TOSH IN TROUBLE SAYS ALLEN
With the Premier League quartet out of Wales’ squad to play Scotland in Saturday’s friendly, Wales football fans and the media must be wondering if these will be the next set of players to disappear under manager John Toshack. One man who doesn’t hold back on his criticism of Toshack and the Wales team, is ex-Premiership footballer Malcolm Allen, who believes that the reason Wales is suffering and the retirement of so many established players is because of Toshack’ uncompromising attitude, huge ego and dictatorial power in the changing room.
Allen reveals all in his new Welsh language autobiography Malcolm Allen - Hunangofiant (Malcolm Allen - Autobiography), which will be launched at Caernarfon Football Club on Friday 20 November at 7.30pm.
The ex-striker does not hold back as he makes his true feelings clear about the current Wales set up. While he never fulfilled his full potential as a footballer before retiring at 28 years old, he is shocked by the apathy of today’s players chosen to wear the red shirt and believes no one has any desire to play under the current manager, John Toshack. As well as revealing the highs and lows of his career, Allen also tells of his heartache of retiring early due to injury, his battles with the booze, drink driving and gambling, finally returning to Wales and the trials and tribulations of the football pundit’s world!
In his book, Allen states the young players have no one to look up to on the football field – there is a lack of talented and experienced heroes to lift the team and make them play better. According to Allen, the only one in the Wales squad who has any kind of presence is John Toshack but his major fault is that he keeps all the responsibility for himself rather than delegating some of it to the youngsters.
Allen appreciates John Toshack’s hard work bringing through the glut of teenagers to senior level, putting Brian Flynn in charge of developing the youngsters at Under 21 level and establishing a system that will there for them for years to come. However he questions Toshack’s ability to bring any success to the Wales team and believes that the Welsh team suffers because Toshack has the kind of dictatorial power to decide everything himself when he wants. The author is adamant the Welsh fire needs relighting but is convinced this won’t happen under the current management and that Toshack has lost his desire and way over the years.
Born and raised in Deiniolen, Gwynedd, Malcolm’s early obsession with the round ball in North Wales led to a move south as a sixteen year old as an apprentice at Watford under Graham Taylor. He then moved to Norwich City before being sold to Millwall where he stayed for three years before joining the big boys up in Newcastle. Allen enjoyed a successful career with Wales winning 14 caps and scoring 3 goals.
Priced at £9.95 and with tributes by well-known football personalities including Kevin Keegan, this autobiography follows Malcolm, from his early days at Watford to his successful goal scoring days at Millwall and his pride of wearing the red shirt of Wales. He also recounts the time he was part of the dramatic Wales vs Romania World Cup qualifier in the Arms Park in 1993 and its traumatic impact on Welsh football.
Malcolm Allen said, “I’ve been thinking about writing my autobiography for the past five years but it’s never been the right time...until now. It hasn’t been easy to write - there’s been some difficult periods in my life and some chapters took a bit of work. It’s not consistent in any terms, but that’s what my life is like. My parents have been a constant rock of support for me and helped me along the way. I think it will be an interesting read for readers!
“What I wanted to do most of all was convey my emotions and feelings. I hope this book will make people see me in a different light and inspire people not to follow some paths, which I know all about, but to pursue other paths and follow their dreams.”
posted: Wednesday, 11th November 2009, 22:25 UK.
