The Barry Horns at the back of the Canton Stand
In a Merthyr pub after the Bosnia v. Wales football game......
- It's bloody incredible!
- Yeah, it is! We lose 2-0 an the players 're celebratin!
- I know yew're an egg-chaser, but I thought even yew would get it.
- Ow d'yew mean?
- Well, Cyprus beat Israel didn 'ey? Tha's why!
- Oh, so ower players all ad money on Cyprus an are celebratin theyer winnins?
- Nah, we qualify f'r -a Euros coz nobuddy cun catch us.....first time f'r-a major tournament since 1957 World Cup when we lost t Brazil in-a Quarter Finals. The Big Q at las!
- Ow 're Israel in-a Euros anyway? Int they in-a Middle East? Tell yew wha, rugby's much easier t follow.
- Aye, yew jest wait f'r-a ref t blow is whistle an everyone gazes up at-a big screen action replay!
As Gareth Bale said , 'I've never celebrated so much after losing!'
Looking back we deserved a draw from the Bosnia game, but what's important is the future and the Finals.
Last Tuesday, the Andorra match was supposed to be one huge party.
Qualification has been a superb achievement, but when we failed to score against a team of butchers, bakers and teachers all that engineered atmosphere couldn't create the necessary excitement.
Even the fans began to chant for players not even on the pitch : Ledley and Robson- Kanu.
Once Ramsey had got the first goal everything turned to party mode and the glitter-bombs, red carpet and champagne afterwards were outdone by the players dancing, led by Ledley's beard.
We were off to France and everyone was trying to piece together bits of school French , as we'll need to explain things like we're not part of England and the name of our country is actually Cymru.
Most will give up and settle for I'd like four beers please.
We'll be in a table alongside several top teams : could be Spain and Italy, or England and Russia.
But as we proved when beating Belgium 1-0 at home, we play better against the quality teams. It suits our game of defending deep and playing on the break, using the pace of Bale and guile of Rambo.
Our defence is as good as any and , in Ashley Williams, we possess one of the best centre-backs around today.
I bet the Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross (who went to school in Wales) is regretting not opting for us, as he doesn't get a look in for England.
Critics call us 'Bales', yet ignore the qualities of both our defence and midfield, where the likes of Ledley, Allen and Ramsey are covered by King, Edwards, Jonny Williams and many others.
Our biggest weakness is up front and Vokes was a major disappointment v. Andorra. For him to be effective we probably need to play a winger like Cotterill and that's an option against weaker sides.
While rugby has become a branch of the English monarchy with Tair Pluen, Ich Dien, Wills a so-called fan and the Principality Stadium, the FAW have ensured that football has become thoroughly bi-lingual.
The front of CCFC stadium epitomised this, with large pictures on both sides : one of the players hugging after a goal for WALES and the other with Aaron Ramsey in slide- celebration for CYMRU.
No longer do we have players looking like John Redwood singing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and the fans have embraced our national anthem to the extent that it often bursts out spontaneously during games.
From north, south, east and west they come to support Cymru: a truly national game.
LIKE WATER AFTER A DROUGHT
In 1958, while Wales were doing it in Sweden
I was hurtling round in shorts and knitted socks
on Heol Nanteos, kicking a ball for the first time.
Only later did I play in boots on the Rec,
hand-me-downs from my rugby brother,
with toe caps of tin and nailed-in studs.
Playing was sheer agony and pleasure :
those studs cut into my soles, but I remember
tackling the big boys without fear even then.
We'd have running races and even fling
the egg sometimes, but my footie-love
was born on that street sure as Brazilian beaches.
Now I stand in red and flanked by daughters,
imagining myself a Rambo, Bale or Williams,
chanting with drums and horns as we beat Andorra.
I've witnessed every disappointment over years :
the hand ball, near misses and the pen ;
like water after drought, I'll drink again and again.
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