Dear WSC
I must take issue with Huw Richards’ recent comments on Cardiffians’ alleged indifference to John Charles (WSC 196). Cardiff City have always taken great pride in the fact that John Charles played for the club with such distinction at the end of his career. The only player that seems to dominate our history more is John Toshack. Meanwhile, the likes of Hughie Ferguson, Stan Richards and Brian Clarke, who played equally large roles in our (fleeting) moments of glory, rarely get a look in. I could have suggested that Mr Richards’ attachment to a certain West Walian football club might have coloured his judgement, but that would be cynical.
Richard Gowen, Cardiff
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Stories
Sunning himself beside the Caspian Sea, Dan Brennan explains the corruption and politics that briefly left Wales’ Euro 2004 opponents in international limbo
As Iraqis can testify, it is not generally good news when the ruler’s son is put in charge of a country’s football affairs. For Uday in Baghdad read Ilham in Baku. Aliyev Junior, son of the Azerbaijani president, might not be guilty of the extremes of Saddam’s boy, but is doing his best to make a bad situation worse.
No longer will ageing players be able instantly to become Premiership managers: soon you will need proper FA and UEFA qualifications, as Ryan Lovejoy reports
During his time as the Football Association’s Technical Director, Howard Wilkinson pushed through proposals which will soon bring England into line with the rest of Europe. By 2003-04, each Premiership manager must hold an FA Coaching Diploma or a UEFA Professional Licence. In 2010-11, the Pro Licence, UEFA’s most-esteemed qualification, which takes 240 hours to complete, will be a requirement.
Micky Adams has led Leicester back to the Premiership, his third promotion, and City are out of administration, too. But Adams – who has had his share of managerial knocks – believes they could be a “yo-yo side” for a while longer. He spoker to Al Needham
Leicester’s promotion is the third of your managerial career. In view of their financial problems, is it the one you’re most proud of?
They’re all the same. They all mean as much to me and the fans. But the other two promotions [Fulham in 1996-97, Brighton in 2000-01] were with sides that I’d moulded myself. Here, I inherited a side and had to motivate them after the disappointment of relegation, which was a major achievement. The hardest thing about running City this season was going into administration, in October. People we knew and respected were losing their jobs. We were trying to keep the morale going all over the club.
Ever heard of a player ageing four years overnight? Paul Virgo reports on the remarkable tale of Chievo’s Brazilian star who admitted to faking his own identity
Luciano Siqueira de Oliveira is not the man he used to be. The man he used to be was Eriberto Silva da Conceição, a classy 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder who played for Chievo of Verona in Serie A. The man he is now is also a skilful footballer, but is four years older and doesn’t fill his pants every time a police car passes by.