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‘Miracle’ Wales are at the Euros says Sunday Times columnist

13 Jun 2021 2 minute read
Joe Morrell. Picture by Rogan200 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

It’s a “miracle” that Wales – and Scotland – are at the Euros at all, according to a controversial Sunday Times columnist.

Rod Liddle said that their inclusion was a “triumph of mind over matter”. He added that Scotland had “an awful squad” and “like Wales, it is a miracle they got through, a triumph of mind over matter,” he said.

He also took aim at the advice given to Wales before their opening 1-1 draw against Switzerland in Baku.

“Asked for one piece of advice to the Welsh team before their game yesterday against Switzerland in the famous European sporting capital of Baku, Dean Saunders said: ‘They’ve got to turn up.’ Well, it would be a start,” he said.

“Was Dean alluding to the ramshackle public transport in Azerbaijan, or the clogged roads?”

Rod Liddle was not the only Sunday Times columnist today to have a dig at Wales.

Alyson Rudd noted that she hung Welsh and Scottish flags outside her house with England’s flag out of a “sense of duty” but said that she would soon be taking them down as those nations were unlikely to get far.

“We should reflect the presence of Wales and Scotland, surely, as part of the British Isles? There was not a great deal of enthusiasm, but as one objection was that they were unlikely to progress far, I argued that we should put up their flags and take them down as they are knocked out,” she said.

‘Thrill’

However, Rod Liddle said that he wished the smaller sides who were unexpected to triumph well and that his main delight will be watching those sides who are expected to win being knocked out early.

“Schadenfreude is one of the most compelling reasons for watching the other teams compete, the pleasure of seeing a national side who really rate themselves, come a cropper,” he said.

“For most British people this usually means laughing at any misfortune that might befall the Germans, but not for me.

“My thrill will come in watching the likes of Portugal and France flouncing off after three games, their countries in uproar, Ronaldo looking thoroughly piqued and hard done by, everyone suddenly deciding that Kylian Mbappé isn’t the greatest young player on earth but just a kind of gilded Steve Guppy.”


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Eric Hall
2 years ago

You used to read similar stories like that in the Völkischer Beobacher when Josef Göbbels was running the shop. But then history is just the same thing happening to different people in different places at different times

Last edited 2 years ago by Eric Hall
j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago

These are not the views of all English people, the civilised being drowned out by boors.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago

Rod Liddle’s career must be flagging again so he says something nasty about Wales so he gets talked about in the media, old trick that.

O Rob
O Rob
2 years ago

Rod Liddle – a waste of oxygen and good food

Vaughan
Vaughan
2 years ago

It’s not a “miracle” Wales is there.
They are in the tournament because they came second in their qualifying group, a tougher one than England’s.
Riddle speaks of schadenfreude.
One of the best examples of that was posted on social media in 2016.
It was the Welsh squad spontaneously rejoicing at England’s defeat by Iceland.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Vaughan

Da iawn 😊

Ieuan Evans
Ieuan Evans
2 years ago

Its a shame his father didn’t use a condom

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

If its a miracle that Wales and Scotland have qualified, what about North Macedonia, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary etc?
Remind us Ron – who reached the semi finals last time around & who got knocked out by Iceland?

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago
Reply to  Rob

Iceland Iceland Iceland we love you! Don’t suppose Piddle does mind you.

Last edited 2 years ago by Quornby
Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

Yes the man may be liddle by name but is actually little by thought and his articles show that constantly.

paul-neath
paul-neath
2 years ago

Cymru reached the Euro semi Finals 2016. The English were Knocked out in the second round by Iceland. Why do you take any notice of these Tw-ts!!!

Gafyn
Gafyn
2 years ago

The English media does a really good job of turning the nation’s of the English speaking world against them.

Mick Tems
Mick Tems
2 years ago

Who actually pays Piddle for shovelling such stinking sewage? He used to be a cub reporter in the South Wales Echo – maybe that’s the reason he hates Wales with a vengeance.

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