Welsh Football (domestic) thread

[Patrick Thistle]

And today's wild rumour / flight of fancy / so bizarre it might be true story is that Chris Coleman might be the next TNS manager. It's not just a Facebook fever dream either. Clwb Peldroed have got it as a news story.

[Patrick Thistle]

The first website to break this story was Dai-Sport, which I'd not heard of before. That website also links Sam Ricketts, recently departed Shrewsbury boss, with the role.

[Ray de Galles]

I still had Coleman down as a potential caretaker Welsh manager for the Euros.

[Patrick Thistle]

I really can't see him working for TNS but it wouldn't be incompatible with a summer job for Wales as well.

He has been out of work for 11 months. Whether there would be a way back into English football if he takes the TNS job would be a consideration, I feel.

[Southport Zeb]

I really can't see him working for TNS but it wouldn't be incompatible with a summer job for Wales as well.

He has been out of work for 11 months. Whether there would be a way back into English football if he takes the TNS job would be a consideration, I feel.

TNS are normally playing European qualifiers in early July (and preparing for them in June), so I can't imagine they'd want their manager to be elsewhere at that time

[Patrick Thistle]

TNS are normally playing European qualifiers in early July (and preparing for them in June), so I can't imagine they'd want their manager to be elsewhere at that time

Well that's true. Haven't checked the UEFA schedules though.

[Southport Zeb]

The Welsh representatives in the Champions League will enter on the 6th or 7th July (European Championship semi finals are the same dates). The other three Welsh sides start their Europa Conference League campaigns on July 8th.

[Patrick Thistle]

Yes I could see the clash then if he's managing Wales in the semifinals as well

[slackster]

Keeping an eye on Haverfordwest County, my new local Cymru Premier side. Just found out their chairman is an Orient fan too: what are the chances of that, eh? Will have to introduce myself when I can get over there post-lockdown.

2 games to go, but they look like they’ll be 7/12 when the season split starts, so be top of the relegation group. But still a chance to nab 6th and be in the top group.

[Kowalski]

Keeping an eye on Haverfordwest County, my new local Cymru Premier side. Just found out their chairman is an Orient fan too: what are the chances of that, eh? Will have to introduce myself when I can get over there post-lockdown.

2 games to go, but they look like they’ll be 7/12 when the season split starts, so be top of the relegation group. But still a chance to nab 6th and be in the top group.

They've usually been relegated by now, so they're having a really good season.

Even If they end up in the bottom half pre-split they still might have a chance of Europe because the bottom half's top side can enter the European play offs.

[Patrick Thistle]

Yes, 7th at the end of the season ain't a bad place to be. County have been doped a bit recently which is why they are competitive all of a sudden.

[slackster]

What’s the extent of the doping/subsidies at Haverfordwest: tens of thousands pa, hundreds, or even sillier?

And are we talking the dreaded loans, charges against assets, or simply money being spunked up the wall with no expectations of seeing it again?

[Patrick Thistle]

I dont know the details, it's just gripes from other clubs I've seen.

Some recent info here https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/s...rdwest-county/

I mean, don't not go along and support them. When Barry visit and away fans can travel again I'll be in touch.

[slackster]

Ok. I’d struggle to get behind something with Tamplin type nonsense going on, but most club’s have benefactor(s) of some sort. It’s just a matter of degree, competence and the likelihood of over-reach leading to calamity...

[Patrick Thistle]

No I don't think it's Tamplin style. Or even Mike Harris style. Suggest you go along and do some digging. It would be good to have a western correspondent on here. I'm admittedly more south central. The others are mainly north Walians.

[Kowalski]

I'd didn't see that article last year, perhaps there are some slight concerns with the licensing process as it's that time of year, perhaps as PT say it's a touch of jealousy.

The last time Haverfordwest were in the WPL I went to watch them play Rhyl (It was on the way home and a 5:15 kick off). We found ourselves near Haverfordwest's chairman and whilst we chatted he told us that he wouldn't be sorry to get relegated due to the travel costs and the lack of support from the FAW. It can't be easy being hours away from your closest opponents.

[Patrick Thistle]

Cross posting with the Rona thread

https://twitter.com/YClwbPelDroed/status/1377235576584347648?s=19

[Patrick Thistle]

So the peldroed Cymraeg twitter threads are erupting about the English system clubs being allowed to play games in the play offs as "test events" while Cymru Premier games are still.off limits.

Alun Cairns who is an old stripe Tory bastard MP has written to Mark Drakeford saying it's ridiculous that games with fans can go ahead in Newport and Wrexham but not in Barry. This has left me in the horrible dirty position of agreeing with a Tory who I know is only doing this to shit stir against the Welsh Government.

But if there is a chance that Barry are playing a Europa play off game and fans were allowed in then I would be desperate to go.

[Ray de Galles]

The justification/workaround for the games at Newport and Swansea is that they are official test events, no?

[Patrick Thistle]

Yes, but at this rate you could watch a Europa play off game on the TV in the Barry Town clubhouse but not sit in the stand.

There hasn't been any reason given why they have chosen certain games to be test events and ignored others.

[Ray de Galles]

Big games with high demand in larger stadia would appear to be the most sensible candidates to host test events.

It also potentially aids two of the country's largest sports club progress up the league.

If they really have to be selective (just as England has while Scotland is yet to even get that far) then they seem sensible choices.

[Patrick Thistle]

I don't really get "test events" tbh. (Maybe that's one for the Covid thread, but what are they testing - whether there's an infection surge? Feels a bit cavalier but I choose to hope they know what they're doing.)

Yes, those are two of the bigger sports clubs in the country. I don't think supporters of Welsh football clubs (as opposed to clubs that play in Wales) see it like that though. They see the English system clubs getting some kind of favourable treatment / dispensation.

(Some of the people questioning the decision are quite happy to sing about the various English system clubs being "national traitors". So there's an edge to this as well.)

[Patrick Thistle]

[Patrick Thistle]

[Patrick Thistle]

Re the European play offs I'm pretty sure Barry are guaranteed being in the play offs because the top 3 in the Championship division automatically get a CL/EL qualifying spot. The remaining 3 clubs in the Championship division and the top club in the relegation division (not the official term!) go into the playoffs.

(Because there's no Welsh Cup this season the place normally given to the winners is defaulting to third in the league)