Toshack quits as Wales boss

Boss quits after six years at the helm

By Pete O'Rourke   Last updated: 10th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

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John Toshack has, as expected, confirmed his resignation as Wales manager after six years in the job.

Speculation about Toshack's future began following last Friday's 1-0 defeat by Montenegro in their opening Euro 2012 qualifier, and the former Real Madrid boss is understood to feel he has taken the side as far as he can.

The 61-year-old has been in talks with Football Association of Wales officials for the last few days and he has now confirmed he is to step down.

Toshack took over from Mark Hughes in November 2004, but he has been unable to lead Wales to a major tournament during his time in charge.

Favourite

Manchester United star and former Wales captain Ryan Giggs has been made early favourite to replace Toshack with Chris Coleman, Mark Bowen, John Hartson and Under 21s boss Brian Flynn also linked with the job.

Toshack has stepped down from his role with immediate effect and he has hinted he would have preferred to have stayed on for next month's crucial double-header with Bulgaria and Switzerland.

"Wales are still very much in this group, and now the decision has been made hopefully they'll be able to get some positive results in the next two games," Toshack said.

"If the results do go against us, I think I would have preferred that to happen with me still in charge.

Review

"I thought after three matches of this group we would review everything.

"Even after the disappointment of the game in Montenegro that was still the way I felt.

"But we have come to the agreement that this might be better for everyone concerned."

Comments (50)

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Craig Shipp (Cardiff City fan) says...

Toshack Quits As Wales Manager - Hoorayyy! He took them as far as he could. If Montenegro can out play Wales then he deserved to go. Let''s hope the next manager can get Wales to play a passing game rather than the long ball - The next manager inherits a very good squad of young but experienced players.

Posted 12:52 14th September 2010

Dan Walby (Chelsea fan) says...

Basically all you Welsh fans have just seen a good manager who was not scared to make bold decisions, leave. The Welsh FA would have listened to his plans and agreed the Welsh team needed a major over haul. They got that and some players are thriving. However, some people think the team should be beating team like Montenegro, you are wrong. Wales have some good players but for so long have lacked a starting 11 with actual quality to win games consistantly. Similar to England, your team has some quality players but together as a team, regardless of the manager you do not have the quality which is necessary to go forward. However, John tried to bring through some younger players and I hope the credit will be given to him if Wales qualify for the World Cup, maybe the Euros is too soon, but certainly a lot of hard work has gone revamping the side and only time will tell if it has work out. Well done for 6 years and following through with his idea. Welsh fans need to look to the future.

Posted 18:44 12th September 2010

Craig Woolford (Cardiff City fan) says...

never watched wales since toshack took over 6 years ago wont be watching them for another 6 years if flynn takes over. the welsh fa haven''t got a clue what they doing get a decent man in for a change

Posted 11:47 12th September 2010

Emmanuel k. Amoah says...

Mr. Tosh should have been patient and not to quit from coaching the team.

Posted 17:55 11th September 2010

Dave Hadley says...

I was never a fan of Tosh when he took over, i remembered his last disaster in charge & walking away. The change of the Hughes squad to his own started with a negative effect, but in the last couple of years I have to admit you can see the signs of a positive Wales future with the u21 players that have been blooded already. Albeit Tosh didn''t get Wales anywhere near qualifying for a tournament during this turn around, but I wish he held on till the end of this one & made his decision then. As far as the future goes, I would like to see Brian Flynn continue with the setup & bringing in Ryan Giggs in some capacity would be a positive move, but I can only see one man at the moment to take charge & thats Chris Coleman, who I wanted when Hughesy resigned.

Posted 10:15 11th September 2010

David Hain says...

let ''s face it it dos''nt matter if you have in charge of wale''s,you hav''nt got the player''s your not world class,european class,or even british class, you can''t make a purse out of a sow''s ear

Posted 18:54 10th September 2010

Gareth Jones says...

Tosh was the only choice 6 yrs ago, yes he did not do a very good job with the older players, but he has brought some young talent through. Over the 6 yrs though he has not done a very good job. He keeps using the excuse about bringing young talent through, i''m no maths teacher but surely after 6 yrs these players are at their prime.

Posted 16:31 10th September 2010

Andrew Rowe (Swansea City fan) says...

I can''t believe that so many people still think that Mark Hughes did a great job for wales and how poor a job Toshack has done since. If you compare their records you will see that Hughes had a win ratio of around 29% while Toshack''s is closer to 40%. Mark Hughes did nothing for the development of welsh football, and during his time the under 21''s went approx 4 years without winning! One point to remember is that John Toshack was the only person (back in 2004) who really wanted the job and was willing to put his reputation on the line, other managers looked away because they knew it was a no win situation job. The mistake I think John Toshack made was that he underestimated the size of the task and how long it would take, he said judge him after 4-5 years but realistically it should have been 7-8 years. We still have an inexperienced squad when it comes to international football and simply don''t have quality players in abundance - our squad is made up of players generally playing their football at levels below the premiership. I think as supporters we need to get a sense of realism. We nearly qualified for the 1994 world cup and 2004 euros but that was with 2 of the strongest welsh squads in our history - at the moment we don''t have anywhere near the amount of talent as then so is it realistic to expect any manager to achieve qualification? Toshacks tenure reminds me of the job Steve Hansen did for our rugby team - results were not always good but he overhauled the set up, brought us into the 21st century which then allowed the possibility for his successors to achieve good levels of performance and results. Getting rid of Toshack would be understandable if there was a strong list of candidates to replace him, but there just isn''t.

