Welsh woes and a Paul Bodin moment for the modern age
As the reverberations of Wales’s Euro 2024 playoff final defeat by Poland echo through the air, questions will arise, each more uncomfortable than the last, for Rob Page to ponder, as he reflects on having hopes of qualification dashed. Can they realistically stride forward into this post-Gareth Bale era, or are they doomed to dwell in the shadow of the golf legend’s glory days? Yet, in the immediate aftermath, introspection takes a backseat to the collective Welsh groans and fingerpointing.
Following the penalty shootout, in which Dan James saw his spot-kick decisively saved by Wojciech Szczesny, a wave of sorrow engulfed Cardiff. For some, James will be the erroneous scapegoat. Similarly, 31 years ago, when Wales suffered heartbreak against Romania, which denied them a spot at USA! USA!! USA!!! 94, Paul Bodin had the spotlight shone on him for all the wrong reasons. The left-back struck the crossbar from the spot with the scores at 1-1 during a must-win game that Wales went on to lose. At the time, Bodin received plenty of support from his colleagues and many among the Welsh faithful. But that still didn’t prevent the abuse from fans – and a member of the Manics.
Amid the despair of Tuesday night, a glimmer of pride shimmered from Page. “Look how far we have come,” he rallied. “There is something good happening with this group. They are hungry for it. There is a lot more to come. This team is going somewhere.” But it won’t be Germany this summer. And let’s not sugarcoat it: Wales failed to seize the moment during the 90 minutes … and for much of the qualifying campaign. That wasn’t down to James. They were shadows of themselves, suffocated by the weight of the occasion. Familiar attacking woes resurfaced, a recurring nightmare in the chronicles of their footballing history. A team deprived of the craft to penetrate defences, their chances came few and far between, relying predominantly on set-pieces and hopeful crosses hoiked towards Kieffer Moore.
Within moments of kick-off, the writing was on the Red Wall. Extra time was inevitable and loomed ominously. And as the clock ticked on, the inevitability of penalties hung heavy in the air. In the pressure cooker of the shootout, heroes are made and hearts are broken. For Wales, the agony was palpable, epitomised by James’s effort. And in the unforgiving spotlight, Poland emerged as clinical executioners, guided by the indomitable Robert Lewandowski. For Wales, the penalty heartache persisted – a reminder of football’s erratic nature. There will be a time for questions, but first, hopefully an absence of unwarranted abuse. Surely it is the least that can be learned three decades on.
Join Sarah Rendell from 8pm GMT for Women’s Big Cup updates on Chelsea 3-0 Ajax (agg: 6-0) in the second leg of their quarter-final.
“Hello Europe, We Are Georgia!”
– after qualifying for their first ever major tournament, the Georgia Football Federation TwiXer account reminds the continent who the new kids on the Euro 2024 block are. There were heady scenes in Tbilisi after Nika Kvekveskiri scored the winning penalty in a dramatic shootout with Greece. Oof.
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