Wales Bid To Reach Euro 2016

Fire-Breathing Dragons!

Andy Greeves talks to Cliff Jones, the 'original Welsh Wizard', about a big year ahead for Wales' national team.

Despite boasting some of the finest individual talent British football has ever seen, such as Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes, Neville Southall and Ian Rush, it has been since 1958 that Wales last qualified for a major tournament.

Back then, the likes of John Charles, Ivor Allchurch, Terry Medwin and a certain 23-year-old winger by the name of Cliff Jones shone at the FIFA World Cup in Sweden. There has been precious little for the nation to get excited about football-wise since though - until now.

After four matches in their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying group, Wales stand second in the table, just a point behind leaders Israel. If they are in the same position in six group matches' time, they will definitely be playing in their first European Championships in France in 2016. Even a third-placed finish could see them go through automatically or alternatively, they would be entered into a two-legged play-off.

"It's fantastic to see Wales up there in the qualification group," says Cliff Jones, a passionate Welshman who played 59 times for his country between 1954 and 1969, scoring 16 goals. "After so many years of waiting, this (Euro 2016) might finally be the first major tournament we qualify for since the 1958 World Cup. For that Chris Coleman deserves all the plaudits because he has done a great job and is getting the best out of his squad of talented players."

It should be pointed out that Wales did make it to the quarter-finals of the European Championships in 1976, but that was still considered the qualifying stage of the competition. Only the semi-finals, final and third-place match were staged under the umbrella of the final tournament back then, which was held in the former Yugoslavia.

Commenting that "it's only the next match in football that is important," Jones is confident that the Welsh class of 2015 can rise above the failings of the past and make history by booking their place in UEFA Euro 2016.

"The ambition now has to be to win our remaining three home games and not lose the away games," he says. "That kind of points return would see us qualify surely and I really think we can do it. There seems to be a real spirit in the squad and what I have loved seeing in the qualification campaign so far is every one of our lads singing the Welsh national anthem. There have been Wales teams in the past and they haven't always sung the anthem and I think singing it shows just how much that red shirt means."

While qualification will require a huge team effort, there is no doubt expectancy surrounding Wales weighs down heaviest on the shoulders of Gareth Bale. Jones got to know the Real Madrid man well when he played for former club Tottenham Hotspur, when comparisons between him and Bale began to be made.

"It's an honour to be compared to Gareth Bale, who is a magnificent player of course," smiles Jones, who played 378 matches for Spurs between 1958 and 1968 scoring 159 goals. "When Gareth was at Tottenham (where Jones works in White Hart Lane's corporate lounges these days), I'd speak to him regularly after matches and it struck me just how down to earth he is. He's always got time for people and he's always keen to learn, even now at the level of the game he has got to. I did use to joke with him and say, 'Gareth, I'm the original 'Welsh wizard, alright?!'"

Bale's 55 goals in 203 matches for Spurs between 2007 and 2013 made him a legend at the North London club prior to his departure to Madrid. Should he lead his country to UEFA Euro 2016, there will be many ready to crown him with the title of Wales' greatest ever player. Jones though is quick to remove some of that pressure on Bale and lavish praise elsewhere in the Welsh squad.

"This isn't just the Gareth Bale show, though he is a remarkable talent," he responds. "Ashley Williams has been incredible at the back in this campaign and the goals of Aaron Ramsey could prove very important going forward. But the real strength of this Wales side is they play together as a team. The lads were absolutely marvellous in Belgium, grinding out a 0-0 draw. If we can show the same organisation and spirit in Israel, I'm sure we can get a minimum of a draw."

Jones played and scored in a 4-0 aggregate win for Wales over Israel back in 1958 in a play-off match that secured his country qualification for the FIFA World Cup. If the current side can manage to get a result in Haifa when they meet group leaders Israel in their next qualifying match (March 28), Chris Coleman's team will be a step closer to UEFA Euro 2016.

"I do remember our meetings with Israel fondly to qualifying for the World Cup back in 1958," remarks Jones. "We won in Israel and then finished the job back in Cardiff. I don't think we were ever in danger of not getting through that tie. I can remember (then-manager) Jimmy Murphy setting us up not to concede a goal in Israel and that will be the first focus for Wales when they go out there in March."

© Andy Greeves & Soccerphile.com