Posted 15:42 10th September 2010

Mike Duddridge (Cardiff City fan) says...

I completely agree with some of these commments John Toshack came in to the job and basically took up the good quality players from the Under 21s (who infact did ridiculously close to their respective finals) and then tried to state he developed the players at that level but without the training that Bryan Flynn instilled as a grounding they wouldnt have become the players they are. It would be nice to have a Welsh replacement but would it be realistic for the countries advancement i dont know ....

Posted 13:11 10th September 2010

Ben Morris says...

Chris Coleman would get my vote. Would work very well with the players. It was the same old Wales under Toshack, Wrong formation, wrong palyers picked(Ledley,edwards e.t.c) and never got any breaks. Who ever comes in please play bellamy on the left and Bale in the centre of midfield with Stock.

Posted 09:24 10th September 2010

Bob Pearce (Liverpool fan) says...

Thank god he''s gone, the most arrogant fool ever to get the Welsh job, he allienated most of the senior players, and the way he bad mouthed former managers was totally uncalled for, altogether a day to celebrate he has at last gone.As for his successor no way Ryan Giggs, just look at the number of games he was unavailable for, Chris Coleman with John Hartson as his assistant is a good balance and in the long term will be successful.

Posted 02:48 10th September 2010

Llrickyl Roo (Manchester United fan) says...

big neville for the job a safe pair of hands needed and theres no hands bigger!!!!

Posted 00:58 10th September 2010

Brian Donnelly says...

Goodbye Tosh. Too many senior players could not work with him and retired from international football when they still had years ahead. If anyone deserves credit for the young talent it has to be Flynn. He is the one that brought them through. Give him the job as he has worked with these players,knows how to motivate them and get the best out of them. The under 21s have a good record and are a team to be reckoned with under his management and would have had a far better record if the youngsters had not been called into the senior side due to early retirements from international football.

Posted 23:44 9th September 2010

Mike Flynn says...

I think he did the right thing , i was never a lover of Tosh from the time he walked away after 48hrs , but he gave 6 years and didnt really get any major results , so who is man enough yes we want passion , no we dont want inexperience Wales have enough talent they just need to turn up on the day , we need a passionate experienced manager ,not a quick fix name

Posted 22:29 9th September 2010

Jamie Smart (Manchester United fan) says...

Toshack needed to go,well done to him for his 6 years in charge but Wales need to win games against teams like Montenegro when we have a team with players such as Bale,Bellamy,Hennessey,Collins,Ledley and earnshaw...Come on now Wales =]

Posted 21:32 9th September 2010

Michael Morgan (Liverpool fan) says...

sad to see tosh go..i really believe given more time he would of reeped the rewardsof wot is such a talented and young squad..he has brought through sum quality players, who ever takes over is going to be very lucky indeed...martin o''neil would be an ideal replacement..he did an excellent job at villa...he has plenty of expereince with young players and getting the best out of them...giggs would not be the right choice,neither would hartson......for the future of welsh football which is probably in is most exciting period rite now...!!!!!!!

Posted 21:16 9th September 2010

Tony Marchant says...

I really feel with all of the great work that Brian Flynn has done with the Under 21`s even having Toshack take his best players off him because they`ve had to replace yet another player that either Toshack refuses to sellect(Savage,Oster,Danny Collins,Eastwood) or has retired surely because they simply can`t work under him(Davies,Koumas,Parry...ok maybe not Parry) is the only man the DESERVES the job.

Posted 20:53 9th September 2010

Adrian Ashcroft says...

People having a go at Tosh, perhaps they should compare His and Sparky''s records for Wales and I think you''ll find that Tosh has won more games. Also I think a lot of Tosh''s problems were caused by Sparky''s ex players throwing their toys out of the pram when their choice of manager did not come in,Tosh shook up the Club Wales Ethos and players didn''t like it, it seems coincedental that Sparky takes over at fulham and Simon davies retires from Int football,Tosh did agreat jobbringing young Welsh Talent through, just remember we were playing Monenegro away and we have no divine right to win

Posted 20:46 9th September 2010

John Ashfield (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

Argued with his players and forced some into early retirement, took credit for the work of the under 21 manager, undid all the good work Mark Hughes did, managed to lose the one game Wales looked a cert to win in this group, failed to do anything positive with the team in six years and then complains he feels his tenure has ended too soon? What a joke!

Posted 20:34 9th September 2010

Rhys h. (Manchester United fan) says...

Think this is the best move that welsh football could happen, i was annoyed with the start of the group stages... I think Chris Coleman with Ryan Giggs as assistant manager, hopefully with the experience of Chris Coleman will help us proceed through Euro and give Ryan Giggs the experience so one day take control of Wales and lead us to victory. xD

Posted 20:03 9th September 2010
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