Reply With QuoteThey 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?
| + Visit Cardiff FC for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results |
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/wales/33668528
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.
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?
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 10:13
Is this a natural progression from Belgian play off reporting?
Cant quite decide which is the most exciting....
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.
More interested in the hockey if I am honestIs this a natural progression from Belgian play off reporting?
I thought you might be.Is this a natural progression from Belgian play off reporting?Cant quite decide which is the most exciting....
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!
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.
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.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/40903603
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.
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....
Cutting .
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.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/hockey/49460215
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.
something i've been advocating for the last 10 years at our club . football has moved on a million optics but our club hasn't
This thread started in 2015 as the Wales hockey team, ranked 36th in the world, got promoted from the third division of the Euros. Now they're packing their bags ready for tomorrow's flight to the 16 team World Cup in India.
A mind-boggling achievement, hardly a rags to riches story though. All the players still have day jobs, a gofundme page has been launched to help cover the costs (Neil Taylor put in £500, fair play) and, bar a soiree with Drakeford on Monday and a nerve-shredding interview on Wales at Six last night, it couldn't be much more low profile.
Hard to see Wales getting out of their group. Although playing the hosts in a packed stadium will be an incredible experience, playing Spain is usually an unpleasant one and England should be too good. They'll give it a go though, for sure.
A glamorous start for the Cardiff boys in the squad, a Megabus to Heathrow in the morning. Maybe I'll get some ticker tape to throw as it sets off, that should put them in the mood.
The ten minutes or so of 6.06 I listened to on Sunday included a call from a goal keeping coach in hockey who is/has been involved with the Welsh team - he also talked far more sense about football than you usually hear on that programme. Of course, Chris Sutton had to have a dig as he asked what has the Welsh hockey team ever done.
My lad reckons that might have been Kier, a big Arsenal fan.
I'm never sure about Sutton, talks a lot of rubbish whenever I come across him but I can't tell if it's just an act to wind people up or if he really is stupid and genuinely believes it. He'd love posting on here, he'd be right at home.
He was an Arsenal fan (it was him because I’ve just remembered his name was Kier), but rang up about Lloris’ decline. I think Sutton is on a wind up most of the time and you can’t have a go at him when he slags Wales’ World Cup off - still don’t like him though.
Bump.
Mods, please merge my "Mens Hockey" thread with this as Loramski is well ahead of the curve.
try playing them on ice
I’ve raced motorbikes & karts, played footie, egg chased & American football but the most dangerous (& painful) was playing in goals for the school hockey team. Never again ….
Dangerous game, yes. In one of my lad's first games in Holland he suddenly found himself as last defender on the line as the attacker wound up for a shot. My boy sensibly decided to run in the direction of the corner flag as fast as possible but the striker mishit his shot and nailed him in the head anyway, Uncle Buck style. Slightly ironic that it looks like he'll have to sit out this World Cup because of an injury he got on Xmas Day trying to jump over a puddle. As I said to him- sport is amazing but not always.
Played it once at school and got hit in the face with the hockey stick. Never again.
Anyway, has Mark Drakeford gone to the tournament? I'm sure he wouldn't want to miss out on any networking opportunities and potential trade deals.
He made it to the Angel Hotel to meet the players before they flew out, does that count? Oddly enough, his son used to play in goal for my eldest's team when they were kids. Probably not a close enough connection to call in any favours but I might try my luck one day.
Posting Permissions
