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Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 qualifyin

Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:20 am

Ryan Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 qualifying hopes and Gareth Bale's form



By Ian Mitchelmore


Wednesday 12th June 2019



Ryan Giggs believes Wales are now relying on other sides to drop points in their bid to qualify for Euro 2020.

The Red Dragons' hopes of reaching next year's summer tournament were delivered a crushing blow as they were beaten 1-0 by Hungary in Budapest just three days after they lost 2-1 to Croatia.

Wales created numerous openings in both matches, with Giggs stating that his side are always going to be punished at international level if they fail to take their chances.

And Giggs has stated that the fitness of several members of his squad severely hampered Wales' efforts in the away double header before adding that his side now need to embark on a winning streak to stand any chance of finishing in either of Group E's top two berths.



RYAN GIGGS:

"In our defence, we've played one game less and we've had two tough away games five weeks after the season finished, and you saw it in both games, a lot of the players were short of match fitness and we're asking miracles of our players," admitted the Wales manager.

"Ethan's (Ampadu) not really played, I did well to get 50 minutes out of him. Brooksy (David Brooks) was the same. Asking Gareth (Bale) to play two games in a short space of time with the way he plays after not playing for six weeks.

"But still, you look at the games, we still had enough chances to win the games. It's tough, not enough of our players were at peak fitness but we have to probably win nearly every game now.

"I know it's early doors and there's still a lot of points. But we've made it really difficult for ourselves and we're probably relying on other teams to drop points, which they will do, because it's a competitive group.

"But obviously we have to start winning, if not win all of the games, then the majority of them."




Defeat leaves Wales six points behind group leaders Hungary while they are also three behind both Croatia and Slovakia having played the same number of matches.

Gareth Bale - who operated on the flank for long periods against Hungary - spurned a glorious opportunity to put Wales ahead on the hour mark while Tom Lawrence and Harry Wilson were among those to have chances.

And Wales were punished for failing to convert any of their openings, with Mate Patkai drilling home 10 minutes from time to earn Marco Rossi's side all three points at the Groupama Arena.

It represented another blow for Bale who has copped plenty of flak at club level with Real Madrid during the course of the 2018/19 season.

And Giggs admits it's been a "juggling act" for him to find Bale's best position in the side.

"He is disappointed like all of us with the two games," added Giggs.


"I have said before, in the training camp he was great, about the place he has been great. It’s difficult fitness wise having not played for a long time and then that short turnround.

"The way he plays as well, those high-intensity sprints. It’s difficult. But he’s been fine around the place, no problem.

"There is only really Sam Vokes who is a centre forward. Tyler Roberts has had an operation. It’s always a bit of a juggling act trying to find where Gareth can be effective.

"Obviously other players around it, we have so many players who can play off the right or number 10.

"Gareth has shown over the last few years he can play up front, number 10, off the right. It’s my job to try and get his best position and to get the other players in their best positions as well."
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Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:50 am

Wales fans expecting Ryan Giggs to go will be disappointed as Gareth Bale's Real Madrid woes impact badly on his country



Wednesday 12th June 2019


Wales' summer of discontent has led to them playing Euro 2020 catch up already after back-to-back defeats in Croatia and Hungary.

And it didn't take much time for a section of the fan base - it is impossible to quantify how many, or what percentage - to start turning on Ryan Giggs.

A GiggsOut hashtag has started on Twitter, which is hardly conducive to the TogetherStronger mantra which is meant to drive on the Wales football team.

Whatever, this is where things stand the morning after the dismal night before in Budapest...






IT'S WAY TOO EARLY TO TURN ON GIGGS

Football being what it is in 2019, a couple of bad results - even in tough games away from home - and there are calls from some for the manager to go.

In the age of social media we're being told Giggs is clueless, lacks passion, is out of his depth. Heck there were even a couple of posts I saw claiming Russell Slade would make a better Wales manager!

One presumes the last point was tongue-in-cheek, but when it comes to the views of a few Wales fans about Giggs you never know.

