like it meant so much to him.

From what I’ve seen of the pot seedlings, Wales are in the bottom pot, I don’t know how that has worked but it’s certainly going to be a tough euros if that’s true.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Really pleased for him. Can't be an easy job especially when it's your home country but he's done what's required.

 

[André Dominguez]

He complicated a bit and have to say it helped that Hungary lost easy points when Wales was trailing, but i the end he got them there and that's what counts.

 

[Sky1981]

Not his biggest fans. But credit where it's due

 

[crossy1686]

Was without Ramsey for most of the qualification campaign. He's done well considering, he gets a lot of unfair stick about his management ability.

 

[Bestietom]

Well done Giggsy.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Not his biggest fans. But credit where it's due

Same. I don't care much for him as a person, but he's done an admirable job - he's given youngsters and lower league lads the baton and they've done him proud. Decent attacking football, lots of guts and grit and a fighting attitude.

Proud of them.

 

[Thisistheone]

What a top job he's done without a full strength side and blooding youngsters in. Yes Giggsy!

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Credit where it’s due. Good qualifying campaign. He’s done well.

 

[Van Piorsing]

They gave it to Giggseh to the end of the season and it pays off.

One more team to support on upcoming tournament.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Credit where it’s due. Good qualifying campaign. He’s done well.

Perhaps the most impressive thing for me was a few games ago, the odds looked stacked against us. The points dropped in Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, looked like being our death-knell. We struggled to put Azerbaijan to bed in Cardiff. I thought the campaign was over. But fair fecks, he's motivated them to rise up - we played Croatia toe-to-toe at home and didn't look phased by them. Likewise, we cruised past Hungary last night with the pressure completely on us with lads like Roberts, Lockyer, Mepham, Morrell etc. Kieffer Moore up front!

It just shows he's instilled a great team ethic and attitude.

 

[SER19]

Doing very well, I know it's in half the number of games but a much better win percentage than Coleman while arguably a weaker team and more blooding of new internationals.


Mods I didn't make a new thread as not too old or too long here. Couldn't find a more recent Wales thread apologies if missed it

 

[FootballHQ]

Amazed at the amount of negativity on here when he was appointed. Mark Hughes got a premier league job off the back of his Wales spell and he didn't even get them to a major tournament so think at worst Giggs will get a top end championship side after this.

I think aside from making the euros he's done an impressive job of remoulding the side with more youth. He could've easily just kept playing likes of Chris Gunter , James Chester and Ashley Williams at the back given how solid they all were under Coleman but instead likes of Conor Roberts, Mepham and Tom Lockyer have been regulars over last 18 month.

Also good regeneration in midfield although Brooks, Amapdu and Daniel James are obvious picks given their huge potential. Pretty sure he's only had Aaron Ramsey available for about 3 games of his tenure so far and Bale is miles past his peak now compared to four years back.

Overall a solid pass.

 

[Donald Silverbridge]

He's a done good job thus far, He's got Wales to Euro 2021, And he's promoted a lot of young players as well.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Only watched parts of the games but they play a nice brand of football, movement all over the pitch and plenty of attacking patterns.

 

[Skeezix]

Good on him. He should have taken whatever Championship job if he was offered earlier right after he retired rather than waiting for the United position.
But better late than never.
More of the players under Sir Alex should be taking up coaching. We have better options in the future who truly understand what United and its tradition is - like Ole does. Vidic is one of those, I hope he is into coaching.

More power to Giggsy.

 

[DixieDean]

One thing Wales always do well is take young English players and get them in their system early.

I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. They have a system going to identify the ones they can possibly get to play for them and then they try and win them over. Check out how many English born players play for them as opposed to say, Scotland.

 

[Berbaclass]

Amazed at the amount of negativity on here when he was appointed. Mark Hughes got a premier league job off the back of his Wales spell and he didn't even get them to a major tournament so think at worst Giggs will get a top end championship side after this.

I think aside from making the euros he's done an impressive job of remoulding the side with more youth. He could've easily just kept playing likes of Chris Gunter , James Chester and Ashley Williams at the back given how solid they all were under Coleman but instead likes of Conor Roberts, Mepham and Tom Lockyer have been regulars over last 18 month.

