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Watching it on catch up this morning after yesterday’s showing on BBC. Bit of a shock seeing how much football has evolved in nearly 40 years, the standard is pretty grim, the lack of flowing moves, the misplaced passes, the lack of ball control etc is a bit of an eye opener. The pitch isn’t too clever, if that can be used as a bit of an excuse.
I watched it too yesterday and I quite enjoyed it.
What modern level of football would you compare it to? I'd say League Two.
It’s difficult to say, isn’t it, maybe that’s an insult to the modern division two?Quote:
Originally Posted by B. Oddie
Who was the bald, fat guy playing for England?
I didn't pay much attention to the commentary but it seemed like a very poor England team. I can only presume Bobby Robson was trying out a few different things in preparation for the world cup qualifiers that were to come.
Was the tournament taken seriously by all teams at the time?
Now I didn't say which League Two did I... :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by splott parker
I didn't see it but was this the one where we beat them was it 4-1 and David Giles scored?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
I got the feeling that the Home Internationals was scrapped because England didn't like the thought of being belittled by teams like Wales and should be playing at a higher class.
Didn't they have a mini tournament with Brazil the year after, was it the Rouse cup?
It was Sparkys debut and he scored the winner - it was 1-0.Quote:
Originally Posted by MacAdder
The bald guy playing for England was Gerry Armstrong of Southampton. Apparently England had loads of injuries going into the game, which would explain the selection. I never knew that John Gregory even got a few caps
Ah right ok. Just looked it up, 1980 was the 4-1. Wow 1980! :yikes:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bloop
No, the 4-1 was 1980, this one was 1-0 to us (Mark Hughes on his debut). The mini tournament for England’s benefit was the Rous Cup, named after Sir Stanley Rous, the old FIFA president.Quote:
Originally Posted by MacAdder
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bloop
David Armstrong, not the Irishman Gerry.
It was our last ever home International against England.
I watched it.
It was quite simply shite.
The Coventry v Spurs Cup final was a complete contrast I really enjoyed that.
Amazing we failed to qualify for a major tournament back then when we had players like Rush, Hughes, Ratcliffe, James and Joey Jones. Totally forgot about Gordon Davies but his shooting seemed forgetable anyway. The fitness and athleticism of those players seemed light years away from the standards of today
Cheers. Stretch Armstrong was my favourite Armstrong at the time though.Quote:
Originally Posted by splott parker
Agree that the tournament, although I remember being very disappointed at the time being scrapped, had become tired.Quote:
Originally Posted by insider
There is no way that players these days would be able to fit an international tournament into their hectic schedule, even if club managers were willing to let their players.
I think the FA wanted to scrap the Wales and NI games because they were poorly attended. The only "big" game was England/Scotland, so they were invited to the Rouse Cup. It was basically a move to get rid of Wales and NI. A shame, because it was the oldest international football tournement in the world.
In the 1980 4-1 win at the racecourse, Leighton James Tore England several new arseholes.
In defence of the English and Scottish FAs they were both looking to increase revenues and bring in more attractive opposition. Although Wales and Northern Ireland weren’t happy, the crowds attracted to Welsh home games weren’t great. I saw a couple of games v Northern Ireland as a kid and the crowds were pitiful, I remember one game in Wrexham where it was less than 5000ish. I remember a Scotland match at Ninian Park where there was only about 15000 in attendance.Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCBlue
That Armstrong fella was a dirty bastard.I seem to remember watching him for Southampton in a pre season friendly against the city.After cutting down a city player I could clearly hear the ref tell him "ffs its only a friendly."
I think you've given the reason we didn't qualify for major tournaments by including those last two players in your list !Quote:
Originally Posted by islandblue
Due to Wales lacking the depth of quality major nation's had, we were always found to be wanting on the big stage. At various times we had a good attack, midfield and defence but unfortunately never at the same time.
And then Bale comes along and shoots my argument out of the water !
I watched this and the Wales-Germany game a few weeks back and there seemed little skill.
The ball was being knocked round at a leisurely pace in both games with a lot of long balls and passes back to the keeper. How defenders dropped as many clangers as they did with this safety net at the back I'll never know.
It was notable that at the top level of the game the set piece had a big say at both ends with strength and stature being the big decider in both boxes. Technically it was a world apart from the modern game.
What was also notable was how many people didn't seem to beat anybody with skill, more just kicked it past them and ran by.
The finishing was also shocking to say the least. I don't think players like Ian Rush would have anywhere near the same success as they did have with defenders and the game having moved on athletically.
For me I have as much respect as the next man for the old footballers, and they in many ways need to judged on their own merits relative to the game at the time, but I do not think many would survive or at least be as successful in the modern game.
It was also noticeable that England seemed to on most sides of the Racecourse with little segregation. Did it kick off in any great way at these games or was it an invasion and in many ways too large a number of Saes to contend with?
I watched it last night and if that was the third best Wales game that the BBC have in their archives, I think they might be best advised to just show an old rugby match every week. To me, the only reason they dug that match out was that it was England we were beating.
I don't particularly want to get involved in another debate comparing current standards with those from thirty and forty years ago, but it does strike me that those who are critical of the game in the eighties and nineties base their opinion of the current game on what is its brilliant best while ignoring a lot of the dross that is still around. The truth as I see it is that there are/were good games and bad games, good players and bad players and good teams and bad teams around in any era - Wales v England in 1984 came across as a bad game last night, but a year later, Wales thrashed the runners up in what is still regarded as a very good Euros in 1984 at the same ground;-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWEAFe16uDw
I think the BBC covered this match and, for me, that would have made for a much better watch than us beating a far from full strength England in a competition which was in its death throes.
yes have to agree It was put on as it was England , the quality was not the best England put out out a B /C squad .
Quick thinking moving strikers like Sparky in those days had a lot more opportunities , against the heavy laden defenders, and not so agile goal.
Being there was quite an experience in terms of atmosphere , I seem to remember folk saying at the time "not much of an England side , we can win this one " and that as in rugby was all that mattered (beating England )
FOr Wales getting rid of the home nations tournament was a blessing .