There was the #AnyoneButGiggs hashtag doing the rounds before he was appointed on a four-year deal by the FA of Wales. Doubtless many of those signing up to that are also part of the #GiggsOut hashtag that started up post-Hungary.

The frustrations after two key Euro defeats are entirely understandable, but there needs to be a double dose of reality here.

The first is that Giggs is going nowhere. The FAW are amongst the most loyal employers in world football and their goal under Giggs is to reach the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

Other than Mike Smith during his second spell in charge during the mid-1990s, I can't remember another Wales manager being sacked mid-contract.

Whatever the outcry from some, the FAW won't be listening to it. Giggs was desperate for the Wales job. He won't be walking away. His immediate attention has already turned to how to win the remaining qualifiers.

The second reality check is exactly where Wales stand right at this moment in time.

The golden period of the Euros, when Chris Coleman could call upon Premier League regulars, has gone. The core of his side was made up of players in their prime who were playing top flight football most weeks - Wayne Hennessey, Ashley Williams, James Chester, Ben Davies, Neil Taylor, Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale.

Giggs Class of 2019 has just two. Chris Mepham and David Brooks. They're each just 21, hardly seasoned professionals.

Whatever the potential and undoubted talent of the young guns, the fact remains Dan James, Harry Wilson and Tom Lawrence have been playing Championship football. So too Allen, 34-year-old skipper Williams and Chris Gunter.

Hennessey isn't in the Crystal Palace team, Davies has made way to Danny Rose at Spurs, Ethan Ampadu hasn't yet been close to the Chelsea starting XI.

As for Gareth Bale, we know what's happened there. More of that in a moment.

The FAW felt the team needed changing post-Coleman and are mindful that it will take time. They will give Giggs that time. Hence anybody expecting him to go, or fall on his sword, is being rather naive.

He'll be in situ until the end of the World Cup campaign. The Euros are something of a stepping stone towards that for the young guns.


That doesn't mean Giggs' decisions shouldn't be constructively scrutinised. Not picking Brooks in Croatia and dropping Mepham for Hungary were highly questionable choices.

Playing Wilson as centre-forward in the first game, James in the second, were eyebrow-raising decisions when the role would have been more suited to Bale. Or even Sam Vokes.

Wales were also far too tentative in the first-half in Budapest. The manager has to take responsibility for those tactics.

But the theory from some that this is the best Wales squad in history simply does not stack up, when you consider where the players are at this stage of their careers.

Too many have been in the Championship - including Allen and Williams - or not picked by their clubs, or are still learning the game.

The youngsters will get better and better. The key is that Giggs learns as manager too. He has taken up the ropes at the harshest of levels where there is no hiding place.

Even to Giggs' supporters the jury remains out on whether he'll be a success as Wales boss.

But the FAW will judge him in 2022, not after just three Euro qualifiers.

And rightly so, too.





BALE A SHADOW OF THE PLAYER HE CAN BE



The theory was meant to be that Gareth Bale would escape his Real Madrid woes, come back into the love of Wales and instantly don the Superman cape again.

Clearly football doesn't work like that.

Nor does any sport. As we said post-Croatia, if you're a boxer, cricketer, rugby player, whatever, expecting to have instant sharpness at elite level when you're not performing on a regular basis is clearly mission impossible.

Bale just looked wrong in Hungary. Summed up by the miscue with his toe which blew Wales' best chance of the match.

Giggs confided afterwards he was struggling to work out Bale's best role for Wales, whether as a nine, ten or wide right.

But it's far deeper than that. Bale seemed like a player mentally shot after a tortuous season when he has been ostracised by Real Madrid and jeered by his own fans.

The explosive, truly world-class Gareth Bale who drove Wales to the Euros, shone brightly out in Portugal, even made Coleman's reputation for him, simply isn't there at the moment.

At just 29 it would be foolish to write off Bale. What he clearly needs is to be playing football week in, week out again at a club where he is wanted.


