EPIC WIN WILL SEE CAMERAS ROLLING
JONNY Williams says he will not be the only cameraman inside the Wales squad should they produce a stunning World Cup win against England. Swindon midfielder Williams filmed the famous video of Wales players celebrating England’s Euro 2016 exit to minnows Iceland.
The video was subsequently leaked on social media, sparking outrage among many England fans that another home nation should celebrate them being knocked out of a major tournament.
Williams said: “I was just the cameraman to be fair. I was videoing it and put it in the WhatsApp group.
“It ended up getting leaked and the manager (Chris Coleman) wasn’t too bothered so I was all right.
“A lot of things went in that group chat that trip, but the only thing was there was a lot of players in that chat that weren’t in the squad at the time.
“I think it was every Wales player that had played the last few years and I didn’t know that.
“It was the summer and people were on holiday and it got leaked.
“We never found out who leaked it, but I get blamed anyway. There is much more tighter security now.”
Wales had already booked their quarter-final spot at Euro 2016 when Williams filmed those celebrations of England losing at the round of 16 stage.
Six years on and Wales are in a far tighter spot at a major tournament, having picked up just one point from their opening two games at the World Cup in Qatar.
Wales must beat England tomorrow – something they have not achieved since 1984 – and hope Iran and the United States draw their final group game to reach the knockout stages. An unrealistic four-goal win over England would also see Wales through to the round of 16.
Despite dropping down to League Two, Williams is now at his third major tournament having featured at Euro 2016 – where Wales went on to reach the semi-finals – and Euro 2020.
Asked if he would film Wales’ victory celebrations if they got through to the knockout stages, Williams said: “I don’t think I will be the only one.
“There is extra motivation to win those games because they are rivals.
“We know what the England game means to the fans and we were so devastated when we lost to them in the Euros.
“There is no reason why we can’t win, we have strong belief in every game.
“We have to as a nation, you have to have belief in yourself otherwise there is no point going out on the pitch.”
Meanwhile, England defender Luke Shaw believes the way Wales celebrated England’s elimination from Euro 2016 will add extra motivation to their World Cup clash – but insists Gareth Southgate’s side are too respectful to follow suit.
The sides met in the group stages in France six years ago as Daniel Sturridge scored an injury-time winner for England, who were then embarrassingly dumped out by Iceland.
But the video footage of the Wales players celebrating could add spice to tomorrow’s meeting.
“I think you could say that,” Shaw said when asked if the Wales reaction would provide extra motivation.
“But our motivation in itself has to be at its highest level.
“We are at the World Cup. We have great aims for what we want to achieve.
“We have to have the maximum motivation at every game. I don’t think there’s any more motivation than what we have already.
“We have to have 100 per cent motivation in every training session and every game that we have.”
Shaw, 27, has started both of England’s games in Qatar and scored in the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy last summer.
But the Manchester United leftback missed Euro 2016 while recovering from a broken leg – although he was still aware of the Wales video doing the rounds.
“Of course, it wasn’t nice,” he said. “I don’t want to dwell too much on to that. I want to focus on what we do on the pitch.
“We can say things in interviews and I’d rather do our talking on the pitch, rather than off it.”
Pressed on the matter, Shaw suggested the Wales reaction had been disrespectful when asked if England would celebrate in the same manner, adding: “I think we are a respectful group.
“We do things in the right way. That’s the example Gareth wants to set. We are fully behind that. We are fully respectful.
“I think their motivation is going to be extremely high. They are going to give everything to win.
“It’s not an easy game. But we need to focus on what we do. The talent we have, the depth we have, we need to focus on ourselves.
“If we prepare properly, we should win the game.”