| Latest news - October 1999. |
| Mark
Hughes to continue as caretaker boss. |
| Mark
Hughes is set to continue as caretaker boss until
the end of the current Premiership season. Talks
took place this morning between FAW general
secretary David Collins and Southampton
officials. Southampton were happy to give the FAW
permission to talk to Mark at the end of his
playing contract, and also for him carry on a
part-time basis for another two matches in the
new year. Monday, October 18th 1999.
|
| Southampton
confirm approach for Mark Hughes. |
Southampton have
confirmed an approach by the FAW about appointing
Mark Hughes as manager. The FAW will meet
Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe for talks next
week.
Friday,
October 15th 1999.
|
| FAW
delay announcement - and keep Sparky waiting. |
 The FAW have delayed
announcing Mark Hughes as new
full-time manager. According to FAW secretary
David Collins discussions are to be held with the
new manager's club and chairman over the next few
days, but he refused to confirm
it was Hughes and Southampton.What
David Collins said:
"The FAW
council has met and decided to open negotiations
with regard to a national team manager, and
following a successful conclusion of those talks
we hope to be able to make an announcement
shortly."
"Those
negotiations will take place over the next few
days and we hope to be able to announce the
successful applicant."
"We will now
be talking to the individual and the club
concerned, we need to talk to the chairman and to
get his permission to approach the player and
take it from there. We will be offering the
player a contract to become our national team
manager."
Thursday,
October 14th 1999.
|
| Mark
Hughes to be offered long-term contract? |
 The FAW meets in Cardiff
tomorrow to consider an expected sub-committee
recommendation that Mark Hughes should be offered
a long-term contract as full-time manager of
Wales.
Wednesday, October 13th 1999.
|
| Mark
Crossley after number one spot. |
| Mark Crossley has
vowed to become Wales' number one goalkeeper, and
then keep it for the next ten years. Four years
ago he was injured after replacing Neville
Southall as number one. Paul Jones then came in
and Crossley never regained the number one spot
again. What Mark Crossley said:
"Now it's
time to make up for lost time and I think I can
do it."
"Wales has a
very good chance of qualifying for the World Cup
and I want to be part of that."
Tuesday,
October 12th 1999.
|
| Mark
Hughes receives strong backing. |
| Mark Hughes has
been given strong backing to become full-time
Wales manager by Phil Pritchard, the chairman of
the FAW's football committee. The sub-committee
will meet in Cardiff on Wednesday, with a full
FAW council meeting held the following day. What
Phil Pritchard said:
"The main
thing Mark has brought to the situation is the
professional organisation and the attitude of
players."
"The
organisation is vastly enhanced now. Coaches Eric
Harrison and Eddie Niedzwiecki are doing an
exceptionally good job for Mark, and from the
players' point of view it is noticeable that they
seem to be a lot happier."
"They seem a
better close-knit team as a group. There is a
long way to go but at the same time there are
definitely some very good pointers coming out of
the situation."
"I still
think that Mark Hughes is doing an exceptionally
good job. I must emphasise that this is only a
personal opinion, and on the football committee
everybody is an individual and we are all
entitled to our own opinions. I'm sure those
opinions will come out this week."
"I don't
believe the result of Saturday's game will have
an effect."
"But the
organisation and professionalism around Mark
Hughes and the team behind him are very, very
good."
"I think it's
fair to say that we can do without a defeat at
any time but I suppose it's fair comment to say
that had we won the decision would have been
pretty clear."
Monday,
October 11th 1999.
|
| Wales
v Switzerland: Match reaction. |
| What Mark Hughes
said: "A lot of positives have come
out of the Switzerland game. We've blooded a few
youngsters and we have a group of players
desperate to do well and it is up to us to work
with them. If we had won the game handsomely
things would have been a lot better for me."
"But I think
what I've tried to do has made a
difference."
What Gary Speed
said:
“Hopefully,
we can learn from this defeat and figure out what
we should do next time.
“We were too
slow in coming to terms with Switzerland’s
system. Senior players including me, should have
sorted it out. We let Mark down a bit.”
What John Hartson
said:
“I would like
to think this poor performance won’t have a
bearing on Sparky getting the job.”
“Without
wishing to put my foot in it with the Welsh FA I
think it would be foolish to look elsewhere
unless they are going for a proven manager like
John Toshack."
“Sparky is a
Welshman through and through. He’s got
70-odd caps and knows how much it would mean to
reach a major championship finals.
What Dean Saunders
said:
"This game
was important for Mark. I think it should be a
Welsh manager and I think Mark is perfect."
Monday,
October 11th 1999.
|
| Kevin
Ratcliffe: Give the job to Sparky. |
| Kevin
Ratcliffe believes the FAW must give Mark Hughes
the job full-time. What Kevin
Ratcliffe said:
“I
think if the FAW had any sense, they would tell
him it's his as long as he want's it.”
“If
he's the right man they should say so before the
Switzerland game.”
Friday,
October 8th 1999.
|
| Mark
Hughes to be given the job full-time. |
 Mark
Hughes will be given the job of new Wales manager
next week on a full-time basis. He is being
offered a four-year contract to manage Wales
through to the 2002 World Cup finals, and then
onto the 2004 European Championships.What
FAW chairman Phil Pritchard said:
“You
only have to look at the effect that Mark Hughes
has had on the squad.”
“We
now want a manager to take charge long term, to
take us through the next two major international
tournaments.”
Wednesday,
October 6th 1999.
|
| Wales
v Switzerland latest news. |
 Ryan Giggs'
hamstring injury has finally forced him out of
the game against the Swiss.What
Ryan Giggs said:
“I
am going to carry on training and hopefully I
will be back next week.”
“It
had settled down nicely and at the start of the
week I had give myself a 50-50 chance.”
“Once
I stepped up training I could feel it."
Friday,
October 8th 1999.
|
| John
Hartson says he will not be to dismayed if he
does not make the starting line-up for the Swiss
game. After the 2-1 win in Belarus it makes it
harder for him to get back into the team. What
John Hartson said:
“This
is the beginning of a new era for Welsh
football."
Friday,
October 8th 1999.
|
| Kubilay
Tuerkyilmaz is the latest Swiss player to
withdraw from their squad. Thursday, October
6th 1999.
|
| What Gary Speed
said: “We want to
beat Switzerland because we felt we let everybody
down in Zurich.”
“I
don't think we need any motivation to beat the
Swiss - securing Sparky in his job is all the
impetus we need.”
Wednesday,
October 6th 1999.
|
| Switzerland
have suffered a double blow ahead of Saturday's
game. Stephane Chapuisat has pulled out because
he is going through a divorce, and Ciriaco Sforza
is a doubt because of his baby daughter being
ill. Wednesday,
October 6th 1999.
|
 Ryan Giggs could
make a quick recovery from his latest hamstring
injury. It was thought Giggs would be out of
action for two months, but the injury has cleared
up quickly enough for him to be in contention for
Saturday's game. He rates his chances at 50/50.What
Ryan Giggs said:
“I
will give it until the last minute.”
“I
rate my chances at 50/50.”
“The
next few days are crucial but hopefully I will be
available."
Tuesday,
October 5th 1999.
|
| Mark
Pembridge (ankle) and Andy Melville (thigh) have
both pulled out of ahead of Saturday's game. Paul
Trollope of Fulham has been called in, with one
of the U21's being drafted into the squad after
Friday's game. Tuesday, October 5th 1999.
|
