Rush’s relief that country is on the map
IAN RUSH believes that reaching their first World
Cup finals since 1958 has at last placed Wales on the international map.
It means the legendary
Welsh striker won’t any longer have the embarrassment of explaining that his country isn’t part of England.
That will definitely be cleared up when England and Wales meet in Qatar in a Group B qualifying game on November 29.
Rush (right), who was in Cardiff last Sunday to witness the end of 64 years of World Cup hurt, also praised the work of former Wales manager Gary Speed and Crystal Palace’s No.2 Osian Roberts, in his previous roles as the Dragons’ technical director and assistant manager.
Rush said: “I have travelled to the Middle East over the past 10 years and I have often been asked if Wales is in England.
“No-one is disrespectful but emphasising to the world that Wales is a country in its own right is one reason why getting to the World Cup finals is so important.”
When Speed (below) took charge of Wales 12 years ago they had a FIFA ranking of 117.
Rush added: “The credit for change goes to many people including Osian Roberts, Gus Williams, who is the talent manager, and the late Gary Speed, who took us up a level.”
Roberts, whose coaching and organisational skills have been recognised by Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira, helped kick-start the Welsh revolution.
It meant introducing a winning mentality through all the age groups.
Roberts said: “We made sure the golden generation was backed up by a generation of winners, which saw us winning the Victory Shield with the Under-16s. It means you already have a winning mindset at international level.
“It’s why young players with dual nationality chose Wales over England, having experienced both set-ups.”