Time to deliver, Tosh: Pritchard

Welshpool’s President of the Football Association of Wales, Phil Pritchard, has told the national side’s long-suffering fans to cast judgment on manager John Toshack based on the Euro 2012 campaign, which begins tomorrow night in Montenegro.

Pritchard has been an ardent supporter of the boss, despite consistent calls for Toshack’s head after three failed campaigns in charge.

But speaking to mywelshpool from the team’s hotel in Montenegro, Pritchard said that Toshack was given a specific task of rebuilding Wales, a job which he believes is now complete as the board now expects their manager to deliver.

“Now we are in the starting blocks,” said Pritchard. “This is the campaign to judge John Toshack on. In my opinion he has done a hell of a good job in very difficult circumstances so we hope it will all come together for this campaign.”

A strong Welshpool area contingent is amongst the 1,200 fans travelling to the football outpost to back the side this weekend.

Preparations were rocked last month by the retirement of captain, Simon Davies, who joined the likes of Ryan Giggs, Robbie Savage and Carl Robinson in calling time on their international career while still playing top level football.

“John has had a horrendous time with retirements and injuries,” said Pritchard. “But the feeling now is that this group of young players has now matured enough under John to become serious contenders to qualify. You have to remember that eight players went when Sparky (Mark Hughes) quit. That left John with one or two Premier League players in his squad. Now we have six or seven playing at the highest level and John and Brian (U21 manager) have played a huge part in their development.”

Toshack’s five years in charge have returned better results than Mark Hughes’s tenure, but nevertheless he has come in for constant criticism from fans, pundits and retiring players alike.

The former Real Madrid manager signed a two-year extension to his contract to see Wales through the Euro 2012 qualifiers, which will include Bulgaria, Switzerland and arch enemies England.