Also good regeneration in midfield although Brooks, Amapdu and Daniel James are obvious picks given their huge potential. Pretty sure he's only had Aaron Ramsey available for about 3 games of his tenure so far and Bale is miles past his peak now compared to four years back.

Overall a solid pass.

I don’t think Bale is finished, he’s just clearly not played much competitively for the best part of 9 months.

 

[horsechoker]

One thing Wales always do well is take young English players and get them in their system early.

I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. They have a system going to identify the ones they can possibly get to play for them and then they try and win them over. Check out how many English born players play for them as opposed to say, Scotland.

Not a bad tactic considering that not everyone will get to play for England, you could carve out a more significant international career with far less pressure and scrutiny. With that said, anyone who's ambitious and has the choice to play between England and Wales will always choose the former. Unless you feel strongly Welsh (Bale and Giggs would have been the best players in the England teams of their time) then players should always aim for the bigger team.

 

[DixieDean]

Not a bad tactic considering that not everyone will get to play for England, you could carve out a more significant international career with far less pressure and scrutiny. With that said, anyone who's ambitious and has the choice to play between England and Wales will always choose the former. Unless you feel strongly Welsh (Bale and Giggs would have been the best players in the England teams of their time) then players should always aim for the bigger team.

I'm surprised that Scotland doesn't try it, but then maybe they feel it will affect their identity. Which is fair enough.

 

[JJ12]

Giggs doing a fantastic job with a poor pool of players. I love the fact he’s trying to blood youngsters as much as possible. Dan James has actually looked decent too.

Working to this point.

 

[JJ12]

I'm surprised that Scotland doesn't try it, but then maybe they feel it will affect their identity. Which is fair enough.

Maybe there’s just more players with welsh ancestry?

 

[Tarrou]

Not a bad tactic considering that not everyone will get to play for England, you could carve out a more significant international career with far less pressure and scrutiny. With that said, anyone who's ambitious and has the choice to play between England and Wales will always choose the former. Unless you feel strongly Welsh (Bale and Giggs would have been the best players in the England teams of their time) then players should always aim for the bigger team.

every Welshman feels strongly Welsh so it's a bit of a non-starter to go from Wales>England

 

[FootballHQ]

I'm surprised that Scotland doesn't try it, but then maybe they feel it will affect their identity. Which is fair enough.

McTominay could've played for England.

 

[DixieDean]

McTominay could've played for England.

Indeed. He's English! That's a good example of what I'm talking about. Seems to be rare in recent times.

 

[djembatheking]

Irelands best team under Big Jack was mostly English.

 

[red4ever 79]

McTominay could've played for England.

Could have, but wouldnt have. Hence his decision

 

[stevoc]

every Welshman feels strongly Welsh so it's a bit of a non-starter to go from Wales>England

Tell that to Michael Owen.

 

[Zen]

Tell that to Michael Owen.

Other than living bang on the border... he's not Welsh. Ian Rush for instance has Welsh heritage, Owen and his family aren't all that Welsh. Hawarden is essentially cheaper nice houses for people who can't afford nice houses in Chester

 

[Tarrou]

Tell that to Michael Owen.

He’s 100% English i think

 

[stevoc]

Other than living bang on the border... he's not Welsh. Ian Rush for instance has Welsh heritage, Owen and his family aren't all that Welsh. Hawarden is essentially cheaper nice houses for people who can't afford nice houses in Chester

He’s 100% English i think

It was a joke he was born in England but grew up basically in Wales attending welsh schools.

 

[yumtum]

It was a joke he was born in England but grew up basically in Wales attending welsh schools.

Don't blame Owen on us!

 

[Cascarino]

.

One thing Wales always do well is take young English players and get them in their system early.

I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. They have a system going to identify the ones they can possibly get to play for them and then they try and win them over. Check out how many English born players play for them as opposed to say, Scotland.

Yeah it’s definitely one of the main strategies employed. Brian Flynn is the one who did a lot of groundwork, often times getting them into the Welsh youth teams very young, especially lads who lived on the border. A few of them were Welsh supporters through their parents but then some like Vokes didn’t even know they had Welsh heritage until he was informed by the FAW.

 

[FootballHQ]

.