It's not easy to leave Real Madrid when you're on £350,000 a week, but money clearly can't buy you everything.

Those Real Madrid woes have had a detrimental effect on Wales and deep down Giggs will be hoping his talisman cuts his losses and leaves the Bernabeu this summer.

Whether that move is to Manchester United, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, wherever, Giggs and Wales desperately need a fit and firing Bale to stand even the remotest chance of turning this Euro campaign around.

And Bale clearly needs out for his own sanity, too.

He looks a shadow of the Gareth Bale we know and love so much.






WALES' NEW DANGERMAN

Speaking of which, the mantra used to be 'Stop Bale, Stop Wales.' As such opposition sides would double, even triple mark Wales' dangerman.

But Hungary boss Marco Rossi had clearly spotted something in Croatia that made him pick out Daniel James, instead of Bale, as the Wales player to stop.

It was James who was double marked, sometimes three Hungarian defenders on him, which should have freed up space for Bale to flourish.

But while James was a constant danger with his pace and direct running, it just didn't happen for Bale.

And you can't help but think the Real Madrid issues are more than a coincidence.







WE'RE HAVING TO PLAY CATCH UP ALREADY

Whether it's down to Giggs, or players missing chances, the fact is Wales are already having to play catch up - and we're not even halfway through the Euro group.

They are second from bottom of Group E, six points behind Hungary and three adrift of Slovakia and Croatia.

This is a group where anyone appears capable of beating anyone amongst the leading nations. Wales beat Slovakia, who beat Hungary, who beat Croatia. And so on.

Gareth Bale looks dejected after the defeat to Hungary (Image: PA)
That trend is likely to continue, just as the last World Cup campaign was dominated by draws, so that will benefit Wales.

But while you cannot work out the mathematics yet, it's becoming evident Wales need to win four of their remaining five games stand any chance of finishing in the top two.

Two of those, at least, are against Azerbaijan who appear the whipping team of the group, so that could take Wales to nine points. They meet the Azeri next at Cardiff City Stadium in September.

Absolute Must-win. With a capital M.

October will make or break the campaign. Slovakia away followed by Croatia at home three days on.

They need to win at least one of those games before heading into the November finale with Azerbaijan in Baku and Hungary at home, where two more victories will be required.

The last thing Giggs and Wales want is for it to be officially over before we even get to November and the clamour to grow louder.







THE GOOD NEWS IS...

Ryan Giggs with Aaron Ramsey


However talented Wales' young guns like Brooks, Wilson and Lawrence may be, there is only one Aaron Ramsey.

He hasn't played a single minute of this Euro qualifying campaign to date and Wales have badly missed his poise and creativity in the number 10 role.

That's no slight on the younger players, we must emphasise, it's simply that Ramsey is a class apart.

At least he'll be fit and firing again - we hope - by the time next season's fixtures come around. As a Juventus player, surrounded by their superstars, he can take his game on to another level and that, in turn, can greatly benefit Wales.













THERE'S STILL A PLACE FOR ASH


Giggs surprised pretty much everyone by dropping Mepham, man of the match in Croatia and certainly Wales' only Premier League regular, and bringing 34-year-old Ashley Williams back in the centre of the defence.

Wales lacked leaders at the back in Croatia and Williams certainly improved that aspect of the team against Hungary.

With Chris Gunter restored at right-back, it was as if Giggs felt experience was the only way to go.

Which is fair enough if Wales win, but they didn't, so an opportunity for Mepham and Connor Roberts to further develop was missed.


Williams will be 35 in August and was one of Wales' standout performers. This was his type of game, up against a big bruising centre-forward in Adam Szalai and against a team lacking real pace and trickery up front.

He did enough to deserve to keep his place against Azerbaijan. But is that Wales making strides, or taking a step backwards?

