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"Gareth Phillips was born in Llanelli and first saw the Swans in Easter
1968, a grim 1-0 win over Rochdale. He worked as a solicitor in Morriston
for many years, but may be better known to some readers as a member of
local
1980s bands 'Andy Pandemonium' and 'Just Bongo'.These days he lives and works in London, where he continues to solicit by day and play music by night. Some of you may recall 'Old Garbo' a tale about a journalist who hung out in the bars of Wind Street, in Dylan Thomas's 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog'. This Garbo can't admit the 'old' bit quite yet, although he's just about accepting that he's unlikely to be taken as a teenager ever again."
Saturday, November 22, 2003GO EAST YOUNG MAN So once again Wales embrace romantic failure rather than clinically carving success. This time there were no penalties – fraudulent, harsh or missed – to break hearts, although once again the thump of plastic coated leather rebounding from the Cardiff goal frame provided a counterpoint to the fluttering beat in Welsh hearts. From being “always the bridesmaid”, Welsh football is danger of being typecast as the eternal spinster. Are there lessons to be learnt from this latest trauma of the Welsh football heart? At one level Wales have certainly been unlucky with aseries of key injuries at crucial times. The loss of Gabbidon, Melville, Savage, Pembridge, Bellamy, Hartson and Davies at various points in the second half of the campaign undoubtedly undermined Mark Hughes best laid plans. As a small nation we are always likely to suffer to a greater or lesser extent from the problem of having a smaller pool of talent, and short of some miraculous repeat of the industrial revolution suddenly multiplying the population, it is one that we have to work within. Some critics have questioned aspects of Hughes' tactics. The early success in the group had been achieved by utilising a 4-2-3-1 system, popular in contemporary Europe, and which utilised the natural strengths of the squad whilst shielding weaknesses. Playing Hartson as a lone forward bringing into play Giggs, Bellamy and Davies who broke at speed from deep positions represented an astute use of natural resources, and a year ago Wales resembled a genuinely modern team. When a full squad was available the system was extremely hard to combat, as the Italians found in Cardiff. However, when injuries forced a change of personnel the system looked less effective, with players seemingly asked to play roles that didn't necessarily suit their natural talents. Could Earnshaw truly play the Bellamy role? Would it have been better to have asked Andy Johnson to deputise for Robbie Savage against Finland in a like for like switch, rather than giving the job to Koumas whose instincts are more creative? Might Wales have been more positive out in Serbia, and again in the home leg of the play-off? All of these points are valid issues, yet ultimately are superficial and ignore certain more fundamental difficulties. Even allowing for availability, selection and overall approach, one could not disguise the truth that in each of the last three home matches the Welsh team were largely outplayed. The opposition simply passed the ball better, kept possession when necessary and generally showed greater technique, tactical acumen and imagination. Small Fish, Narrow Horizons? At this point the “small nation” argument is open to question. Obviously, the likes of Russia have infinitely greater resources, and its no surprise that they can call on greater numbers of players with the requisite levels of technique. However, when a fellow small nation such as Finland can give us a lesson in the arts of ball control, passing and movement, the argument starts to break down. Holland is not a large country in European terms, yet they continually produce players of good standard, punch above their weight, and were a team that the geographically larger Russia were glad to avoid. Perhaps a greater insight into the limitations of the Welsh team can be gleaned by simply running down the Finnish team sheet. Their players were drawn from clubs not only in England, but also Germany, France and Holland. The latter two countries are particularly noted for their development of talent. Coaching may never create a talented player, but it can help existing talent fulfil its potential. The apparent result is a Finnish team with sound foundations in the basics of the international game, composed of players who, as with the Dutch and the French, have gathered a collective knowledge of a range of tactical developments from across the continent. Compared to this culturally broad approach, the Welsh squad appears distinctly insular, being drawn almost exclusively from the English leagues, often from the Nationwide League. English football may be fast and exciting, but whether it develops good technique and tactical awareness is more questionable. Too often Wales seem unable to string more than two or three passes together, as possession is routinely surrendered. Might the Welsh national team be better off if more of is players were based in Europe? Of the current squad, only Mark Pembridge has played on the mainland, and many observers felt he returned a better player for his experience in Portugal. Would John Oster, a player of no little skill, have found a more sympathetic playing environment in Holland or France than in the Sunderland reserve side under Peter Reid? Robert Earnshaw has apparently attracted interest from the likes of Ajax and a number of top Spanish clubs. He would surely emerge a better player from a year at the famous Dutch club or in La Liga than in the First Division. Ryan Giggs might thrive on the fresh challenge a move to Italy or Spain would bring, hopefully emulating David Beckham's development in a new environment. European Generation If encouraging our existing professionals to expand their horizons might help matters in the short term, particularly as the gravy train of inflated wages in the Nationwide League runs out of steam, can more be done to improve affairs at youth level? There are certainly strong arguments to encourage both young players and those coaching them to embark on exchange schemes with European counterparts, although this is dependent on availability of funding. The loss in revenue to the Welsh FA through the failure to qualify has probably made such schemes more difficult to develop. However, might not individual clubs take up the challenge? Swansea City have a relationship with Den Haag in Holland that has to date seen socialising between supporters and pre-season tours. Might this not be extended to include exchange schemes whereby our trainees receive coaching in Holland? In a world where businesses and educational establishments compete for the best employees and students by offering opportunities for European exchange, might not our player traineeships appear more attractive if they featured a period of Dutch coaching? Not only might the club benefit by attracting a potentially better recruit, but the end product may well be a more accomplished all round player, and ironically, one that is in the long term more marketable to European clubs should the Swans decide to sell on. In days when Nationwide clubs complain that Premiership clubs are no longer interested in buying their players, does it not make sense to help make such youth “products” attractive to a broader European market? Such shemes may well assist in getting around the perception of many European clubs of British players not being technically good enough to adapt to their style of play, which is a potential sticking point in advancing the progress of Welsh players in foreign leagues. If Welsh football is to cast aside its image as glorious losers then perhaps it first needs to shake off its blinkers. We cannot rely on established methods for producing players merely because they are the way we have always done things. Perhaps one day we will see our national team live with and beat all-comers, not only winning matches, but also playing controlled skilful football that is both technically slick and tactically aware. One wouldn't hold your breath on this happening under existing conditions. Might a more Europhile approach serve us better, and avoid another forty-five years of broken dreams? You can comment on this article by visiting the guestbook Read Gareths previous columns
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