Warning to Wales' young soccer stars

Jan 13 2008 by Chris Wathan, Wales On Sunday

WELSH football has always had to be content with enjoying its dreams rather than reality.

But recently Wales’ own version of fantasy football has stepped up a notch.

As the path to the World Cup in South Africa was plotted out in Frankfurt last week, fans have been eagerly selecting the side that could finally see the red shirt grace the game’s biggest stage.

And, no doubt, the likes of Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City), Joe Allen (Swansea City) and Ched Evans (Man City) are in the minds of the wistful would-be managers.

The way they – and the rest of the ever-growing list of youngsters on John Toshack’s watch-list – have performed recently, it’s of no surprise that big things are beginning to be expected of the next generation.

But for all the hope and the hype of the youthful future, are we expecting too much of a good thing?

After all, football is full of stories of “if onlys”, rather than certainties.

“We do have a habit of getting too excited too early,” says Matt Jones, himself a player Wales had grand plans for before serious injury wrecked both his and our hopes for the midfielder.

“And at the moment we have a lot of young players who we are looking to do something special. It’s a lot for young players to take.

“But in terms of Ramsey, from what I’ve seen there is no question about his ability and everyone is quite right to get excited about a prospect like that.”

It’s doubtful that Wrexham and Wales’ friendly with Norway next month is on the 17-year-old’s list of destinations quite yet, although, if the kind of performances given in his full debut the other day is repeated then calls are bound to grow sooner rather than later.

For Ramsey read Allen, making huge strides at Swansea, or Evans who impressed, as expected, when Man City loaned him to Norwich.

Then there’s Neal Eardley, already with three caps and belying his 19 years in assured displays at Oldham.

And that’s before we even mention Messrs Bale, Gunter and Nyatanga, all established stars in the unique world of Welsh football.

Still, the majority of these players are ones who are yet to cement their places at their clubs, yet are already being talked about in international terms.

But Jones, who won his first Wales cap at the age of 19 after being part of the Leeds’ FA Youth Cup-winning side three years earlier, warns: “The gap from youth football to senior football, let alone international, is just huge.

“In this day and age players shouldn’t need to be told to stay level-headed because it’s constantly rammed home to them from schoolboys to academy to reserves.

“If the attitude is OK then they’ll be fine because they have to remember the things that got them there are the things that will bring success later.

“And it’s a massive mistake if you don’t get that. I had great teachers around me in David O’Leary, George Graham before him and Eddie Gray, who was a big inspiration in my career.

“They would be on my back and I would train three times a day – but then I moved to Leicester for a huge sum of money and became what I regarded as a full-time first-team player.

“Then I had to make choices for myself – instead of training in the afternoon, Robbie Savage would come over and say ‘Let’s go for coffee’.

“You go from being on a tough fitness regime at youth to having afternoons off, days off – it wasn’t enough and things started slipping.

“My first serious injury was a cruciate ligament injury and I admit to myself that came about because I wasn’t fit enough.”

Luckily, both Ramsey and Allen have managers who seemingly recognise the importance of protecting the potential of their players.

Chris Gunter benefited from being dipped in and out of the team, as Allen at Swansea is now, while Ramsey still had to sing for his Christmas bonus with the other Academy lads in an effort to keep talented feet on the floor.

That doesn’t stop Cardiff City manager Dave Jones admitting Ramsey will be a real player for the future, singling out his strength as a position to work from as he guides his steady progress.

But should Tosh decide to take a closer look at their talents, there’s not much the club bosses can do about it.

The chance of the Under-21 side progressing – they have European Championships qualifiers over the next few months while the seniors have friendlies – should see Ramsey et al stick with age-grade internationals for now.

But when it happens, the players have another hurdle to clear when it comes to making good on their early-career promise.

“It was totally different when I first got called up,” says Jones. “I was quite privileged in comparison to now, having players like Chris Coleman, Gary Speed, Ryan Giggs, Mark Pembridge around when the side was getting some great results in exciting times.

“It was easy, or certainly easier, for youngsters to come into the side and have plenty of arms around their shoulders.

“Players coming through now have got to find a togetherness between them, bring themselves though.

“When I’ve gone down to the Welsh camp I’ve seen the likes of Gabbidon and Collins sticking in one group, then David Cotterill and Bale and other youngsters in another little pack because of the age difference.

“That’s nobody’s fault, but it makes things tough on the kids and for Tosh.

“Tosh has the man-management skills to get past that, but he’s still had to throw some of these kids in the deep end.

“It’s a lot to ask of them and I feel sorry for them in many ways.

“But they’d tell you they love it and having the time of their lives – everyone wants these kind of opportunities.

“But it must be hard to mature as players in the spotlight with that pressure.

“Take Gareth Bale; he came from nowhere, now he’s playing in the Premier League and already an established international at 18.

“We’re not expecting mistakes from him because he’s a top-flight player at a big club – yet he’s only 18.”

But given the way Tosh has rightly taken his team then there appears no other way but to have great expectations of the new breed.

And all we can do is hope it’s just not a case of too much too young.

Page two: Aaron ready for Wales, says Jones