Divided We Fall

San Marino 1 Wales 2

I can’t remember winning ever being this embarrassing.

I enjoyed most of what I saw during the first half and I didn’t want to hear the referees whistle signalling half time. Okay our goals were sloppy but we looked extremely comfortable and there seemed a hunger for more. I don’t know what was said during the interval but we looked a different team second half. It’s fair to say we didn’t at any point settle and for whatever reason we slipped into the exact mentality we had shown in Cyprus. To be blunt, San Marino dominated us for most of the second half. They worked hard, pressed us at every opportunity and were deservedly rewarded for their efforts when Andy Selva scored the sort of free kick we’d expect from Gareth Bale. The embarrassment peaked after San Marino had a man sent off but they still looked the more like scoring. I’m sorry to admit that I was willing the final whistle, showing the contrast between each half of the match. When it came I noticed only Earnshaw went over to clap the Welsh supporters. The reason for this was about to become clear. Just as we thought it couldn’t get any worse the post match interviews took place and Bellamy tells the world of the ‘vicious’ criticism from the travelling Welsh fans. Minutes later John Toshack doesn’t fair much better, “I told you not to ask me about that” he warns the intrepid BBC journalist when he asks whether his recent ‘pampered players’ rant had an effect on the squad. With this the interview breaks down and Toshack exits stage left. Read into this what you like but it’s clear that something is not right.

So in a matter of days we’ve gone from third place hopefuls to sixth place candidates. Looking at the group as things stand you realise the opportunity we’ve thrown away. It seems every time we got a foothold in this group we’ve been knocked back down to earth with a bump. The results against Cyprus and San Marino made us fully aware of the continuing shortcomings of both manager and team. Although I wish the problems ended there. The fans hate Toshack, Toshack hates the players and the players hates the fans, forming a Welsh football hate triangle. Alright, I’m exaggerating a bit here but it kind of sums up the sudden and frankly worrying break down in relations coming so soon after our best away result in years against Slovakia. Bellamy’s poorly timed televised criticism of the fans has needlessly opened a conflict on another front. I appreciate his frustration, especially if there was booing during the first half, but why choose to blame the fans for the poor performance? The best possible reaction from Bellamy would have been to thank those fans for parting with their hard earned cash and apologising on behalf on the team for not turning in a better display. The travelling away fans are the one thing Wales can count on and their opinions need to be respected. I know some of these supporters were going abroad with Wales years before half our squad were born. Apparently there were people who went out to Cyprus, came back to Wales to work a shift or two then travelled out to San Marino spending towards a thousand pounds in total. I’m not going to start on a big ‘pampered players’ rant but I doubt any of our current squad could comprehend the financial sacrifices these fans make. Despite all this I doubt our fans will turn on Bellamy, his spirit and commitment to Wales is second to none. You may hear the odd jeer when his name is announced at the Millennium Stadium next month but I think it’ll be forgotten overall. Mark Hughes observed this week that the fans wouldn’t have reacted this way had Toshack held back with the ‘pampered players’ comments. I think he had a fair point, the Welsh fans rarely ever boo the team. It takes a lot to make us react in such a way, the 5-1 loss to Slovakia for example. We’ve endured a lot disappointment over the years and taken a lot without turning nasty. And let’s put it into perspective, a light hearted “We’re shit and we know we are” is not in the same league as the vitriolic abuse displayed by the English travelling fans in Andorra last year. Ask Steve McClaren and he’ll tell you what “vicious” is. Also you need bare in mind such chants were coming in between the supporters singing ‘Y Brawd Houdini’ and at one point a stirring rendition of our national anthem.

Despite all this we're still on for Frankfurt next month. Been looking up the city of the internet. I read somewhere that it's "The Manhattan of Europe". Very promising indeed!