Post by Taxigirl on Mar 15, 2005 9:05:42 GMT
skysports.planetfootball.com
by Alex Livie
Robbie Savage says Wales are a 'shambles' under new manager John Toshack.
The Blackburn midfielder opted to call time on his career on Monday after being informed by Toshack that he would not figure in the upcoming World Cup qualifier with Austria.
Savage has told Sky Sports News that he is 'devastated' to be bowing out of the international scene and states there is no chance of him reconsidering while Toshack is at the helm.
"He called me today," Savage told Sky Sports News. "Even if he didn't call me by my name.
"He just said 'it's John Toshack', I am calling to inform you that you will not be a part of my next two squads and so I said fine, I was thinking of retiring anyway and slammed the phone down.
"From what I have seen in the last squad, I was thinking of retiring because I could not believe how in such a short space of time, the Wales setup could go from such professionalism under Mark Hughes to what is a bit of a shambles under Mr Toshack," he added.
"I would say how professional it was under Mark Hughes and to going to the new methods of the new manager was totally different and very hard to take."
Savage claims the international setup has suffered as a consequence of Mark Hughes, his Blackburn manager, relinquishing the reins.
"I just can't believe the transformation after one game. Mark Hughes dotted every I and crossed every T and I am not saying that because he is my club manager, the transformation is unbelievable.
"Training methods, standards, curfews, loads of things are different and to treat Premier League players like that is unbelievable."
Savage admits he is still in a state of shock at having called time on his international career at the age of 30, but claims he was left with no other option but to turn his back on his country.
"I can't believe it at the moment. I will miss everything about playing for Wales," he added. "There are a lot of things I won't miss, but it has happened and I am gutted because it is not for footballing reasons.
"I am a Premier League player and when I am fit I feel I can have an influence on the team.
"I believe that at this stage of my career, after being transferred to Blackburn for £3 million and playing in the top flight, that if I can't get in his 24-man squad for a competitive game against Austria, then let's be fair, I am never going to get in.
"As for not being able to get into his 24-man squad, I will accept if I am not good enough for his first XI and I am just going to be a squad player, but I think I am good enough to get in the best 24 players in Wales.
"He feels I am not good enough, so I thought it was the right time to call it a day.
"I am desperately disappointed, there is nothing better than playing for Wales, my country, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
"I have 39 caps and will look back on my Wales career as a success and I feel privileged to have played alongside some of the greatest players Wales have ever had in Ryan Giggs, John Hartson and Craig Bellamy."
Savage admits he is paying the price for not seeing eye-to-eye with Toshack.
"That is probably the case," he added. "It has gone beyond footballing matters and is personal.
"I think for him to call me from 200 miles away and say I will not be involved, I felt it would be nice for him to come and see me eye-to-eye. It might have been the first time he had done that, but it would have been nice.
"I was looking forward to the game at 9 o'clock this morning, it was on my mind the problems after the first squad, but I wanted to play for my country and I said I will bite the bullet and give everything I have got, but for him to say I can't get in his 24-man squad was the end."
Savage says he has no intention of changing his mind, as he added: "My decision is made, I knew from day one that when he came to Birmingham City to see me, he spent 20 minutes talking about himself.
"It is all about him and I can't accept that. It is a squad game, but I can't even get in the squad and I can't accept I am not one of the best 24 players in Wales."
by Alex Livie
Robbie Savage says Wales are a 'shambles' under new manager John Toshack.
The Blackburn midfielder opted to call time on his career on Monday after being informed by Toshack that he would not figure in the upcoming World Cup qualifier with Austria.
Savage has told Sky Sports News that he is 'devastated' to be bowing out of the international scene and states there is no chance of him reconsidering while Toshack is at the helm.
"He called me today," Savage told Sky Sports News. "Even if he didn't call me by my name.
"He just said 'it's John Toshack', I am calling to inform you that you will not be a part of my next two squads and so I said fine, I was thinking of retiring anyway and slammed the phone down.
"From what I have seen in the last squad, I was thinking of retiring because I could not believe how in such a short space of time, the Wales setup could go from such professionalism under Mark Hughes to what is a bit of a shambles under Mr Toshack," he added.
"I would say how professional it was under Mark Hughes and to going to the new methods of the new manager was totally different and very hard to take."
Savage claims the international setup has suffered as a consequence of Mark Hughes, his Blackburn manager, relinquishing the reins.
"I just can't believe the transformation after one game. Mark Hughes dotted every I and crossed every T and I am not saying that because he is my club manager, the transformation is unbelievable.
"Training methods, standards, curfews, loads of things are different and to treat Premier League players like that is unbelievable."
Savage admits he is still in a state of shock at having called time on his international career at the age of 30, but claims he was left with no other option but to turn his back on his country.
"I can't believe it at the moment. I will miss everything about playing for Wales," he added. "There are a lot of things I won't miss, but it has happened and I am gutted because it is not for footballing reasons.
"I am a Premier League player and when I am fit I feel I can have an influence on the team.
"I believe that at this stage of my career, after being transferred to Blackburn for £3 million and playing in the top flight, that if I can't get in his 24-man squad for a competitive game against Austria, then let's be fair, I am never going to get in.
"As for not being able to get into his 24-man squad, I will accept if I am not good enough for his first XI and I am just going to be a squad player, but I think I am good enough to get in the best 24 players in Wales.
"He feels I am not good enough, so I thought it was the right time to call it a day.
"I am desperately disappointed, there is nothing better than playing for Wales, my country, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
"I have 39 caps and will look back on my Wales career as a success and I feel privileged to have played alongside some of the greatest players Wales have ever had in Ryan Giggs, John Hartson and Craig Bellamy."
Savage admits he is paying the price for not seeing eye-to-eye with Toshack.
"That is probably the case," he added. "It has gone beyond footballing matters and is personal.
"I think for him to call me from 200 miles away and say I will not be involved, I felt it would be nice for him to come and see me eye-to-eye. It might have been the first time he had done that, but it would have been nice.
"I was looking forward to the game at 9 o'clock this morning, it was on my mind the problems after the first squad, but I wanted to play for my country and I said I will bite the bullet and give everything I have got, but for him to say I can't get in his 24-man squad was the end."
Savage says he has no intention of changing his mind, as he added: "My decision is made, I knew from day one that when he came to Birmingham City to see me, he spent 20 minutes talking about himself.
"It is all about him and I can't accept that. It is a squad game, but I can't even get in the squad and I can't accept I am not one of the best 24 players in Wales."