Robert Page’s side looked off the pace and lethargic as they opened Euro 2020 with a draw against SwitzerlandStinking out a major tournament is an experience that most middling countries endure at some point and, for a long time in Azerbaijan, it looked as if Wales might be preparing for an unwelcome coming of age. All those nostalgic Euro 2016 features before their opening game of the latest tournament were fine and dandy but one wondered whether part of the point had been lost amid the reminiscing.In France five years ago Wales showed on their return from big tournament irrelevance that there was no need for any inferiority complex; they were a force to be reckoned with. And before facing...
Staging Euro 2020 games in a politically problematic country embroiled in conflict is untenable, and Uefa needs to actOn Tuesday night the Azerbaijan men’s national football team drew 0-0 with Luxembourg. Three days before that the Azerbaijan men’s national football team drew 0-0 with Montenegro. Three days before that the Azerbaijan men’s national football team drew 0-0 with Slovenia. Four weeks before that the Azerbaijan men’s national football team drew 0-0 with Cyprus.0-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0-0. In the course of this run Azerbaijan have pared their game down from six shots on target to just the one last time out. The natural end point of this graph, the real moment of fulfilment, would see Azerbaijan complete their next 0-0 with...
The banner is a laugh. And yet, importantly, the Welshman surely knows that most in Madrid wont find it funnyIt was Pedja Mijatovic who started it. One night on the radio, the former Real Madrid player and sporting director said he hadnt spoken to Gareth Bale but the impression he got was that his priorities were Wales, golf, and Madrid and in that order. That sounded pretty good to Wales fans, already on his side. Songs followed swiftly and so did the flags. One of them found its way on to the pitch and into the players hands as they celebrated reaching Euro 2020. Dancing about and grinning right behind it is Bale, enjoying the silliness of it all, the...
Aaron Ramsey return to Wales after a year out, Naby Keïta must step up for Guinea and Iceland will face a frosty reception The build-up to Wales’s remaining qualifiers has been dominated by the dismay that Gareth Bale’s call-up has caused at Real Madrid, where the forward has been on the sidelines for a month nursing a calf injury. Bale’s late winner against Azerbaijan in September proved how influential the forward can be in swinging matches Wales’ way but the returning Aaron Ramsey may be just as important for Ryan Giggs. The Juventus midfielder has been absent for Wales for a year so his return now, with two must-win games ahead, could not be better timed. Having just returned to...
Prague steels itself for England’s fans, Ireland may have a new hero in Aaron Connolly and Scotland are desperate to find goalsIn what looks certain to resemble the world’s most unedifying stag party, an estimated 6,000 England fans will descend on Prague to watch Gareth Southgate’s team take on the Czech Republic. Unsurprisingly designated as a “high risk” fixture, this Friday night game will attract no shortage of thirsty visitors to the Czech capital, hellbent on making a weekend of it in a city renowned for the cheapness of its beer and myriad other nocturnal delights. Scheduled to kick off at 8.45pm local time, when more patriotic fans will have had all day to occupy the city’s Old Town Square,...