FAW willing to extend Toshack contract

Last updated : 13 October 2008 By Wales Reporter

John Toshack enters the final year of his contract this week with his future very much in his own hands and the knowledge that if he wants a new contract, he can have one.

The Wales boss faces his 39th match in command and the daunting task of trying to engineer a World Cup qualifying win over Germany in Moenchengladbach on Wednesday.

But whatever the result, sources close to the Football Association of Wales hierarchy insist if Toshack wants to extend his current five-year deal, there would be little, if any, opposition.

Toshack's contract effectively ends - unless Wales qualify for South Africa 2010 - after these current Group Four qualifiers, the last of which is on October 14, 2009 in Liechtenstein.

An FAW source said: "There is no appetite for a change of management. If Tosh were to ask for another two years to take us up to the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine, he would almost certainly get it."

The key to Toshack's future, though, is whether he would want to continue as manager a year from now.

Toshack, 60 in March, will be allowed to decide, without any pressure from the FAW, whether he wants to keep going as manager.

A prominent FAW councillor said at the weekend: "Everybody is impressed with the way John has gone about the job.

"It has been very difficult for him at times, certainly at the beginning. But he has brought through, with considerable help from (Under-21 boss) Brian Flynn, a long list of very good youngsters, and he has overhauled the whole playing structure.

"There is a belief that there is a very strong side in the making, such has been the amount of young talent that has been pushed into the senior squad.

"In four or five years' time, we could have our best squad in decades, and it has all been because of Tosh's determination to bring on the youngsters."

Toshack has constantly said "someone else will benefit from what I have been doing".

But there is now a feeling that if the Wales youngsters continue to progress, Toshack may decide to have one last crack at top-level management with them.

Crucially, Toshack's situation will probably be boosted when one of his top supporters - former policeman Phil Pritchard - as expected, takes over as FAW president next year.

Toshack has always had the backing of current president Peter Rees, whose tenure ends after three years next summer. Pritchard, his likely replacement, was a key supporter of Toshack when the manager was appointed four years ago.

Amazingly, in an era that sees international managers constantly under immense pressure, Toshack can virtually choose his own time to go.

He could happily retire to his homes in the Basque country and Majorca whenever he chooses, and the FAW source continued: "There have been no talks yet, but if he wants to carry on as manager after his current contract ends, there would be very little problem."

Obvious candidates to take over are not plentiful. Favourite would be current coach Dean Saunders, and it is not felt his move into management at non-league Wrexham would hinder his progress, such has been the impression he has made on the squad since joining Toshack's team.

Other candidates would be the likes of Stoke boss Tony Pulis, Coventry's Chris Coleman, Kit Symons, Geraint Williams, Ian Rush, Gary Speed and even Ryan Giggs, who will have his coaching badges by then.

Toshack's own mind could be made up over the next three qualifiers, starting on Wednesday in Moenchengladbach.

The next two World Cup matches after that come in a five-day spell in Cardiff next March against Finland and Germany.

Toshack said: "We must have 12 points by the end of March if we are to have any chance of going to South Africa."

Last weekend's 2-0 win over Liechtenstein keeps Wales in the hunt, but Toshack no doubt feels he needs a win against one of the group's top sides - either against Germany or Russia - to turn dreams into reality.

He has won 16 of 38 games, which compares favourably with his predecessors in the job in the modern era.

Mark Hughes won 12 of 40 games, Bobby Gould had seven wins in 24, Terry Yorath 16 wins in 41 and Mike England 22 in 56.

But what Toshack lacks, and it is something that clearly frustrates him, is an impressive 'trophy' win over one of the world's true giants.

Hughes managed wins over Italy and Germany, Yorath had triumphs over Brazil, Germany and Italy while England saw wins over England, France and Spain. Gould's best was a win over an impressive Denmark in Copenhagen.

Toshack's highlights have been wins over Norway, Slovakia and Bulgaria. So a success over Germany could give him the encouragement to carry on past his current contract.

Trending on the boards