Yeah it’s definitely one of the main strategies employed. Brian Flynn is the one who did a lot of groundwork, often times getting them into the Welsh youth teams very young, especially lads who lived on the border. A few of them were Welsh supporters through their parents but then some like Vokes didn’t even know they had Welsh heritage until he was informed by the FAW.

Read John Toshack's Autobio recently and he said Flynn found out about Robson Kanu's welsh heritage as he said he went on holiday ever year as a kid near his nan in Swansea. Even then Robson Kanu didn't commit for a year. Ashley Williams was another they found playing for Stockport in league 2 when he got his first call up, Wolverhampton born.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

It's going very well. It will get him very ready for a club job.

 

[Cascarino]

Read John Toshack's Autobio recently and he said Flynn found out about Robson Kanu's welsh heritage as he said he went on holiday ever year as a kid near his nan in Swansea. Even then Robson Kanu didn't commit for a year. Ashley Williams was another they found playing for Stockport in league 2 when he got his first call up, Wolverhampton born.

I hadn’t heard that about Kanu (is the autobiography worth a read?). Apparently Williams was found while Flynn was scouting Hennessey, impressed by Williams he sent a speculative text to someone at Stockport asking if he had any Welsh in him due to the name (ambitious reach). He did of course but it turned out to be from the maternal side so the Williams came from his English dad.

 

[FootballHQ]

Yes it's a very good read. Covers his whole career, Liverpool and Swansea then him managing Sporting Lisbon, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid (twice), Deportivo La Coruna, Beskitas and then the random later spells in iran, Morocco and Macedonia.

Chapter on Wales which he calls most frustrating managerial spell of his career due to all the injuries in that time e.g. Ramsey breaking his leg at Stoke. Sure this spoiler won't surprise you but he dosen't have much time for Savage or Bellamy.

 

[Andersonson]

A question for British/Welsh people.

Why are there so many non Welsh players playing for Wales?

For instance: Williams, the captain. Born in Wolverhampton. Never played for a Welsh club. Is he actually Welsh?

Dan James. Born in Hull,never played for a Welsh Club. Is he English?

The list goes on and on.

Im not sure about this, but is it that Williams have a grandmother which is Welsh, and he aint good enough for England, so he can play for Wales instead?


Just asking because I dont have a clue about it, but it seems a bit strange.

 

[L1nk]

A question for British/Welsh people.

Why are there so many non Welsh players playing for Wales?

For instance: Williams, the captain. Born in Wolverhampton. Never played for a Welsh club. Is he actually Welsh?

Dan James. Born in Hull,never played for a Welsh Club. Is he English?

The list goes on and on.

Im not sure about this, but is it that Williams have a grandmother which is Welsh, and he aint good enough for England, so he can play for Wales instead?


Just asking because I dont have a clue about it, but it seems a bit strange.

Mainly it's like any player who is of multiple nationalities in their immediate family, just like some players get the choice between Scotland and England or Ireland and England. Being so closely linked for many many years and geographically attached to each other, it's always very likely that either a parent or a grandparent can be Welsh or English, you'll find that, with your example, Ashley Williams who' was our captain for the 2016 Euro's, was born in England and his only tie to Wales was his maternal grandfather. Now Williams is a good player, but lets be honest like you say, he isn't gonna be first choice centre back for England, nevermind captain, he gets that chance with Wales because our team just isn't generally as good, mainly because of the insane population differences and how poor Wales is compared to England. So yes you will find most players that are not generally Welsh, either do it for two reasons;

1. They are of a standard lower than what is in the England setup, and they will get more gametime and chances in the Welsh setup
2. Even if they were born in another country they feel more of an affinity with Wales as a country and therefore choose to play for us

There are all sorts of rules that enable players to do this, like spending most of their school years in Wales or England and other factors to

 

[LucasXXII]

A question for British/Welsh people.

Why are there so many non Welsh players playing for Wales?

For instance: Williams, the captain. Born in Wolverhampton. Never played for a Welsh club. Is he actually Welsh?

Dan James. Born in Hull,never played for a Welsh Club. Is he English?

The list goes on and on.

Im not sure about this, but is it that Williams have a grandmother which is Welsh, and he aint good enough for England, so he can play for Wales instead?


Just asking because I dont have a clue about it, but it seems a bit strange.

Swansea is a Welsh club?