Taffy is left cold by Dragons lack of fire

THE Dragons failed to spark against England at Old Trafford - and it left one Welshman cold.

Before the England v Wales match on Saturday, much was spoken of the passion the Welsh players would generate in the high octane atmosphere of Old Trafford with The Red Dragons snapping at the heels of their illustrious foes.

It never materialised and for all intents and purposes it was something of a non-event.

Former Clarets star Leighton James was never short of a comment or two, either on or off the field, during his three spells at Turf Moor and after the defeat he added some choice words.

"Everybody was disappointed. Those who have had the privilege of playing for their country, and of course the supporters who have travelled to the north west in their thousands," said James.

"There had been so much hype before the game about bringing back the Home Internationals, but if ever there was a case against such a decision this was it."

James was a member of successful Welsh teams who beat the old enemy on three occasions - at Wembley in 1977 1-0, at Wrexham in 1980, 4-1 and again at Wrexham in 1984,1-0.

So I asked him where he thought it had gone wrong this time around.

"Personally, I thought we were very nave," said 'Taffy'.

"The Andy Melville injury didn't help of course. Having to change the team, just prior to the kick off, wasn't the best preparation for a match of such importance, but I still couldn't understand why we made four changes.

'Obviously we spent the week working on a system and a game-plan, but nobody in the football fraternity could understand why the young lad James Collins from Cardiff, didn't take Melville's place - a straight swap situation.

"I know he had a poor game against Northern Ireland a few weeks ago, but he's been with the squad all week and it would have been a great chance for the lad. "Sometimes you throw a kid in a white hot atmosphere and if it doesn't work, then okay, he'll learn from the experience, but if it does work then you've got a player for the future.

"The thing that really disappointed me was that our star players didn't perform on the day.

"People will say Ryan(Giggs) didn't do that well, but sometimes you have got to have the service for a wide man to feed off and in that respect the one thing we lack in the middle of the park is a good passer of the ball, someone who can provide good service.

"John Hartson is the best centre forward of his kind in Britain but he's not going to run defenders for balls played over the top.

"On Saturday England had two centre backs who had played only three games between them this season and I just felt that had we been bold enough to go with two up front, with Bellamy alongside Hartson, then Craig could have run the defence into the corners.

"It may not have been profitable initially, but I felt that over the 90 minutes, Campbell and Ferdinand would have suffered with the pace of the game.

"As it transpired we allowed them to have a very comfortable afternoon."

And James felt that there may have been an element of fear.

"I honestly believe that we based our tactics on the fact that England would play three strikers and so went into negative mode," he added.

"In the second half our discipline had gone and I think the whole thing went pear-shaped. To be honest, 2-0 flattered us."

During Taffy's international career, he played under three different managers.

"Mike Smith was the original school teacher made good, who was very methodical and organised whereas Mike England was far more tactically aware and he gave us the confidence and self belief," he said.

"He felt we had the capabilities to go out there and beat any opposition and he was similar in many ways to John Toshack who was very encouraging to players like myself, to go out and express their ability and play the opposition in their half of the field"

So it shows that England can be beaten but that was 20 years ago. Haven't things changed a lot since those days?

"One thing is for certain and that is we have improved no end as a nation in the last three to four years and are now a force to be reckoned with.

"But I must admit I was concerned about the manager's position.

"Don't get me wrong, I mentioned this before the game, so I'm not talking after the event, but once Mark Hughes decided to go to Blackburn Rovers he should have severed his links with the Welsh side there and then.

"There are precedents. Remember when Alex Ferguson said he would be retiring?

"United were not nearly as effective and similarly when Gordon Strachan said he was leaving, Southampton couldn't win a match. In the end, The Saints were hovering dangerously close to the foot of the table and Strachan was eased out.

"It wouldn't have happened at club level where the manager is appointed elsewhere and the chairman says to him 'Ok you've gone now but could you look after us for the next two games?

"We should have said to Mark, if you want to go to Blackburn Rovers all the very best, thanks for everything you have done, you have done a fantastic job and you go with our best wishes but we will look for a replacement immediately."

Still talking a good game is Leighton.

As you can see, never one for sitting on the fence!