THE WIZARD OF OS?
He’s no big name like Giggs or Pulis, but Osian Roberts might just be the perfect man to lead Wales football –
WHEN the FA of Wales hierarchy sit down to discuss who should be their next manager, it may well come down to a straight choice of Ryan Giggs or Tony Pulis. Probably in that order, too. The glamour candidate, a former captain of Wales and icon of our game being touted for the post by numerous ex-players, versus the battle-hardened manager who brings Premier League experience to the table.
Each have their strengths, each have their flaws. Each have influential support right at the top of the FAW.
Craig Bellamy, like Giggs a Welsh great, will also be in the mix. So too France legend Thierry Henry, who took his coaching badges here, if he expresses any interest.
Other less likely contenders, whose names are not yet in the public domain, have also thrown their hats into the fray.
One who did make his interest known over the weekend is Osian Roberts, Chris Coleman’s number two, having previously held down that role under Gary Speed as well.
His may not be a name that is widely known to the Welsh public at large, but in Welsh football circles nobody, but nobody, under-estimates Roberts’ expertise, importance and influence upon the cause.
As technical director of the FAW Trust, he is the mastermind behind the hugely successful Welsh youth system which has seen teen wonders like Ben Woodburn and Ethan Ampadu commit to the Dragons over England.
Roberts probably won’t thank me for saying this, but some also regard him as the real power behind Wales’ Euro 2016 throne. The behind the scenes tactical genius whose innovative thinking, indepth analysis of the opposition and backing for a hi-tech sports science approach has enabled Gareth Bale and his team-mates to really flourish. That is to take nothing away from Chris Coleman, whose man-management skills and public persona as our figurehead dovetailed beautifully with Roberts’ more undemonstrative work. However, there is a strong argument for saying it is even more important to keep Roberts in the Welsh set-up, because of everything he offers, than it was Sunderlandbound Coleman. If so, and given he has openly expressed interest in stepping up to become t he main man, those FAW powerbrokers leading the search for Coleman’s successor should strongly consider Roberts for the post as well as the more highprofile candidates.
Okay, his only senior management experience, as such, was an eight year spell in charge of Welsh Premier League club Porthmadog.
But Roberts’ view of ‘I couldn’t be more experienced on the international stage without actually doing the job itself’ is surely one that needs to be respected.
“I don’t have any doubts that I could make be a success of the role. I know the steps that need to be taken if Wales are to reach Euro 2020.”
I love that confidence, so too should the FAW hierarchy.
Spend any time in Roberts’ company and you can’t help but be impressed - bowled over, even - by his insight and informed thinking on the game. He is a real student of it and couples that with an incredible passion for Wales to succeed at every level on the international stage.
My guess is Roberts would interview better than any other candidate. In fact, he’ll probably talk so much about his love of Welsh football that the interviewing panel won’t be able to get a word in themselves!
The dressing room would love him too, although this could be viewed as a negative, rather than a positive by the FAW.
They know that while Ashley Williams and his gifted teammates wowed in the Euros, they also under-achieved in World Cup qualifying.
As such, rightly or wrongly, it may be deemed significant change is required to rid the dressing room of any complacency which may have undemonstratively crept in. Whoever lands the job, big calls are going to have to be made in any case on some Coleman stalwarts who will soon need to be eased out of the starting XI. But it’s about far more than a few senior players and their wishes for the status quo to be altered as little as possible. Of even greater importance is the fact that gifted young guns like Woodburn, Ampadu and David Brooks – there are lots more coming through too – owe their international emergence to Roberts and have the utmost respect for their Wales football guru. They are the future. Next to Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen and Ben Davies, they also need to be the present as the new manager plots a path to Euro 2020. Has Roberts suddenly emerged from nowhere as the best candidate? Not necessarily so. Giggs might actually wow as Wales manager, we just don’t know. If he does, that is the dream scenario for the FAW hierarchy. Right man, right time. That sort of thing.
Pulis could perhaps get the onenils that Wales need, although his style of play certainly wouldn’t be easy on the eye.
Bellamy has undoubted passion and charisma and like Giggs tactical insight at the highest level. However, like Giggs he is inexperienced, although that has never stopped the FAW before. Speed, Hughes, Mike England, Terry Yorath to a degree.
Each of those three current candidates have their merits. Strong ones, too.
Roberts isn’t cut from the same Premier League cloth, but sometimes it isn’t just about the ‘name’.
Joachim Low was largely unheralded as he worked his way through the German system before taking over from Jurgen Klinsmann. Michael O’Neill was in charge of Brechin City and Shamrock Rovers, before becoming so successful as manager of Northern ireland.
Andy Roxburgh led Scotland at under 16, 18 and 21 level before being promoted into a seven year stint as manager of the senior side.
There were probably raised eyebrows at the time in Munich, Belfast and Glasgow over those three appointments, just as there would be with Roberts and Wales.
There is a world of difference between working quietly and efficiently as a No 2 behind the scenes, to suddenly becoming the main man where the spotlight is upon you and your every decision is pored over and scrutinised.
When you are manager of Wales, you have a responsibility to three million people here – and ex-pats throughout the globe.
For the most part, Coleman handled that brilliantly.
We can’t say for certain how the new man, whoever it may be, will fare. Giggs, Pulis and Bellamy are certainly more accustomed to dealing with the pressures that come with that public glare. Not