It's another call Giggs will need to make.
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Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:10 pm

Please FAW just get rid now. :wave:

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:15 pm

We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:22 pm

Perhaps giggs should start telling some our squad to move or push for going out on loan the list of players not playing regular is not helping, and no more so than g bale he is not setting a good example prepared to play golf pick up the money instead of wanting to play footie

lucky him perhaps he should go and work on a factory production line to see how privileged he is, also the likes of ampadu Hennesey woodburn should make a decision about there futures.

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 5:50 pm

You can't blame Bale for not playing. He's been backed into a corner and it's become a game of chicken between him & real madrid.

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 6:07 pm

snoopystorm wrote:We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.




Coleman didn't leave us in superb position at all his tactics after euros was costing us badly so when he left Giggs or whoever came in had a rebuilding job to do using youngsters who are not getting game time at respective clubs! We played last two games without Ramsey several half fit players plus players not in 1st team at clubs and musnt forget bale whose been very poor for past 4/5 games and looks unfit... going backwards because we lost two difficult away games where we would have got points if not for mistakes that is not going backwards by any stretch of imagination..:old:

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Wed Jun 12, 2019 8:43 pm

snoopystorm wrote:We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.



hang on a minute..as grateful as I am for his work as manager especially for France he left with a rebuild to do..

at the moment we have promising kids and mostly past their best senior players..

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:52 pm

snoopystorm wrote:We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.



The other teams will be relying on others taking points off their rivals so why should it be different for us ?

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:33 pm

snoopystorm wrote:We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.


Wow.

You don't follow Wales do you?.

As Dogfound said as grateful as I am for what Coleman did he also failed to get us to the World Cup in our best chance since 1994 in a group we should have won or at the very least come second in and he failed.

He then realised he had taken us as far as he could, new there was a transitional period coming up and bailed to take over a bottom of the Championship side lol, what a legend cookie huh, and what's he done since? Got booted out of China....

Results have been indifferent under Giggs but if you can't see we what he's doing with the youngsters and trying to find a balance with experience then god help us.. We lost against World Cup Runners up away and Hungary, we've had worse days and are still in the hunt for a top two spot, long way to go judge him at the end of the campaign. We could beat Azerbaijan home and away, beat Hungary at home, draw with Croatia at home and Slovakia away and 14 points could snatch it, another win away to the Slovaks or home to Croats and 16 would probably nailed on do it.

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:51 pm

RV Casual wrote:
snoopystorm wrote:We shouldn’t be relying on other sides dropping points.....

Cookie left us in a superb position and under Giggs we’ve taken steps backwards and continue to do so. How much longer do we go backwards before the FAW give him his marching orders.


Wow.

You don't follow Wales do you?.

As Dogfound said as grateful as I am for what Coleman did he also failed to get us to the World Cup in our best chance since 1994 in a group we should have won or at the very least come second in and he failed.

He then realised he had taken us as far as he could, new there was a transitional period coming up and bailed to take over a bottom of the Championship side lol, what a legend cookie huh, and what's he done since? Got booted out of China....

Results have been indifferent under Giggs but if you can't see we what he's doing with the youngsters and trying to find a balance with experience then god help us.. We lost against World Cup Runners up away and Hungary, we've had worse days and are still in the hunt for a top two spot, long way to go judge him at the end of the campaign. We could beat Azerbaijan home and away, beat Hungary at home, draw with Croatia at home and Slovakia away and 14 points could snatch it, another win away to the Slovaks or home to Croats and 16 would probably nailed on do it.



Said same all along :thumbup: !

Re: Giggs' brutally honest verdict of Wales' Euro 2020 quali

Thu Jun 13, 2019 10:36 pm

montyblue wrote:Perhaps giggs should start telling some our squad to move or push for going out on loan the list of players not playing regular is not helping, and no more so than g bale he is not setting a good example prepared to play golf pick up the money instead of wanting to play footie

lucky him perhaps he should go and work on a factory production line to see how privileged he is, also the likes of ampadu Hennesey woodburn should make a decision about there futures.



quite surprised how many people are taking the playing golf literally...its a shrug of the shoulders response to Zidanes attitude towards him.
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