11:32am Wednesday 11th November 2009
By Andrew Penman
WITH a seemingly never ending injury list, Wales manager John Toshack could be forgiven for thinking he’s cursed.
Captain Craig Bellamy, influential midfielder Simon Davies and Gwent duo James Collins and Jack Collison have all pulled out of the squad for Saturday’s friendly against Scotland and Neal Eardley, Andy King, Cwm-bran’s Danny Gabbidon and Newport’s Chris Gunter are also now rated as extremely doubtful to play.
And, as he spoke to the assembled press yesterday, Toshack’s world literally came crashing down around him as an advertising hoarding suddenly collapsed, narrowly missing his head.
It was a moment of levity in a press conference which had a sadly familiar tone with Toshack bemoaning his admittedly terrible luck with injuries and players retiring prematurely from the international stage.
Toshack has called four players in as cover with Robert Earnshaw, Joe Allen, Adam Matthews, Andy Dorman and Darcy Blake joining the squad.
“We’ve had wretched luck and initially we thought we might not bother with this date,” said Toshack.
“The injuries just seem to keep following us around – not just Bellamy, Davies, Collins and Collison but young Brian Stock and also David Vaughan.
“And you add to that Jason Koumas, Carl Robinson, Carl Fletcher and Paul Parry who have all retired during the last campaign. We just haven’t been able to get any continuity going at all.”
Looking on the bright side, Toshack has Aaron Ramsey fit and firing on all cylinders after starring for Arsenal at Wolves on Saturday and there is the prospect of a larger than usual crowd at the Cardiff City Stadium.
“Ramsey played extremely well and the average age of the team on Saturday will be 21 or 22,” added Toshack.
“It would be nice to think that this could be the start of something important and beneficial for them as a group.
“A game against Scotland is always attractive – I can remember playing in the home internationals years ago – and they will bering some support so hopefully we will attract a good crowd.
“It is important for us to experience the new ground. We hope it will be positive for us because we have not been entirely comfortable at the Millennium Stadium.”
l There will be a tribute to former Scotland manager Jock Stein at the Cardiff City Stadium’s Ninian Park Gates on Sloper Road at 9am on Saturday.
Stein died aged 62 after suffering a heart attack following Scoland’s 1-1 draw with Wales in a World Cup qualifier at Ninian Park in September 1985.
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