Welsh Euro stars were ‘excellent’, says Forest ace
NOTTINGHAM Forest defender Neco Williams hailed an “excellent performance” from Wales as they beat Finland 4-1 at the Cardiff City Stadium to book a place in the Euro 2024 play-off final.
Midfielder David Brooks fired Wales into an early lead and Forest full-back Williams clipped in a wellworked free-kick before Finland pulled a goal back ahead of the break from Teemu Pukki.
Wales, though, restored their advantage at the start of the second half through Tottenham Hotspur’s former Forest winger Brennan Johnson, with Daniel James racing clear to add a fourth on the break.
James capitalised on a defensive mistake to race clear and net a late fourth as Wales go on to meet Poland for a place in Germany in Tuesday’s play-off eliminator.
“We came into this game with a game plan, and I think it worked out as good as it can go,” Williams told S4C.
“(It was) an excellent performance all round and a good stepping stone for Tuesday.
“We don’t stop here now – we have one more game to go. Hopefully we put in a good performance to go to the Euros.”
STAN Collymore says Nottingham Forest should not appeal against their points deduction.
The Reds have been docked four points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules. The sanction has plunged them into the relegation zone in the top flight, one point adrift of safety in 18th place with nine matches left to play this season.
Forest have so far not confirmed if they will appeal against the deduction. But former Reds striker Collymore
thinks they should take the hit and move on, focusing on lifting themselves out of the relegation zone and securing survival in the Premier League.
“I think they will be happy that they have just got four points as it could have been six or eight and that would have put them in real trouble with relegation,” Collymore told Caughtoffside.
“I think they should just take the punishment as they are competitive in the league and they are just one point away from safety following the deduction, while other teams around them are also in poor form.
“However, the rules now have to change to allow clubs outside of the “Big Six” to compete because those that are guaranteed Champions League every year are just creating a bigger and bigger gap.
“It will probably need to be done in the form of some sort of wage cap and only then will we get to see the best teams and a competitive Premier League throughout.
“The problem with that idea is that a wage cap would need to be applied throughout Europe as the best players would just leave England. So maybe it is time for UEFA to make a decision.
“Then maybe we can see great clubs such as Ajax winning the Champions League again.
“People are getting fed up with watching the same clubs win their domestic leagues repeatedly every season and then the same teams compete in the Champions League quarter-finals every year.
“The rules at present are keeping the big clubs on top and in my opinion, two-time champions of Europe, Nottingham Forest, should have a fair shake at winning the Premier League as much as anyone else.”