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Not expecting to see field hockey in the best sport thread but it's underrated all the same. An excellent run of performances from a very young Wales squad in Lisbon, 29 goals scored and only 2 conceded in their four games. Eight Cardiff players out there including the son of former City player Phil Brignull.
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Not expecting to see field hockey in the best sport thread but it's underrated all the same. An excellent run of performances from a very young Wales squad in Lisbon, 29 goals scored and only 2 conceded in their four games. Eight Cardiff players out there including the son of former City player Phil Brignull. -
Re: Wales win something
They won the Division 3 title. By the way Sweden are a bit crap at Hockey aren't they? 16-0. Not managed by Slade by any chance? -
Re: Wales win something
No, but they were in a period of transition. Ten players and the coach dropped out before the tournament, they somehow ended up being managed by a guy from Cardiff named Jon Elliott who was given the job one week before it started. They only lost their last two games 10-1 and 8-2 so were making impressive progress, another month and they may have drawn a game.Originally posted by Pug wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 10:13Comment
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Re: Wales win something
Is this a natural progression from Belgian play off reporting?
Cant quite decide which is the most exciting....
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Re: Wales win something
One thing about it that will interest you - it took place right next door to the Estadio Nacional which, I'm sure you know, hosted one of the most famous games in the history of British football in 1967.Originally posted by Jimmy the Jock wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 21:37Comment
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Re: Wales win something
More interested in the hockey if I am honestOriginally posted by Loramski wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 21:47
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Re: Wales win something
I thought you might be.Originally posted by Jimmy the Jock wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 21:49Is this a natural progression from Belgian play off reporting?Originally posted by Loramski wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 21:47Cant quite decide which is the most exciting....Originally posted by Jimmy the Jock wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 21:37Comment
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Re: Wales win something
Good news. There are several members of this message board that back in the 70's (Yes Silly old sods!), were very keen hockey players - up to Welsh level. Great sport!
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Re: Wales win something
Gareth Bale played hockey when he was younger, Jos Buttler too. Buttler was trying to perfect the Dilscoop, long before Dilshan himself started using it, after seeing a deflection at a hockey match go over a player's head. To be honest I'm glad Buttler didn't get credited with it, the Buttscoop sounds rather unhygienic apart from anything else.Originally posted by leeds blue wrote on Mon, 27 July 2015 23:58Comment
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Re: Wales win something
Just a quick update to this thread, although I'm sure no one's interested. Wales reached the final of the European hockey B division in Glasgow last week to ensure promotion to the top league for the first time. They won their group despite being the lowest ranked team then beat France 4-3 in the semi. They lost the final 2-1 to Scotland but second place was still an excellent achievement for a young and poorly funded team.
Sad to see the Scots abuse their home advantage by holding the tournament during National Bagpiping Week which obviously sapped the morale of all the visiting teams.Comment
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Re: Wales win something
It's interesting, I played hockey at lower state league level in Melbourne, early 90's..I sometimes wondered what that might translate to if I had played in Wales....Originally posted by leeds blue View PostComment
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Re: Wales win something
Cutting .Originally posted by Loramski View PostJust a quick update to this thread, although I'm sure no one's interested. Wales reached the final of the European hockey B division in Glasgow last week to ensure promotion to the top league for the first time. They won their group despite being the lowest ranked team then beat France 4-3 in the semi. They lost the final 2-1 to Scotland but second place was still an excellent achievement for a young and poorly funded team.
Sad to see the Scots abuse their home advantage by holding the tournament during National Bagpiping Week which obviously sapped the morale of all the visiting teams.Comment
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Re: Wales win something
A quick(ish) biennial update here. Having secured two successive promotions, Wales found themselves at the top table of European hockey last week in Antwerp. The elite were there; Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain, England and Ireland. Scotland also qualified.
Wales started off their group games with a 2-2 draw against England, just failing to hold on for a win. Spain were next and with the game being played in Welsh weather and at a time when Spaniards traditionally have their siesta, the omens were good. However, they somehow seemed prepared for these eventualities and ran out 5-1 winners. World Champions Belgium then opened a can of whoop-arse on the Welsh lads and generously declared at 6-0 up.
All was not lost though. While the top two from each group went through to the semis, the bottom two went into a relegation play off group. Wales and England carried the one point from their draw into this, as did Ireland and Scotland from the other group. Scotland beat Wales 4-2 but the other results meant that it came down to the final game. Wales needed to beat Ireland by two goals to stay in the elite group. 2-0 up for a long time, the game was in the balance until City season ticket holder, Dale Hutchinson, scored a fine solo goal. A fourth soon followed and Wales had stayed up for the next Euros in 2021 in Amsterdam.
A great achievement considering the virtually non-existent funding for the sport in Wales, the Welsh team have to largely fund their own trips and training while most of the GB money goes to England. This bias extended to GB Hockey refusing to hand over video footage of other teams for Wales to do analysis. Wales asked Holland instead and they were happy to oblige. Most of the hockey world realises the lack of resources that Wales suffers from and the boys earned a lot of respect for their performances and eventual survival out there.
Goals from the Ireland game here.
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Re: Wales win something
A quick follow up to this. Wales qualified for the 2023 Hockey World Cup in India today with a shoot-out win over an excellent Ireland side at Sophia Gardens after a 1-1 draw in normal time. It's the first time Wales men have made it to a World Cup, an amazing achievement considering the lack of funding. They'll be one of the only, if not the only, amateur team out there.
With football on too today I was hoping the timings would work in my favour but, unfortunately, I was able to watch the City game as well. Quite a contrast. If there's a comparison to be made, it's that this run for the Welsh hockey team followed a fractious relegation from the second division of the Euros in 2013, a slide into the mid-thirties in the world rankings and, as now, virtually no funding. A young coach came in full of new ideas, packed the squad with talented youngsters and started the rebuild which has culminated in today's events. I'm not saying it would pan out the same if City tried that way but I'd be more than happy to see us give it a go.Comment
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Re: Wales win something
something i've been advocating for the last 10 years at our club . football has moved on a million optics but our club hasn'tOriginally posted by Loramski View PostComment
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